RIL and BP found gas in a field two kilometers below sea level

MUMBAI: Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and BP today announced that it has started production of gas from an R-cluster in ultra-deep water in the KG D6 block on India's east coast. RIL and B.P. KGD6 is developing three deepwater gas projects in the block - R Cluster, Satellites Cluster and MJ - which are expected to supply 15 per cent of India's total gas demand by the year 2023. All the three projects will utilize the existing infrastructure in the KG D6 block. RIL with 66.67 per cent stake in KG D6 Is the main operator and B.P. 33.33 per cent.

Of the three projects, the R cluster is the first to enter mainstream production. The field is located 60 km from the existing KG D6 Control and Riser Platform (CRP) off the coast of Kakinada and is connected to the subsurface production system by CRP through a pipeline within the sea level. The deepest offshore gas field in Asia is located at a depth of 2000 meters above sea level. Gas production from this field is expected to reach 12.9 million standard cubic meters per day (mmscmd) in 2021.

Mr. Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries Ltd., said, “We are proud of our partnership with BP, which includes our ability to launch gas projects quickly even in the most challenging geographical and weather conditions. This is a milestone for a greener gas-based economy. We expect to meet the country's gas production and clean energy needs through our deep-sea infrastructure in the Krishna Godavari Basin. "

Bernard Looney, Chief Executive, BP, said, "This is another example of our partnership with start-up Reliance, in which both companies are doing their best to meet India's fast-growing energy needs. Clean gas production capacity is increasing and all three KG D6 projects will be instrumental in improving the country's future energy needs and giving it a new dimension. "

The satellite cluster is the next project that will go onstream in the year 2021 and then in the year 2022 M.J. The order of the cluster will come. The maximum gas production capacity from all the three fields is expected to reach 30 mmscmd (1bcf / d) by 2023, which will be 25 per cent of India's domestic gas production capacity and reduce the country's need to rely on imported gas.