ONGC gas supply delay prolongs

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is unlikely to resume operations of its gas processing unit for four more days.

Supply to the Hazira Vijaypur Bijapur (HBJ) gas pipeline,which carries 33 mmscmd of natural gas to a large number of power and fertiliser companies in western and northern India, is likely to be delayed further.

Even though flood water is receding fast in Surat city, a part of Hazira belt is still flooded. Despite desperate attempts to resume operation at the gas plant, the damage done by the flood during the last week may not allow ONGC to resume supply from the Hazira plant.

"Even if ONGC manages to resume supply in another two to three days it would be running unit on minimum capacity and will not be able to reach at its full capacity of 40 mmscmd of gas before a week time," said industry sources.

The Hazira gas unit in Gujarat was shut early on Tuesday after floodwater entered a key gas plant. ONGC has capped gas wells at the offshore platforms of its Bassein field, and the Panna-Mukta and Tapti fields, after the flooding.

Among the power companies, NTPC with six of its power projects including Kawas power station near Surat and Jhanore power station near Bharuch in South Gujarat, has scaled down its production for gas-based power projects.

On the other hand, other gas distribution and transmission companies operating in the state managed to continue gas supply to their customers even during the flood time.

During the severe floods, Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Limited (GSPC) managed to continue uninterrupted supply of gas to all its customers in Gujarat who could take gas.

The supplies of gas to various customers have been managed from GSPC-NIKO fields and Petronet LNG Terminal. Supply of gas from Hazira LNG Terminal had been resumed from 10th August 2006.

Though the operation at GSPL Mora Control was closed on 8th August, 2006, alternative arrangements for supply of gas was made by managing the operations from company's Vadodara control room.

Operation of Mora Control room has been restored and supply of gas to GSEC Utran has been commenced from 11th August evening.

In Hazira region, uninterrupted supply of gas is being maintained for Essar Steel, Essar Power and Gujarat Gas Company Ltd. Because of GSPC's uninterrupted gas supply Gujarat Gas is able to maintain domestic gas as well as CNG for transportation.

The Gas supplies to all the customers in Bharuch, Dahej, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Kalol and Himatnagar regions has been maintained uninterrupted.

GSPC is also supplying 3 mmscmd of gas to Various NTPC Power Plants on HVJ / DVPL, by delivering gas to GAIL's DVPL pipeline at Dahej to avert the crisis posed by shortfall of gas on HVJ.