Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and BP today announced the start of production from the R Cluster, an ultra-deep-water gas field in block KG D6 off the east coast of India. This is the first in the trio of projects that account for 25 per cent of domestic production of these companies.
The three deepwater gas projects in block KG D6 are R Cluster, Satellites Cluster and MJ. Together they are expected to meet 15 per cent of India's gas demand by 2023.
According to a joint statement, these projects will use an existing hub infrastructure in KG D6 block. RIL is the operator of KG D6 with a 66.67% participating interest and BP holds a 33.33% participating interest.
The field is located about 60km from the existing KG D6 Control & Riser Platform (CRP) off the Kakinada coast. It comprises a subsea production system tied back to CRP via a subsea pipeline.
Located at a water depth of over 2,000 meters, it is the deepest offshore gas field in Asia. The field is expected to reach plateau gas production of about 12.9 million standard cubic meters per day (mmscmd) in 2021.
"This is a significant milestone in India's energy landscape, for a cleaner and greener gas-based economy. Through our deep-water infrastructure in the Krishna Godavari basin, we expect to produce gas and meet the growing clean energy requirements of the nation, " RIL Chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani said.
BP chief executive Bernard Looney said their project will help meet India's rapidly expanding energy needs. "Growing India's own production of cleaner-burning gas to meet a significant portion of its energy demand, these three new KG D6 projects will support the country's drive to shape and improve its future energy mix," said Looney.
The next project, the Satellites Cluster, is expected to come onstream in 2021, followed by the MJ project in 2022.
Peak gas production from the three fields is expected to be around 30 mmscmd (1 bcf/d) by 2023, which is expected to be about 25 per cent of India's domestic production. It'll help reduce the country's dependence on imported gas.
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