KG-D6, Gas Producing Fields Reached Lowest Gas Output Level Since Inception

The biggest gas producing fields of India in Krishna Godavari basin (KG-D6), which are controlled by Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) as well as UK’s BP, reached the lowest level of output ever since it was incepted. After the production level of gas producing fields touched peak levels of 60 million standard cubic metres of gas per day (mmscmd), the output remained 22.77 mmscmd in second week of December 2012.

The output status report was submitted by regulator of the gas producing fields to petroleum ministry. In the report, the reasons for lowest level of output were cited. It was described that sand ingress as well as high water in fields were the reasons for closing 7 out of 18 producing wells in KG-D6 block. Gas production in the month of November 2012 was around 25.11 mmscmd and 26 mmscmd in October 2012. On the contrary, in the month of April 2012, i.e. in the beginning of the fiscal year 2012-2013, the gas field produced 33 mmscmd.

The output of the target for this time of 2012 is 80 mmscmd. Output of gas from Dhirubhai-1 and Dhirubhai-3, the largest gas fields which RIL created in KG-D6 block, was also decreased after hitting its peak of 55 mmscmd back in August 2010. Out of the 18 wells in D1 and D3, the operational ones are only 11.
 
RIL has 60 percent interest in KG-D6, UK’s BP has 30 percent and Canada’s Niko Resources owns 10 percent.