Reliance makes huge gas find in MP

Reliance Industries has made a huge gas discovery in a coal block in Madhya Pradesh.

The company discovered 3.75 trillion cubic feet of in-place gas reserves under coal seams in the Sohagpur coal bed methane (CBM) blocks in Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh, senior company officials said.

This is Reliance's first gas find in the CBM blocks. The company has earlier found gas reserves in the deep sea blocks off Andhra Pradesh coast and Orissa coast.

The Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance has informed the government, and the directorate general of hydrocarbons (DGH) has approved the in-place gas reserves.

"Reliance has made a gas discovery, and we have certified the in-place reserves at 3.75 trillion cubic feet," V K Sibal, director general of DGH, said.

CBM is primarily methane gas (80-95%), which occurs in its natural state in coal or lignite bed seams.

Sibal said Reliance has completed the first exploration phase in the Sohagpur blocks, and is now entering the second phase.

"Recoverable reserves would be established only after more test drilling," he said, adding Reliance would drill 12 more development wells in the blocks.