OIL India’s bid to drill for hydrocarbons
- Posted By
10Pointer
- Categories
Environment
- Published
22nd May, 2020
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Context
- The Oil India Limited (OIL) said that Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change accorded environment clearance for extension of drilling for hydrocarbon exploration inside Dibru Saikhowa National Park in eastern Assam.
- The clearance for extension drilling and testing at seven locations under the national park was given as part of the Centre's target to reduce 10% imports and the Northeast Vision 2030.
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What are the concerns?
- This could disturb the ecology and environment of the 340 sqkm (core area) national park that houses at least 36 mammals, birds, reptiles and is one of the major tourist attractions.
- The MoEFCC clearance comes close on the heels of the National Board of Wild Life’s (NBWL) approval on April 17, allowing Coal India Limited to carry out opencast and underground coal mining in a portion of the Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve in the state.
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How will the OIL assure no ecological impact?
- The advertisement appears to have led to concern assuming that OIL will be operating inside the national park. OIL clarified that it would not operate inside the national park and the drilling would have no ecological impact.
- The OIL reassured everyone that our operations will have no impact on the park’s area as they will be conducted 3.5 km beneath the surface.
- OIL will not enter the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park area and operations will be conducted through extended reach drilling (ERD) technology.
- OIL had obtained permission in 2016 on the basis of the sophisticated ERD (extended reach drilling) technology that will enable us to explore hydrocarbon deposits horizontally.
- With the use of ERD, wells can be drilled up to a depth of 4 km from the existing well plinth without entering the protected area.
- The ERD techniques are extensively used to intersect hydrocarbon targets far from the surface or areas of the reservoir which otherwise are difficult to access.
- Through ERD, OIL will reach the target depth of around 3.5 km beneath the surface of the national park without carrying out any drilling inside the park.
- Drilling will take place at an average of more than 1.5 km outside the demarcated area of the national park where OIL already is carrying out hydrocarbon exploration since the last 15 years.
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Why this exploration is important?
- If commercial viability of hydrocarbon production is established, then the production of oil and gas would help in meeting energy needs of the country and will also lead to the socio-economic development of the area and its vicinity.
- The commercial production from this area shall enable OIL to meet the vision of Prime Minister towards 10% reduction in imports and also fulfilling North East Vision 2030.
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About Dibru-Saikhowa National Park
- Dibru-Saikhowa is a National Park as well as a Biosphere Reserve situated in the south bank of the river Brahmaputra in the extreme east of Assam state in India.
- Saikhowa, with an area of 340 sq km, is among the most vibrant wildness on earth and is also distinct for its pristine scenic beauty.
- Situated in the flood plain of Brahmaputra, Dibru-saikhowa is a safe haven for many extremely rare and endangered species of Wildlife.
- This was declared a wildlife Sanctuary in 1986 by the government of Assam by uniting two Reserve forest,, Dibru and Saikhowa including some other areas.
- Dibru-Saikhowa wildlife Sanctuary was declared as a National park in 1999. This ecologically sensitive park declared a biosphere reserve in 1997.
- Dibru-Saikhowa National Park is one of the 19 biodiversity hotspots in the world.
- Dibru-Saikhowa is an island bounded by the Brahmaputra, Lohit and the Dibru rivers.
- The forest type of Dibru-Saikhowa comprises of semi-evergreen forests, deciduous forests, littoral and swamp forests and patches of wet evergreen forests.
- Famed for Ferral horses, a total 36 species of mammals and above 400 species of birds have so far been recorded from the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park.
- Some rare and endangered animals of this park are Hoolock gibbon, capped langur, slow loris, water buffalo, tiger, elephant, gangetic river dolphin etc.
- It is an identified Important Bird Area (IBA) having more than 400 species of Birds, some of which are Greater Adjutant Stork, Lesser Adjutant Stork, Greater Crested Grebe.
- National park is an area which is strictly reserved for the betterment of the wildlife & biodiversity, and where activities like developmental, forestry, poaching, hunting and grazing on cultivation are not permitted. Their boundaries are well marked and circumscribed.
