ONGC expects 16-well campaign clearance
By early December (2023), ONGC is confident it will receive approval for its 16-well exploration and appraisal campaign at onland Cambay basin OALP-6 blocks CB-ONHP-2020/1 and CB-ONHP-2021/1.
On September 26 (2023), the Gujarat State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) recommended the Rs252.18cr ($30.2m) campaign to the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) for environmental clearance, but with some queries, which ONGC answered on October 11 (2023). ONGC's proposal encountered a minor stumbling block when the SEAC noted that at least two of the proposed wells were located within 500 metres of highways, violating environment and National Highway Authority guidelines, which ban any well within 75 metres of a highway.
Wells P1 and P5 are 50 and 15 metres from a road. However, ONGC argued that the guidelines did not apply as the well sites are near a village approach road, not a highway.
ONGC will acquire 12,100-sq metres for each exploration well, or a total of 193,600-sq metres for 16 wells. Under new guidelines, a green belt must cover 33% of the site area.
As a B2 category project, ONGC needs no environment ministry Terms of Reference (ToR) or a public hearing before drilling begins. At the 44.13-sq km CB-ONHP-2020/1 block straddling Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts, ONGC has committed to shoot 44.13-sq km 3D and drill ten exploration wells in the three-year exploration phase from February 13 (2023) to February 12 (2026).
ONGC has proposed six locations for CB-ONHP-2020/1 in Gandhinagar district: P1 (Lat: 23-06-08.07-N; Long: 72-45-16.96-E; P3 (Lat: 23-05-10.59-N; Long: 72-47-39.63-E); P7 (Lat: 23-04-48.69-N; Long: 72-46-32.04-E); P8 (Lat: 23-05-12.09-N; Long:72-46-17.74-E); P9 (Lat:23-06-26.48-N; Long: 72-46-38.49-E); and P10 (Lat: 23-06-45.32-N; Long: 72-46-11.12-E). In Ahmedabad district the four proposed locations are: P2 (Lat: 23-04-48.59-N Long: 72-44-18.86-E); P4 (Lat: 23-03-42.25-N; Long: 72-44-37.61-E); P5 (Lat-23-03-59.31-N; Long: 72-45-40.21-E) and P6 (Lat-23-3-33.27-N: Long: 72-46-45.15-E).
ONGC won CB-ONHP-2020/1 on May 30 (2022) and received a PEL from Gujarat's energy department on February 13 (2023).