RIL on April 2 shut the well A1 on the main producing fields of Dhirubhai-1 and 3 (D1&D3) in Krishna Godavari basin block KG-DWN-98/3 or KG-D6 for "reservoir build-up study," according to a status report of the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons.
Concerned over fall in output at India's biggest gas field, oil regulator DGH has sent a fact finding mission to Reliance Industries-operated KG-D6 fields to ascertain reasons for the decline in production.
The report, submitted to the government last week, says the slow pace of field development is the reason production has fallen to 50 million standard cubic metres a day (mscmd) from a peak of 60 mscmd last year.
Reliance ADA Group challenged Sibal to bring on record anything to support his 'wild allegations,' while adding that it would file criminal proceedings against DGH.
RIL produced a total of 22.04 mmscmd of gas from Dhirubhai-1 and 3 gas fields and MA oil and gas field in the KG-DWN-98/3 or KG-D6 block in Bay of Bengal in the week ended December 30, 2012, the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons said in a production status report to the Oil Ministry.
Clashing over Reliance Industries's gas field cost, an Anil Ambani group firm on Wednesday questioned the credibility of audits commissioned by the Directorate General of Hydrocarbon, evoking sharp protest from the regulator.
It is shut due to high water and sand ingress and it awaits regulatory nod to carry out urgent workover.
Reliance had in December, 2009, submitted to the regulator an optimised development plan for four satellite gas fields around the currently producing Dhirubhai-1 and 3 gas fields in the KG-DWN-98/3, or KG-D6, block.
The ministry has attributed the fall in output to non-fulfilment of RIL's commitment to drill 22 wells in the field.
Reliance Industries has informed oil regulator DGH that four smaller gas finds surrounding the D-1 and D-3 fields in the Krishna-Godavari basin can be commercially exploited.
The oil and gas industry regulator has never been far from controversy during his five-year tenure.
A CBI team on Friday visited office of oil regulator V K Sibal to check records following charges of his receiving favours from Mukesh Ambani-led RIL to approve an inflated expenditure for gas field, a charge denied by him.
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation has told oil regulator Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) that its KG basin block may hold about 3 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves from which it plans to produce 25-30 million unit a day by 2016.
Development plan for K-G basin runs for 12 years, so can't supply to RNRL for 17 years, says RIL.
The 28 discoveries include Charada structure and Matar field in Cambay basin (Gujarat) and YSAF in KG basin (off Andhra Pradesh coast), the company said. The discoveries made in FY'09 have been notified to the directorate general of hydrocarbons.
The appointment of new expenditure secretary comes a month-and-a-half ahead of the Budget for 2020-21 to be presented on February 1.
Sibal rejoined OIL on October 31 and immediately applied for early retirement, government sources said. In 2004, he had gone as directorate general of Hydrocarbons on lien from where he was reverted to his parent company OIL.
Anil Ambani-promoted Reliance Natural Resources has filed an affidavit in the Bombay High Court in the case involving Reliance Industries, refuting the petroleum ministry's stand that the government-approved price of $4.2/million metric British thermal unit (mmBtu) is the selling price of gas.
Bids were received for only 36 of the 70 blocks that were on offer.
Under attack for alleged favours granted to Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries, director general of hydrocarbons, VK Sibal has sought protection from the government fearing a threat to his life from Anil Ambani group - a charge denied by ADAG.
The global economic meltdown and the gas dispute between the Ambani brothers may trip India's largest ever auction of oil and gas blocks as the two factors are likely to keep major foreign firms from bidding, the sector regulator feels.
Mukesh Ambani-led RIL has sought to lift the sty as it claims it's ready to produce gas next month. Arguing before the court against vacation of the stay, RNRL senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi said, "There is no immediate supply of gas. Let the directorate general of hydrocarbons make a statement when the company is ready to produce the gas."
Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's children -- Isha, Akash and Anant -- on Monday were appointed on the board of his energy-to-technology conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd, in what is seen as a clear path of succession planning at India's most valuable company.
A proposal for extension from the Oil Ministry is pending clearance from Central Vigilance Commission and the Central Bureau of Investigation, which is probing allegations that he favoured Mukesh Ambani-led RIL in lieu of personal benefits.
Empowered group overrules DGH's recommendations.
In its annual work program submitted to upstream oil regulator Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, Reliance stated that natural gas output from Dhirubhai-1 and 3 or D1 and D3 gas fields in the block KG-DWN-98/3 or KG-D6, will be about 38 mmscmd in 2012-13 from current production level of 43-44 mmscmd.
The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) last month wrote to Reliance asking it to drill two more wells by April to meet its commitment of drilling 22 wells in the phase-1 development of the Dhirubhai-1 and 3 or D1 and D3 gas fields in the KG-D6 block, official sources.
Oil regulator DGH has recommended stiff penalties on state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp and Reliance Industries Ltd for default on commitments made by them on oil and gas exploration blocks awarded under NELP.
The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation plans to invest over US$ 5 billion to produce 25 million standard cubic meters per day of gas from its eastern offshore Krishna Godavari fields by 2013. The state-run firm on Wednesday submitted to the regulator Director General of Hydrocarbons an appraisal programme of the discoveries it had made in the KG offshore basin, putting the in-place reserves at 6.37 trillion cubic feet. ONGC also plans to produce 8,000 barrels of oil per day.
Anil Ambani Group never sought clarification before bids closed, says DGH.
The DGH said that RIL's initial production from the D6 block is likely to be of around 15 million standard cubic metres per day.
The official explained that the contractor would take the worst-case scenario into account "to be on the safe side", when working out the field development plan and the probable cost of exploration and development of the block.
The shortage of drilling rigs across the world is likely to delay the seventh round of auction of oil and gas blocks, under the New Exploration and Licensing Policy, till October-November this year.
In a bid to attract "big oil" to India, the government is close to finalising an Open Acreage Licensing Policy, which gives companies a round-the-year window to pitch for oil and gas in blocks of their choice.
RIL on Monday submitted a commerciality report for the Dhirubhai-39 discovery in block KG-DWN-2003/1, about 50 km off Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, to the oil ministry and the directorate general of hydrocarbons. A company official said the well KG-V-D3-A1 flowed 38.1 million cubic feet per day of gas and the find was later named Dhirubhai-39.
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