Dharmendra Pradhan aims higher crude output from ONGC's Mehsana asset; to provide 'maximum employment' to locals

Mehsana (Gujarat): The Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, on Thursday held discussions with the officials of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to increase the production of crude oil from its Mehsana asset, near Ahmedabad. “Mehsana is the largest onshore oil-producing asset of ONGC in the country. We produce around 2 million metric tonnes of crude oil from this unit every year. I am holding discussions with officials of ONGC on how we can increase the production,” Pradhan told reporters here. Pradhan added that he will try to ensure that ONGC Mehsana gives maximum employment to the locals as per the norms of the Gujarat government. [caption id=“attachment_2109713” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan. PIB[/caption] Pradhan also visited Becharaji, where ONGC has successfully completed a pilot project on ‘polymer flooding’, a process to increase oil recovery. “Took stock of operations at ONGC’s Becharaji Polymer pilot project in Mehsana, India’s first heavy oil polymer flooding project aimed towards enhancing oil recovery. This (Mehsana) is our biggest producing asset for on-shore production, and has the potential to further increase output” Pradhan said. “Nearly 90 percent of the polymer used in this project is produced indigenously. We look forward to utilise the learnings of this pilot and commercialise this on a field scale”, he added. Pradhan also performed the groundbreaking ceremony of another polymer project in Kadi taluka of Mehsana. “This is the second heavy oil polymer flooding project being developed in Mehsana in a bid to enhance oil recovery from our wells and boost domestic production,” Pradhan said.