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20 May 2020
Introduction:
On 20 May 2020 OIL announced that it has received environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) for its drilling project under Assam’s Dibru- Saikhowa National Park .It has laid to rest the concern regarding the affect drilling may have on the flora and fauna of the region.
What was the concern?
- Spread over 340 square kilometres, Dibru-Saikhowa is one of the five national parks in the north-east region’s most populous state- Assam.
- The park, was declared a biosphere reserve, in 1997 and is home to 36 mammal species including tiger, Gangetic dolphin, feral horses and 382 bird species.
- It is an ecologically sensitive park.
- It is the only region in India that supports the feral horses.
- Drilling is likely to affect the flora and fauna of the region adversely.
- Drilling will be inside the national park.
- Dibru-Saikhowa is an island bounded by the Brahmaputra,Lohit and the Bibru river.
Highlights of OIL :
- Operations will have no impact on the park’s area as they will be conducted 3.5 km beneath the surface.
- OIL will use the sophisticated ERD (extended reach drilling) technology that will enable the exploration of hydrocarbon deposits horizontally.
- Drilling will take place at an average of more than 1.5 km outside the demarcated area of the national park.
- By using this technology wells can be drilled up to a depth of approximately 4 kilometres from the existing well plinth without entering the protected area.
- OIL is already carrying out hydrocarbon exploration for the last 15years in Baghjan area.
About Feral Horses:
- A feral horse is a free-roaming horse of domesticated stock. As such, a feral horse is not a wild animal in the sense of an animal without domesticated ancestors. However, some populations of feral horses are managed as wildlife, and these horses often are popularly called “wild” horses.
- IUCN Status is critically endangered.
About Extended Reach Drilling:
- It is state of the art directional drilling technique for drilling beneath the surface of the earth.
- It aims to reach larger area and longer distances.
- It ensures maximum productivity and drainage capability.