State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has got a contract for oil exploration in Ganga basin area of Bihar.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has awarded the contract to ONGC through an international bidding for the oil exploration in Ganga basin a month ago, Petroleum Secretary R S Pandey said while addressing a function here.
ONGC will start its exploration work in next one month time and the process will be completed within 3-4 years, Pandey said, adding that even Cairn Energy has got some oil exploration work in Samastipur area of the state.
Pandey, who had come here to review distribution network, said that poor road network, though it was improving, coupled with low per capita income has affected the petrol retail outlets in Bihar.
At present, there are only 1,362 retail outlets in the state which is less than national average. The retail outlets network would be strengthened and would be increased to 1,500 by the end of this year.
The Petroleum Secretary also said that at present 313 LPG distributors were there in the state and 113 distributors would be added to bring it to 500 in the next four months.
The Indian Oil and Gas Authority of India have signed an MoU to set up a petro-chemical complex near Barauni refinery for it needed 1,000 acres of land for the purpose, he said.
