Kochi: An upcoming expedition is set to explore the deep-sea areas along the Kerala coast, where the presence of crude oil and natural gas reserves is highly anticipated. Suspected reservoirs are scattered across ten blocks within the state, including Kochi and Kollam, making these regions the focus of the upcoming venture. Previous attempts were made to survey these blocks, but no definitive findings were obtained.
Notably, Oil India, a public sector oil company, recently conducted an expedition in the Kollam region after securing the expedition tender. Crude oil presence was also suspected near Kodungallur, but conclusive evidence remained elusive. Consequently, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), another public sector oil company, terminated its previous exploration efforts in this area.
The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation has now announced its intent to participate in the auction for crude oil and gas exploration in the Kerala-Konkan region. These expeditionary missions are expected to span two to three years, reaching depths of up to 20,000 meters. To facilitate this extensive undertaking, specialized platforms will be deployed in the deep sea.
The initial phase of the expedition will focus on verifying the existence of crude oil and natural gas reserves. ONGC’s expedition in the Kanyakumari areas and the Gulf of Mannar is slated to commence shortly. Bharat currently imports 85-90 percent of crude oil of its total consumption.
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