(BS)
Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries has started commercial production of coal bed methane (CBM) from its Sohagpur fields in Madhya Pradesh. CBM is currently being supplied for commissioning the Shahdol Phulpur Pipeline (SHPPL). “The production, which started on March 24 this year, will gradually ramp-up in the next 15-18 months making RIL among the largest unconventional natural gas producers in India,” the company said in a statement today.
RIL was awarded the licence to explore two adjacent CBM blocks SP (West) and SP(East) with an area of 995 square kilo meter in the first round of CBM block bidding by the government of India in 2001. The company has drilled more than 200 wells connected to two gas gathering stations in the first phase of development. RIL expects to drill 600-800 wells further and develop associated infrastructure over the next phases of development.