India Announces Shale Gas Find

India's biggest energy explorer Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has discovered the country's first shale gas reserve at Durgapur in Burdwan district of West Bengal. at a site spread over an area of 1250-1300 sq km.

The ONGC, which began its exploration of the Damodar basin last September in India's first such experimental project, hit upon the gas source late on Monday while drilling with its first rig.

P K Bhowmik, director of ONGC, inspected the shale gas site on Tuesday and was satisfied with what he saw. The commercial exploitation of the gas field will, however, be the Central Government's call.

Dr Prafulla Kumar Mahato, site in charge and senior ONGC scientist, told Times of India he was excited about the potential of Sarpi.

"More than 100 rigs will be drilled. The socio-economic scenario of the area will change. The demand for shale gas is huge in the global market," he said.

The discovery was the result of efforts scientists at Dehradun's Keshava Deva Malviya Institute of Petroleum Exploration.

"It is cent per cent natural gas and can be utilised as cooking gas and for other commercial uses," said PK Mahato, a scientist at the institute.

He claimed the block found has reserves that could last up to 50 years, depending on the quantity of exploration.

On Wednesday, R S Sharma, the CMD of ONGC, is likely to submit a report on the discovery to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Sources said it was likely that the PM would make the announcement on Republic Day itself.

According to ONGC estimates, India's shale gas reserves range between 600 and 2,000 trillion cubic feet.