The Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is reluctant about plugging the oil spill in the crude oil swaths of Champang as the Asian petroleum giant is uncertain that it would “remain in Nagaland in the next 5 years.” A highly-placed government leader has disclosed that the ONGC “wants to know” if the Government of Nagaland only wants the corporation to “clean up (Champang’s spilt oil) and go away.”
ONGC unwilling to come on board without substantial deal on tableThe ONGC wants the government to take “quick action” on this point of concern, the official, on condition of anonymity, said Monday, January 24.
The disclosure points strongly to the ONGC’s willingness to address the more than 16 years-old oil spillage but only if the corporation is ‘retained’ to continue with oil exploration and production in Champang it abandoned in 1994. Whilst the corporation has yet to openly declare this side of Nagaland’s wearisome petroleum issue, the possibility of a give-and-take lobby is strongly perceived to be ongoing between the corporation and the government.
“They (ONGC) are keen to start the work but not just coming and cleaning and going away,” the government leader said during the informal interaction earlier. He explained that there is a “need to receive something first.” The latest development confirms the reports on January 6 that the ONGC had been broaching with the state government to address the issue ‘once the corporation is permitted to resume oil operations in Nagaland.’
The official was queried if he specifically meant that the ONGC would take to the task of clearing the oil-spill only on the undeclared condition that the corporation is chosen to undertake petroleum production activities. He implied in the affirmative. “They want to know whether or not they will remain in Nagaland in the next 5 years,” he said. “They want to know and be given freedom to do that.”
Considering these issues need resolution on priority before oil production works can resume, the ONGC wants the state government to decide at the earliest. “They want to know a time frame,” the state official said. Another discussion of interest was about what the method the ONGC could possibly employ to stop the oil from spilling onto the surface. According to the source, there are two methods the ONGC is said to be proposing to employ: suppress the leakage from spilling out or cap it permanently from.
But a ‘quick action’ from the state appears far from near. There are just too many complications.
“At the moment the state government is not in a position to bulldoze it through the process,” the official said. Unlike other state governments, he added, the government of Nagaland cannot exercise strong authority as does the other states.
On October 9, 2010, GGM Basin Manager of ONGC Dr.BS Josyulu had stated that a meeting with Nagaland chief minister and union petroleum minister on November 1, 2007 saw the ONGC’s Director (Exploration) reiterating that “all environmental concerns at Changpang would be suitably addressed as one of its preliminary activities on resuming oil field operations in Nagaland.” The ONGC had written to the government on February 19, 2008 “for signing the MoU for resumption of oil field activities.”
ONGC unwilling to come on board without substantial deal on tableThe ONGC wants the government to take “quick action” on this point of concern, the official, on condition of anonymity, said Monday, January 24.
The disclosure points strongly to the ONGC’s willingness to address the more than 16 years-old oil spillage but only if the corporation is ‘retained’ to continue with oil exploration and production in Champang it abandoned in 1994. Whilst the corporation has yet to openly declare this side of Nagaland’s wearisome petroleum issue, the possibility of a give-and-take lobby is strongly perceived to be ongoing between the corporation and the government.
“They (ONGC) are keen to start the work but not just coming and cleaning and going away,” the government leader said during the informal interaction earlier. He explained that there is a “need to receive something first.” The latest development confirms the reports on January 6 that the ONGC had been broaching with the state government to address the issue ‘once the corporation is permitted to resume oil operations in Nagaland.’
The official was queried if he specifically meant that the ONGC would take to the task of clearing the oil-spill only on the undeclared condition that the corporation is chosen to undertake petroleum production activities. He implied in the affirmative. “They want to know whether or not they will remain in Nagaland in the next 5 years,” he said. “They want to know and be given freedom to do that.”
Considering these issues need resolution on priority before oil production works can resume, the ONGC wants the state government to decide at the earliest. “They want to know a time frame,” the state official said. Another discussion of interest was about what the method the ONGC could possibly employ to stop the oil from spilling onto the surface. According to the source, there are two methods the ONGC is said to be proposing to employ: suppress the leakage from spilling out or cap it permanently from.
But a ‘quick action’ from the state appears far from near. There are just too many complications.
“At the moment the state government is not in a position to bulldoze it through the process,” the official said. Unlike other state governments, he added, the government of Nagaland cannot exercise strong authority as does the other states.
On October 9, 2010, GGM Basin Manager of ONGC Dr.BS Josyulu had stated that a meeting with Nagaland chief minister and union petroleum minister on November 1, 2007 saw the ONGC’s Director (Exploration) reiterating that “all environmental concerns at Changpang would be suitably addressed as one of its preliminary activities on resuming oil field operations in Nagaland.” The ONGC had written to the government on February 19, 2008 “for signing the MoU for resumption of oil field activities.”
