60 % output restored in Bombay High: Raha

The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) said it had restored about 60 per cent production at Mumbai High and was expecting to reach "near and normal" production by March next year.

"We have reached the production of 2,13,200 barrels per day (bpd) and gas sales of 8.5 million standard cubic metre per day (mmscmd) on Saturday afternoon from the pre-July 26 production of 2,65,000 bpd of oil and 10.2 mmscmd of gas," Subir Raha, chairman, ONGC, said.

The company expects to recoup five to ten per cent more production by December 2005 and had also invited bids for installing a floating platform, he said.

"If we are able to instal a floating platform within the next six months, we expect to achieve near and normal production of 2.7 lakh bpd by march next year," he said.

The company would also bring into production a marginal field `Delta One' by January 2006, which would add about 3,000 bpd and another promising reserve B-33 by December 2006 to add 15,000 bpd and 2 mmscmd of gas to the overall production,Raha added.