Patna • An ongoing aero-magnetic survey by Cairn Energy India has indicated the possibility of oil and natural gas reserves in Bihar.
"The chances of oil and natural gas reserves in Bihar's Purnea district are strong as per initial data collected during the survey," Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said yesterday. "According to experts, it shows the likely presence of reserves," he said.
Cairn Energy India Ltd (CEIL) began an aero-magnetic survey in Bihar's Ganges basin - comprising 12 districts spread over 15,500 sq km - for oil and natural gas last month, the first such exploration in the state.
CEIL was given a seven-year license for exploration work in the first phase.
A specially designed airplane was hired from Canada to survey areas spread in 13 districts including Patna, Begusarai, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Khagaria, Madhepura, Madhubani, Munger, Sitamarhi, Samastipur, Saharsa and Supaul.
The aerial survey will continue for three months covering an area of 15,500 sq km flying ten hours a day, officials had said.
Indian energy major Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has the license for the second phase of the survey in 8,000 sq km of Purnea district.
After CEIL, the ONGC will also start its survey. "It will be a turnaround for Bihar if much required hydrocarbons are found during exploration," Yadav said. It could be a new resource of energy for Bihar as well as India.
The state was left with only agriculture, sand and human resources following its bifurcation that led to the creation of Jharkhand state in 2000, with all its mines and industries going to the latter.
According to independent estimates, reserves in the Ganges basin, known locally as the Purnea basin, could be as high as 465m tonnes of crude and natural gas.
The Scottish energy team exploring the possibility of oil and natural gas reserves in the state declared that the initial data collected by the exploration team showed immense promise for such reserve in Purnia and many other parts of the state.
It may be recalled that a team of scientists and engineers of Cairn Energy Search Ltd (CESL) arrived in Patna on January 15 to conduct an aero-magnetic survey of Bihar's Gangetic basin to search for natural gas and oil reserves.
"The chances of oil and natural gas reserves in Bihar's Purnea district are strong as per initial data collected during the survey," Energy Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav said yesterday. "According to experts, it shows the likely presence of reserves," he said.
Cairn Energy India Ltd (CEIL) began an aero-magnetic survey in Bihar's Ganges basin - comprising 12 districts spread over 15,500 sq km - for oil and natural gas last month, the first such exploration in the state.
CEIL was given a seven-year license for exploration work in the first phase.
A specially designed airplane was hired from Canada to survey areas spread in 13 districts including Patna, Begusarai, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Khagaria, Madhepura, Madhubani, Munger, Sitamarhi, Samastipur, Saharsa and Supaul.
The aerial survey will continue for three months covering an area of 15,500 sq km flying ten hours a day, officials had said.
Indian energy major Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has the license for the second phase of the survey in 8,000 sq km of Purnea district.
After CEIL, the ONGC will also start its survey. "It will be a turnaround for Bihar if much required hydrocarbons are found during exploration," Yadav said. It could be a new resource of energy for Bihar as well as India.
The state was left with only agriculture, sand and human resources following its bifurcation that led to the creation of Jharkhand state in 2000, with all its mines and industries going to the latter.
According to independent estimates, reserves in the Ganges basin, known locally as the Purnea basin, could be as high as 465m tonnes of crude and natural gas.
The Scottish energy team exploring the possibility of oil and natural gas reserves in the state declared that the initial data collected by the exploration team showed immense promise for such reserve in Purnia and many other parts of the state.
It may be recalled that a team of scientists and engineers of Cairn Energy Search Ltd (CESL) arrived in Patna on January 15 to conduct an aero-magnetic survey of Bihar's Gangetic basin to search for natural gas and oil reserves.
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