Why is the Central Government re-analyzing old geological data? What is a seismic survey and how does it work? In which basin areas is the government planning a major marine survey? Why is it considered necessary for India to increase domestic oil and gas production?
The central government has taken a new step to find hidden oil and natural gas reserves in the country. For this, old geological data will be re-examined with the help of state-of-the-art technology. This decision has been taken to accelerate oil exploration in the country. Under the scheme, old seismic data will be re-analyzed and new 3D seismic surveys will also be conducted in different parts of the country. The purpose of this entire exercise is to ensure the country’s security in the energy sector and reduce dependence on imports. The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), the technical arm of the petroleum ministry, is coordinating all these activities.
What is seismic survey?
It can be understood in simple language that experts will re-examine decades-old geological data with today’s modern imaging techniques. It is expected that this new investigation may find such reserves of oil and gas which were not detected in the old survey. Seismic survey can be compared to medical scanning. In this, sound waves are sent under the ground and on the basis of their return, it is found out what is under the earth. Oil companies decide where to drill on the basis of such surveys. Officials believe that compared to old methods, today’s super-computing systems and modern data processing will provide much clearer and accurate information.
There will be a big survey on the east coast also
According to reports, the government is planning a massive marine search survey spanning thousands of kilometers off the east coast of India. This huge geological survey will be conducted in Purnia Basin, Mahanadi Basin, Krishna Godavari Basin, Cauvery Basin and Andaman (East) Basin. The government will appoint special survey companies for this work, which will find out whether there is commercially extractable oil or natural gas under the sea or not.
Goal: Reduce imports
India imports 85 percent of its crude oil requirement from abroad. Whenever there is a war or any crisis in the world, rising oil prices are a big blow to the country. To avoid this situation, the government is trying to increase oil exploration and production in its own country. The current effort of the government is to create a clear picture of the reserves present under the ground, before starting exploration at more places in future.