Mumbai High North Field has Restored Production

Production restored from NQ complex of Mumbai High North field. Bounces back to 2,13,200 BOPD and gas sales to 8.5 MMSCMD.

In just four weeks, Mumbai High field recuperated significantly from one of the worst ever accidents in ONGC’s history. Announcing this to the media on August 27, 2005 in Mumbai, C&MD Mr. Subir Raha gave credit of restoring 60% of the lost production to the “great efforts made by the personnel on production and engineering and IMR (Inspection, Maintenance and Repair) group supported by all agencies within the organization, especially logistics”.

During the last one month, various fast track actions were taken up to restore production. In fact, plans were drawn up conceptually, immediately after the accident. Mr. Raha informed that on the morning of July 28, he took stock of issues and in the review itself, the concept plan was presented and approved.

Initially, four unmanned platforms namely, SI, SN, NL and SJ of Mumbai High South field were put back on production by carrying out necessary modification in gas lift network, diverting gas from North field to South field and diverting one platform (NM) to Mumbai High South field. This resulted in increase of production by about 8000 BOPD and gas sales increased by 0.7 MMSCMD.

The major job for restoration of production from Mumbai High North field was initiated by taking work on war-footing at NQO complex under new MUT (Mumbai Uran Trunk) pipeline project, so that the existing oil pumps at NQO could be used for transporting oil to Uran via new MUT oil line, which were earlier used to pump oil to BHN platform. This needed large volume of piping modifications and also required completion of balance sub-sea work, hydro-testing and commissioning of complete sub-sea pipeline systems.

In addition to above, four unmanned platforms of MH North (NV, NJ, N11 and NC) are being diverted to NQO platform. This will also add production of 6,000 BOPD. Actions are in hand to take further rerouting, diversion, inter-connection of wells of BHN to NQO platform to further increase the production.

The engineers of ONGC along with MUT pipeline contractor, M/s Hyundai Heavy Industries had started the job on round the clock basis in the first week of August 2005. Mr. Raha recounted several reasons as why the sub-sea work was a challenging task, “There was 15,000 tonnes of steel obstructing some of our sub-sea systems. Weather-wise, we continued to face bad weather with high swells. Taking up construction work, that too on sub-sea pipelines, was a calculated risk.”

He commended the engineering services for completing the work on schedule and expressed confidence in the organizational capabilities and concern to restore oil and gas output as early as possible.

He also informed the media that actions have been taken to mobilize an FPSO in six months’ time. “We should be able to restore production from Mumbai High of 2,44,000 barrels per day by March 2006.” He made a special mention of marginal fields D-1 and D-33 which will be going on production in January 2006 and December 2006 respectively. Mr. Raha expressed hope that with the production of 3,000 BOPD from D-1 and 15,000 BOPD and 2 MMSCMD of gas from D-33, ONGC would resume the trend of net increase in Mumbai Offshore production.

A volley of questions from the media made the interaction very lively. In fielding the questions, Mr. Raha was joined by Mr. N K Mitra, Director (Offshore), Mr. D K Pande, ED (Exploration), Mr. U N Bose, ED (Technical & Field Services) and Mr. S C Gupta, Chief-Engineering Services.

Copyright © 2002 ONGC Limited. All Rights Reserved.