ONGC) Proposes to Carryout Exploratory Drilling in PML Areas of South Assam Shelf (SAS) Block in Sarupathar Tehsil, Golaghat District, Assam
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Environmental Impact Assessment Studies for the Proposed Drilling of 15 Exploratory Wells in PML Areas of SAS Block in Sarupathar Tehsil, Golaghat District, Assam Chapter-1 Introduction 1.0 INTRODUCTION Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) proposes to carryout exploratory drilling in PML areas of South Assam Shelf (SAS) block in Sarupathar tehsil, Golaghat district, Assam. This chapter describes the purpose of the report, identification of project and proponent, brief description of nature, size, location of the project and importance to the region and country. The chapter also describes the scope of the study, details of regulatory scoping carried out as per Terms of Reference (TOR) issued by Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), New Delhi. 1.1 Purpose of the Report As per Environmental Impact Assessment EIA Notification dated 14th September, 2006, exploration of oil & gas falls under category ‘A’ of project activity 1(b) requires prior Environmental Clearance (EC) to be obtained from MoEF&CC before the commencement of ground activity. The application for prior EC (Form-1 and Pre-feasibility Report) for the proposed project has been submitted to MoEF&CC on 20th February, 2015 and same was reviewed by 40th reconstituted Expert Appraisal Committee (Industry II) held during 18th – 19th May 2015 in New Delhi to prescribe Terms of Reference (TORs) for the preparation of EIA/EMP report. TOR has been issued by MoEF&CC vide letter F.No. J-11011/111/2015-IA II (I) dated 6th July, 2015. A copy of the ToR letter, along with its compliance is enclosed as Annexure-I. This EIA Report is prepared inline with the ToR issued by MoEF&CC and addresses the anticipated environmental impacts of the proposed project and proposes the mitigation measures for the same for obtaining Environmental Clearance (EC) from MoEF&CC, New Delhi. The report covers the primary data collected during 15th January 2016 to 8th April 2016 representing partly winter and pre monsoon season. Based on the TOR conditions stipulated by MoEF&CC vide letter mentioned above, draft EIA/EMP has been prepared for conducting Environmental Public Hearing and submitting the final EIA report to MoEF&CC for obtaining Environmental Clearance from MOEF&CC, New Delhi. 1.2 Identification of Project and Project Proponent Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) is a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) of the Government of India, under the administrative control of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. It is India's largest oil and gas exploration and production company. It produces around 70% of India's crude oil (equivalent to around 25% of the country's total demand) and around 60% of its natural gas. With a market capitalization of over INR 2 trillion, it is one of India's most valuable publicly-traded companies. ONGC has been ranked 357th in the Fortune Global 500 list of the world's biggest corporations for the year 2012. It is also among the Top 250 Global Energy Company by PLATTS. ONGC was founded on 14th August 1956 by the Indian state, which currently holds a 69.23% equity stake. It is involved in exploring VIMTA Labs Limited, Hyderabad C1-1 Environmental Impact Assessment Studies for the Proposed Drilling of 15 Exploratory Wells in PML Areas of SAS Block in Sarupathar Tehsil, Golaghat District, Assam Chapter-1 Introduction hydrocarbons in 26 sedimentary basins of India and owns and operates over 11,000 kilometers of pipelines in the country. Its international subsidiary, ONGC Videsh currently has projects in 15 countries. 1.3 Brief Description of the Project 1.3.1 Nature of the Project As per the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification dated 14th September, 2006, the proposed exploratory drilling project falls under ‘Category A’ of activity type 1(b). The proposed project intends to identify the presence of hydrocarbon prospects through exploratory drilling and to delineate and quantify hydrocarbon pools in discovered fields through appraisal drilling. The proposed project will basically involve drilling of 15 exploratory wells in the SAS block. 1.3.2 Size of the Project ONGC has identified 15 well locations i.e., NL-1(KHBG), NL-2, NL-3, NL-4(NRAH), NL-5(KHBE), NL-6 NL-7, NL-8, NL-9(KHBD), NL-10, NL-11, URAA, NL-12, NL-13 and NL-14 are included in present EIA study. It is proposed to drill 15 exploratory wells for the fulfillment of Minimum Work Program (MWP) and also to evaluate potential of the entire block. 1.3.3 Project Site Details 1.3.3.1 Location of the Block The South Assam Shelf is a part of Assam & Assam-Arakan basin and situated in the Dhansiri valley separated from North Assam shelf by a major E-W trending Jorhat fault. The area represents a part of foreland basin flanked by NE-SW trending Naga Schuppen belt on the East & Southeast and Mikir Massif in the West. The area is sparsely exhibiting intra-cratonic graben filling sediments from Permian age to basaltic flows of Early Cretaceous age. The extensive Late Cretaceous-Oligocene sequence deposited in Passive margin setting witnessed differential erosion at places and overlain by a thick pile of Miocene to Recent sediments deposited in a foreland setting. The total sedimentary thickness in the area is of the order of 3500 m. Reservoirs in different stratigraphic levels starting from fractured Basement to Sylhet, Kopili, Barail, Bokabil, Tipam and Namsang have been charged in different parts of the basin depending on entrapment and are required to be probed for hydrocarbons. The proposed area covering the Khoraghat Extn ML, Khoraghat ML, Nambar ML Golaghat Dist. PEL, Golaghat Extn-II. A PML falls within Golaghat district of Assam state. The area has an average elevation of about 100 metres above mean sea level. It is bounded by the state of Nagaland to the east. The proposed area lies between 26°02’19.53” and 26°17’47.34” north latitude and between 93°49’23.43” and 94° 02'43.07” east longitude. VIMTA Labs Limited, Hyderabad C1-2 Environmental Impact Assessment Studies for the Proposed Drilling of 15 Exploratory Wells in PML Areas of SAS Block in Sarupathar Tehsil, Golaghat District, Assam Chapter-1 Introduction I) Nambar ML The Nambar ML Block covering an area of 26 Sq.Km is located in the South Assam shelf part (Dhansiri valley) of A&AA Basin. The validity of ML is from 05.09.1999 to 04.09.2019. Five new locations are proposed for exploration and extraction of hydrocarbon in the area. II) Khoraghat Extn ML The Khoraghat Extn ML Block covering an area of 83 Sq.km is located in the South Assam shelf part (Dhansiri valley) of A&AA Basin. The ML for Khoraghat Extn block was granted on 17.01.2000 and expires on 16.07.2020. Six new locations are proposed for exploration of hydrocarbon in the area. III) Golaghat Extn II A PML Golaghat Extn II A PML covering an area of 61+24 sq.km is located in the South Assam shelf part (Dhansiri valley) of A&AA Basin. The PML for Golaghat Extn II A block grant is awaited by state government (7 years PML Block). Two new locations are proposed for exploration of hydrocarbon in the area. The area is highly prospective for hydrocarbon point of view. IV) Golaghat Dist. PEL Golaghat Dist. PEL covering an area of 54.4 Sq.km comprises of two parts-one to the north of Khoraghat and another to west of it. The date of re-grant of PEL is 14.09.2014 and the two Year completion is 13.09.2016. Two exploratory locations are proposed for exploration and extraction of hydrocarbon in the area. Index Map is shown in Figure-1.1. The block coordinates are given in Table-1.1. Tentative well coordinates are as given in Table-1.2. TABLE-1.1 BLOCK COORDINATES Sr. Boundary Block Coordinates (WGS-84) PEL / MLs Name No. Name Latitude Longitude 1. Golaghat Extn IIA PML, A 26° 17’ 47.341”N 093° 55’ 47.030”E Golaghat Dist PEL, B 26° 15’ 25.173”N 094° 02’ 43.077”E Khoraghat Extn ML, C 26° 02’ 19.539”N 093° 57’ 59.380”E Nambar ML D 26° 02’ 37.246”N 093° 49’ 23.436”E The study area map showing the block location and proposed 15 exploratory drilling well locations are shown in Figure-1.2. Google map showing block area with well locations are shown in Figure-1.3. The environmental setting of the block area falling in SAS Block is given in Table-1.3 to Table-1.17. VIMTA Labs Limited, Hyderabad C1-3 Environmental Impact Assessment Studies for the Proposed Drilling of 15 Exploratory Wells in PML Areas of SAS Block in Sarupathar Tehsil, Golaghat District, Assam Chapter-1 Introduction TABLE-1.2 TENTATIVE EXPLORATORY DRILLING WELL LOCATIONS To be drilled from Well Coordinates (WGS-84) Sr. Name of existing wells or Forest clearance file no. Land District Tehsil Village No location Latitude Longitude common point NAMBAR ML NL-1 KH-35, 3-AS B 014.2012-SHI ONGC Land 1 26° 03' 14.72" 93° 55' 30.64” Golaghat Sarupathar Lachit gaon (KHBG) (KHAS) CP 2 NL-2 KH-7, (KHF) CP 26° 02' 40.708" 93° 55' 40.324" 8-23/91-FC ONGC Land Golaghat Sarupathar Lachit gaon 3 NL-3 KH-9, NR-2 CP 26° 03' 18.537" 93° 54' 37.439" 8012-37/2000/RONE AS ONGC Land Golaghat Sarupathar Tokshi 4 NL-4 (NRAH) New Point 26° 03' 42.325" 93° 52' 42.549" - Forest Land Golaghat Sarupathar Pvito 5 NL-5 (KHBE) KH-30 (KHAT) CP 26° 05' 17.539" 93° 53' 20.996" 3-AS B 116/2008-SHI ONGC Land Golaghat Sarupathar Sonowal KHORAGHAT EXT.ML KH-23 8-12-112/2001/R ONE-AS ONGC Land 6 NL-6 26° 06' 18.760" 93° 57' 52.699" Golaghat Sarupathar 1 no.