8 lakh tonnes crude oil produced in Arunachal

Itanagar, Sep 25: Arunachal Pradesh has produced over eight lakh tonnes of crude oil from its oil fields located at Changlang district till date.

Official sources here today said altogether 8,79,924.74 tonnes of crude oil have been extracted from the district by various oil companies since oil exploration started and the state government earned a total revenue of over Rs 141 crore.

The state government is planning to enhance production of oil in the state and accordingly approached the Centre for extending the area of operation in the state, the sources informed, adding that various oil companies, approved by the Centre, were conducting survey at Jairampur, Pasighat, Kharsang, Kumchai, Diyun and Namsai areas.

The sources further informed that exploration of crude oil and natural gas was under the purview of the state government and the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons prepares the programmes, plans and policies in this regard.

The state also earned a total revenue of over Rs 1.25 crore from extraction of coal from Kharsang coal field in Changlang district during 2007-2008.

The sources informed that National Mining Company in Assam's Tinsukia district had been engaged by the Arunachal Pradesh Mineral Development and Trading Corporation Limited as a contractor for extraction of coal.

A total of 1,09,358.840 tonnes of coal were extracted from the field during the year.

The coal was being extracted within the leasehold area from central block of Namchik-Namphuk coal fields at Kharsang as approved by the Centre, the sources added.

UNI