Oil & Natural Gas Corporation is planning to start exploration for crude oil reserves (petroleum and natural gas reserves) in Bihar.

ONGC is shortly expected to seek a no-objection-certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Energy for exploration of crude oil reserves in the Purnia basin. A survey conducted a few years back by the directorate of hydro-carbon has shown enough indications about ample of reserves in the district.

Two months back, the Edinburgh-based Cairn Energy was commissioned for the first phase of exploration of a 15,500 sq km area in Bihar's Ganga basin. Cairn Energy has been granted a seven-year licence for the Purnia basin comprising 13 districts. The company's proposal, submitted two years back, was delayed due to various technical reasons. It had to be cleared by the Ministry of Defence, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the Atomic Energy Department.

It is learnt that reserves in the Purnia basin may well be about 465 million tonne of crude and natural gas.

Also See:

Cairn starts aerial survey for oil exploration in Bihar (16-Jan-07)