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Eureka! Huge reserve of natural gas in desert state

A huge reserve of natural gas capable of generating 2,680 mega-watt power annually for 30 years has been detected in Rajasthan's border district of Barmer.

Seven block areas of Barmer have been found to possess coal-based methane reserve which could be gainfully exploited for the state's economic development, according to an official report made available in Jaipur.

An estimated 30 per cent of the hidden natural resource could be made use of, it said.

The report projected that an estimated investment of about Rs 63 billion to tap the reserve could fetch the state an annual revenue of Rs 4.92 billion by way of ten per cent royalty and another 12 per cent sales tax.

Besides its use in different forms, the exploitation of the gas could produce water for irrigational purposes and also for domestic consumption after proper treatment.

The findings were based on detailed investigations carried out by different agencies during the past 16 years.

The report also spoke of existence of extensive lignite deposits in various parts in the western region of the state, mostly in the desert areas. Recent seismic surveys carried out during 1996 indicated extensive presence of thick lignite seams in Barmer Graben, which is now considered as the ''northern continuity of the Cambay basin.''

The coal-based methane has been detected in commercial quantities in the sub-surface lignite deposits of the Cambay basin, which has raised hopes for possible exploitation for bettering the state's economic health. The report also indicated presence of similar gas in the Sanchore well number one drilled by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation.

The coal-beds located in the region can be exploited commercially with standard production technique, the report said, while describing coal-based methane as a ''clean source of energy''. The Cambay basin in Gujarat and Barmer basin in Rajasthan exhibit similar coal-based methane characteristics comparable to those of the Uinta basin of New Mexico, the report noted.

It also said that three major sedimentary basins of coal deposition, oil and gas occurrences have been identified in the sprawling western parts of the state -- in Bikaner-Negaur basin, Jaisalmer basin and Barmer-Sanchore basin.

UNI

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