Govt's secret dealing with ONGC exposed ; Oil Exploration in Manipur
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, December 14 2012: Even as the controversy over roping in the service of Holland-based Jubilant Oil and Gas Pvt Ltd for oil exploration in Manipur in gross violation of the rights of indigenous people is still raging, the Government of Manipur is found to have secretly granted approval for oil drilling in the State to Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) as well.

The issue has come to light amidst strong public protest against hearing for oil drilling being conducted in different parts of the State.

Official sources received from the Committee on Protection of Natural Resources in Manipur, disclosed that the State Government granted approval to ONGC for exploring oil over an area of 220 sq km block in the State.

The contract for the exploration of oil from this block known as Block AA-ONJ/2 was awarded by the State Government to the ONGC and another England based company by the name of Tullow India Operations Ltd (TIOL) on November 22, 1996.Seven years later after the contract was awarded, the contract for production sharing was signed.

Sources further revealed that Block AA-ONJ/2 covers a total area of 1277 sq km which includes 802 sq km of area in Assam, 222 sq km in Manipur and 255 sq km in Mizoram.

The Assam government gave its Production Exploration license for the 802 sq km of area.

The Government of Manipur gave the Production Exploration license on November 7, 2008 while the Mizoram government gave its Production Exploration license on November 27, 2008 .

In the contract signed, TIOL has been granted 60 percent of whole exploration and production process while the remaining 40 percent was assigned to ONGC.

However, the share of TOIL was later assigned to the Director General of Hydrocarbon by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and accordingly the exploration work over the whole Block was handed over to ONGC, sources added.

Sources went on to reveal that the demarcated 220 sq km of area for oil exploration in Manipur cover areas in Churachandpur, Jiribam and Ramphan, Bhuban, Teidukhan, Tenghil and Khwarkhublen in Tamenglong.

The process of exploration is supposed to be done in three phases, each phase extending for a period of two years.

The first phase is to commence from March 15, 2011 and end on March 14, 2013; the second phase from March 15 2013 to March 14, 2015 while the third phase would start on March 15, 2015 and end on March 14, 2017 .

During the first phase, 2D API survey would be carried out in 300 linear km; another 300 linear km in the second phase along with digging of a 3000 metre deep well and during the third phase two oil wells at a depth of 3000 metres each would be dug up.

Furthermore, sources disclosed that a Full Tensor Gravity Gradiometre survey is being targeted to be carried out by ONGC during the period from October, 2012 to April 2013.Apart from this, a 2D seismic data covering around an area of 480 km is also planned to be collected.

After its completion, extraction of oil would be carried out from the second phase.

However, no process has been taken up till today.

Sources maintained that process to extract oil from Manipur by ONGC and TIOL without giving any information to the general public amounts to gross violation of the rights of indigenous people residing in the State.

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