Cairn India Aims to Treble Gas Output from Rajasthan Block

Cairn India aims to boost gas production to 3 million standard cubic meters per day (mmscmd) by mid-2018 from its gas block in Indian state of Rajasthan.

The targeted output would be three times the current figure of 1 mmscmd produced from the Raageshwari gas field in the Barmer district block RJ-ON-90/1.

The information was stated in an application Cairn India submitted last month to India’s Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) seeking approval to lay a pipeline to Gujarat for transporting gas.

"Given the advanced status of gas producing wells and surface facilities, we envisage gas production through the new facilities latest by first half of 2017,” Cairn India said in the application submitted late last month. “Subsequent to ramp-up over a period of one year (from first half of 2017), the estimated gas production will be 3 mmscmd plateau for a period of 5 years with an overall profile of 15 years. Out of this around 2.6 MMSCMD will be for external sales.”

The company is planning to drill a minimum of 42 more wells to augment and sustain the gas supply in the next three years. Drilling for new wells is expected to start in first quarter of fiscal year 2016-17 with contracting for drilling rig, related equipment and services at an advanced stage.

The existing pipeline infrastructure nearest to Raageshwari Deep Gas (RDG) Terminal is GSPL’s High Pressure Gujarat Gas Grid (Palanpur Terminal) authorized by PNGRB. The pipeline is owned and operated by Gujarat State Petronet Limited. (GSPL). The Palanpur Terminal on GSPL’s Gujarat Gas Grid is located in Banaskantha District of Gujarat State and provides Tie-in connectivity option for gas production from RJ-ON-90/1 Block.