Essar Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Ltd (EOGEPL), one of the largest E&P companies in India and one of the leaders in unconventional hydrocarbon space today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. The collaboration aims to jointly spearhead research and development initiatives focused on indigenous advancements in various cutting-edge CBM (Coal Bed Methane) technologies, as stated in a report by IANS.
Coal Bed Methane (CBM) has the potential to meet India's energy demands, reducing reliance on fossil fuels while storing CO2 in depleted coal seams. EOGEPL’s Raniganj East CBM Block stands as a flagship asset, boasting a substantial volume of CBM gas resources. Acknowledged as a prime example of CBM development in India, it has fostered a dedicated customer base reliant on its CBM gas supply to support its businesses.
IIT Bombay holds global acclaim for its high-quality education and ground-breaking research across diverse domains encompassing Science, Engineering, Design, Management, and Humanities. This partnership between EOGEPL and IIT Bombay will delve into research and development, particularly in potential Enhanced Coal Bed Methane (ECBM) recovery techniques and CO2 sequestration.
Further, the collaborative effort aims to unravel the complexities of enhanced coal bed methane processes through innovative, experimental and simulation methodologies. This envisioned research includes advanced reservoir simulation studies using industry-standard software platforms. Additionally, it will explore the development of suitable methodologies for extracting gas from deeper coal seams.
The focus extends to screening new enhanced recovery techniques to boost production from existing wells, primarily through CO2-enhanced CBM recovery studies. According to the MoU, EOGEPL will provide necessary funding and data support for the project and grant access to wells for mutually agreed investigations and research experiments.
On the other hand, IIT Bombay will undertake project activities within the agreed thematic areas, offering technology development support, and delivering results to EOGEPL as per the project objectives and schedules. This involves engaging students and faculty with the required expertise and capacity, providing training to EOGEPL officials as mutually agreed upon, and leveraging basic infrastructural facilities to facilitate smooth research operations, as stated in a report by IANS.