ONGC resumes output from western offshore field

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation said on Monday its natural gas output from western offshore field that had been stopped because of a strike by company executives has been normalised.

"Gas flow at Hazira has been resumed to its normal level of 45 million standard cubic meter per day," company Chairman R S Sharma told reporters on the sidelines of Petrotech 2009 conference in New Delhi.

Mumbai High during normal days produces 2,42,000 barrel per day (bpd) of crude oil while another 70,000 bpd is contributed by Heera and Neelam fields. The rest comes from South Bassein field, all lying off the west coast.

Natural gas production from these fields had fallen to almost nil, impacting supply to industry and city gas operations in Mumbai.

"Crude oil output from Mumbai High and other adjoining fields has crossed 3,20,000 barrels per day as against the normal out put of 3,42,000 barrels per day," Sharma added.

The January 7 to 9 strike by the executives of public sector oil companies, except HPCL, to seek higher wages had brought down the output from the western offshore fields to 1,70,000 bpd and had completely stopped 44-45 million standard cubic meters per day of gas that reached Hazira in Gujarat from the South Bassein and adjoining satellite fields and privately operated Panna/Mukta and Tapti fields.

Bombay High and its adjoining fields on normal days produce 12.8 mmscmd. Against a normal day sale of 10.5 mmscmd, the company could give only marginal quantities to Mahanagar Gas Ltd, which distributes CNG in Mumbai, during the January 7 to 9 strike.