RIL strikes gas again in Krishna block

MUMBAI: Reliance Industries (RIL) has announced yet another gas discovery in block KG OSN-2001/1 in the Krishna basin on the east coast of India.

RIL’s first discovery from which gas is expected to flow later this year was in the deepwater block of the Krishna-Godavari basin, whereas the latest discovery is in the shallow water of the Krishna basin. This is the company’s third gas discovery in the block.

RIL is the sole operator of this block, which is spread over an area 1,100 square kilometre and was awarded to RIL during the third round of NELP. RIL has christened the discovery Dhirubhai 38 and has notified the government and the upstream regulator, the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH).

The company, which is now rapidly emerging as a major upstream oil player, is now evaluating the potential of the discovery. The discovery substantiates the hydrocarbon potential of this block, an RIL statement said.

The well was drilled in the water depth of 151 metre. The total depth of the drilling was upto 2,820 meters, with the objective of exploring the Miocene play fairways within the block and for further understanding of the Krishna basin, the statement elaborated.

During the drilling of this well, a clastic reservoir was encountered with gross hydrocarbon column of around 105 metre in the Miocene section. The above pay zone has been confirmed through wireline-based technology called Reservoir Characterisation Imager (RCI).

RIL share closed at Rs 3216 on BSE on Monday, up nearly 3% on the earlier market close.