HYDERABAD: With the natural decline of production setting in at the Ravva oil and gas fields at the Krishna Godavari basin, Cairn India is in the process of maximising production through infill drilling, exploratory drilling and upgradation of facilities.
“All fields go through a natural plateau and decline phase and the current performance trend in Ravva is in line with the expectations and is consistent with the ultimate recoverable reserve estimates,” said a company official.
Sources said, Cairn is evaluating measures for sustenance of production and resource upgradation including enhancing recovery through water injection and gas lift support, undertaking 4D seismic surveys for incremental reserves and developing them through drilling campaigns, exploration of deeper sands and potential development of satellite pools and discoveries.
“Two exploration wells have been drilled during the last drilling campaign and four small-sized oil and gas discoveries have been made from four stratigraphic intervals,” the official said adding that one of the intervals is put under extended test besides further technical work to convert the discoveries into commercial produceable asset.
Developed in partnership with ONGC, Videocon and Ravva Oil, Cairn is the operating partner since 1996 in the Ravva block, which has crossed a total production of 270 million barrels, surpassing the estimated 100 million barrels target. It currently contributes seven per cent of the country’s domestic crude production.
Environment protection drive
As part of Cairn’s environment protection drive and to reduce diesel power generation, it has installed solar photovoltaic arrays and wind mills at all its offshore platforms at the Ravva block. “The renewable energy generated from solar and wind mills is used for critical loads like PLC telemetry system, navigational aids, platform emergency and Helideck lights,” said a company official.
Cairn said Ravva fields have an installed capacity of 19 MWH of renewable energy per annum. “However, the actual generation will differ from the installed capacity due to variation in wind patterns and the intensity of sunlight,” he said. The wind speed is usually above 15 knots during the monsoon and as a result the wind generator is expected to produce 80 KWH per month ensuring that the telemetry control system functions throughout the year.
“We are planning to replace many of our assets with renewable energy thereby reaffirming our commitment to environmental conservation and to optimise our conventional resources using nature’s gift,” said the official.