GAIL for exploration of gas in Sri Lanka

New Delhi, Aug 1 (UNI) India's oil and gas companies, ONGC and Gail (India) Limited are in the process of exploring fossil fuels in the island nation of Sri Lanka.

Minister of state for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dinshaw Patel told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that as a follow up to a shared desire between India and Sri Lanka to collaborate in Exploration and Production activities in Sri Lanka, a high level delegation from ONGC visited Sri Lanka in December, 2003 for discussions.

It was considered that in view of the work already carried out by ONGC in the Cauvery basin, where significant reserves have been established, further exploration in the same area on the Sri Lankan side could be productive on account of geological similarity.

The Minister said it was proposed that ONGC/OVL should submit a suitable proposal for acquiring the blocks in th Gulf of Mannar region in the western offshore of Sri Lanka.

OVL has purchased seismic data from TGS NPEC for Gulf of Mannar to examine the feasibility of their participation in E and P activities in the area.

GAIL had also approached the Sri Lankan government in October 2005 with the objective of securing a few E and P blocks through negotiation route. Subsequently, a GAIL team visited Colombo on 26-27 October 2005 and held discussions with the Lanka government.

The Minister said GAIL was advised to examine the seismic data and inform the Board of Investments of Sri Lanka about blocks of interest to it.

UNI RT AD DS1335