Chapter: 2 – Introduction to Indian Offshore

Chapter: 2
INTRODUCTION TO INDIAN OFFSHORE
Oceans cover almost three-fourths of the earth’s surface. The oceans and the land beneath them could
provide all of the energy the world needs for years to come. The beach extends from the shore into the
ocean on a continental
shelf that gradually
descends to a sharp drop,
called the continental
slope. This continental
shelf can be as narrow as
20 kilometers or as wide
as 400 kilometers. The
water on the continental
shelf is shallow, rarely
more than 150 to 200
meters deep. The
continental shelf drops off
at the continental slope,
ending in abyssal plains
that are three to five
kilometers below sea
level. Many of the plains
are flat, while others have
jagged mountain ridges,
deep canyons, and
valleys.
Fig 2.1: Territorial sea baseline
The tops of some of these mountain ridges form islands where they extend above the water.
Our borders extend 200 miles into the water from our coastlines and encompass an area larger than the
country itself. This large underwater area is called the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Indian Offshore Can be divided into two categories:
 Western offshore.
 Eastern offshore.
2.1 Western Offshore – ONGC:
As of now western offshore is a huge
developed oil & gas field off Mumbai
coast some 165 kilometers away in
Arabian Sea at a water depth of 60 to 80
meters. With a first strike of oil in 1974 at
NA platform in Mumbai High North, field
has developed a mammoth infrastructure
producing currently about 3,50,000
barrels of oil per day, about 14.5
MMSCMD of sweet gas & 38 MMSCMD
of sour gas besides injecting about
13,50,000 barrels of water per day into
the reservoir. It has three Assets:
Mumbai High, Neelam & Heera and
Bassien & Satellite, comprising of a total
of 12 process complexes, 25 process
platforms, 126 unmanned well platforms,
and 05 well cum process platforms, 683
oil wells, 30 free gas wells, 58 sour gas
wells and 257 water injection wells. These numbersFig
are2.2:
stillLocation
growing. map
In order to augment
of western hydrocarbon
offshore
reserve base and indigenous production of Crude oil & Natural gas and also to enable to introduce state

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 Chapter: 2 – Introduction to Indian Offshore

of the art technology available elsewhere, Govt. of India had started offering acreages to private
companies for exploration and speculative surveys and discovered oil/gas fields for development in
early eighties. ONGC has entered into ‘production sharing contract’ (PSC) in respect of certain offshore
fields with the Government of India along with other corporate bodies. Western offshore Pana, Mukta
and Tapti fields are operated in joint partnership of ONGC with private players and are described
separately.
I) Mumbai High Field:
Mumbai high field consists of two blocks – North & South. Further south field is divided into upper south,
mid south & lower south fields The brief description of the various complexes of Mumbai High field are
as follows:
i) Mumbai High North:
Production from Bombay High North commenced from May 1976 after commissioning of first well cum
process platform NA. The north part of the field consists of two crude oil processing complexes viz. BHN
& NQ and one water injection platform WIN & MNW.
BHN Platform:
 The complex consists of four process platforms viz. BHN, NA & NF (BHF), MNW interconnected by
bridges.
 NA is well cum process platform bridge connected
with BHN & NF (BHF) was commissioned on May
1976. NF is a utility cum living quarter commissioned
on June 1978. Thereafter, BHN which is a crude oil &
gas processing & dispatch platform cum living quarter
commissioned in February 1982. MNW was
commissioned on 13th February 2004.
 The complex has handling capacity 1,20,000 barrels
of crude oil with 80,000 barrels of water & 2.8
MMSCM of gas per day. It has gas compression &
dehydration capacity of 4.2 MMSCMD. MNW has
water injection capacity of 2,50,000 BWPD.
Fig 2.3: BHN platform
 The complex receives well fluid from 11 unmanned platforms exclusive of NA namely, NB, NJ, NK,
NU, NV, N1, N2, N5, WA, NM, NI. NC is an oil platform bridge connected to WIN oil of which gets
transported by sub sea pipeline to NA.
 The processed crude @ 40,000 BOPD (approx.) and compressed & dehydrated gas @ 0.5
MMSCMD (approx.) are transported to onshore at Uran processing complex (near Mumbai)
through sub sea pipelines.
 MUT oil & gas line starts from MNW.
NQ Complex:
 The complex consists of four-process platforms viz.
NQO, NQG, NQD, NQP interconnected by bridges.
NQO is a crude oil processing platform cum living
quarter was commissioned on May 1985. NQG is a gas
processing & dispatching platform commissioned on
March 1986. NQP is a crude oil & gas processing &
dispatching platform commissioned on May 1984.
 The complex has a handling capacity of 1,00,000
barrels of crude oil with barrels of water & 8.0 MMSCM
of gas per day. It has gas compression & dehydration
capacity of 8.0 MMSCMD.
 The complex receives well fluid from 20 unmanned Fig 2.4: NQO platform
platforms exclusive of NQD namely, ND, NE, NH, NO, NP, NR, NS, NT, NW, NX, N3, N4, N6, N7,
N8, LA, LB, LC, LD, LE.

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 Chapter: 2 – Introduction to Indian Offshore

 The processed crude @ 68,000 BOPD (approx.) and compressed & dehydrated gas @ 2.7
MMSCMD (approx.) are transported to onshore at Uran processing complex (near Mumbai)
through sub sea pipelines.

ii) Mumbai High South:

Upper South:
BHS / SCA
 The complex consists of five process platforms in groups of three 1) BHS, SLQ, WIS & one well
cum process platform SA, interconnected by bridges, 2) MSP bridge connected to BHS and 3) SCA
and one well cum process platform SC-1, interconnected by bridges.
 SA, which is a well cum process platform, bridge connected with BHS, is the first platform in
Bombay High South commissioned on October 1980. BHS is a crude oil & gas-processing platform
commissioned in August 1982 along with SLQ, which is utility platform cum living quarter.
Afterwards WIS–a water injection platform with living quarter got commissioned in March 1987.
Further, SCA is crude oil processing platform along with the living quarters was commissioned in
August 1987.
 The complex has a handling capacity of 1,80,000+ 28,000 barrels of crude oil with 22,000 barrels of
water & 4.9 MMSCM of gas per day. It has gas compression & dehydration capacity of 4.8
MMSCMD. Water injection capacity of WIS is 4,80,000 BWPD. MSP has oil handling capacity of
25000 barrels, water handling capacity of 45000 barrels and gas handling capacity of 2.05
MMSCMD.
 The group of SCA & SC complex receives well fluid from 7 unmanned platforms namely, SI, SK, IF,
IG, IP, EA (subsea template), EB. BHS / SA complex receives well fluid from 10 unmanned
platforms namely, SB, SE, SF, SJ, SN, SP, SQ, ST, WI-6 & NL.
 The processed crude @ 46,000 BOPD (approx.) and compressed & dehydrated gas @ 1.5
MMSCMD (approx.) are transported to onshore at Uran processing complex (near Mumbai)
through sub sea pipelines.
 The treated injection water is pumped and injected into reservoir @ 3,15,000 BWPD (approx.)
through a wide sub sea pipeline network.
Mid-South:
In-fill Complex
 The complex consists of three-process platforms viz. ICP, ICW & ICG and one well platform ICD,
interconnected by bridges.
 ICP is a crude processing platform
commissioned in May 1989 along with ICD.
Afterwards ICW – a water injection platform with
living quarter got commissioned in October 1989.
Further, ICG – a gas compressor & dehydration
platform along with the living quarters was
commissioned in May 1990.
 The complex has a handling capacity of 68,000
barrels of crude oil with 1,10,000 barrels of water
& 4.428 MMSCM of gas per day. It has gas
compression & dehydration capacity of 6.9
MMSCMD. Water injection capacity of ICW is
2,50,000 BWPD. Fig 2.5: IC platform
 The complex receives well fluid from 11 unmanned platforms namely, IA, IB, ID, IQ, IS, IU, SD, SG,
SM. SR, WB & ICD & ZA.
 The processed crude @ 42,000 BOPD (approx.) and compressed & dehydrated gas @ 2.0
MMSCMD (approx.) are transported to onshore at Uran processing complex (near Mumbai)
through sub sea pipelines.
 The treated seawater is pumped and injected into reservoir @ 1,40,000 BWPD (approx.) through a
wide sub sea pipeline network.
Lower South:
SH – Complex

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 Chapter: 2 – Introduction to Indian Offshore

 SH complex is a largest processing complex consisting of five fully integrated process complex viz.
SHP, SHG, SHW, SHQ & SHD-interconnected with bridge.
 SHD is a well cum process platform cum living quarter commissioned in April 1984 by M/S
Sumitomo. SHP platform which is a crude oil processing platform having an integrated connectivity
with SHD, SHG & SHQ for
processing & dispatching their
oil, gas & water commissioned
in November 1985. SHQ is a
utility cum living quarter
platform commissioned in
November 1985 by M/S HHI.
SHG crude oil & gas
processing & gas dispatching
platform got commissioned in
April 1994 by M/S Daewoo.
SHW is seawater processing
cum water injection platform
cum living quarter
commissioned in December
1994 by M/S Daewoo. Fig 2.6: SH complex

 The complex has a handling capacity of 1,00,000 barrels of crude oil with 68,000 barrels of water &
11 MMSCM of gas per day. It has gas compression & dehydration capacity of 16.5 MMSCMD of
sweet gas & 2.6 MMSCMD of sour gas from B-55 platform. Water injection capacity of SHW is
3,20,000 BWPD.
 The complex receives well fluid & free gas from 22 unmanned platforms namely, SS, SW, SV, SU,
EC, ED, EE, SY, IK, IH, IJ, II, IL, IE, IM, IN, IT, IW, S-1-6, S-1-4, S-1-5 & B-55.
 The processed crude @ 55,000 BOPD (approx.) and compressed & dehydrated gas sweet gas @
7.0 MMSCMD (approx.) & sour gas @ 2.4 MMSCMD (approx.) are transported to onshore at Uran
processing complex (near Mumbai) through sub sea pipelines and sour gas to Hazira via SHG-BPB
pipeline.
 The treated seawater is pumped and injected into reservoir @ 2,20,000 BWPD (approx.) through a
wide sub sea pipeline network.
WIN Platform:
 This is a water injection platform commissioned on March 1984. This platform is connected with an
oil platform NC, which was commissioned on August 1977.
 The complex has a treated seawater injection capacity of 3,20,000 Barrels of water.

II) Satellite Field:

Satellite field located in western offshore in the North West direction in Arabian Sea 80 km from Mumbai
city consists of the following three fields, developed independently at different point of times:
 Heera field.
 Neelam field.
 South Bassien field.

i) Heera Complex:
 The complex consists of four-process platforms viz. HRA, HRC, HRG/HPC, WIH and one well
platform HA, interconnected by bridges. This complex started production in August 1985.
 HA is a well cum crude processing platform
bridge connected with HRA commissioned
in November 1984. HRA is a crude oil
processing & dispatching platform
commissioned in August 1985. HRG/HPC is
a crude oil & gas processing and gas-
dispatching platform commissioned in
September 1990. HRC is an oil processing

Graduate’s Guide to Offshore Operations 10

Fig 2.7: Heera platform

 Chapter: 2 – Introduction to Indian Offshore

& gas-dispatching platform cum living quarter commissioned in 1998 to augment the gas
compression capacity for increased lift gas requirements. WIH is a seawater processing & water
injection platform cum living quarter commissioned in September 1990.

 The complex has a handling capacity of 48,000 barrels of crude oil with 58,000 barrels of water &
2.73 MMSCM of gas per day. It has gas compression & dehydration capacity of 4.6 MMSCMD of
gas inclusive of 3.6 MMSCMD of recycle gas. Water injection capacity of WIH is 1,60,000 BWPD.
 The complex receives well fluid from 13 unmanned platforms exclusive of HA namely, HB,
HC,HD,HF, HQ,HT, HSA, HSB, HE, HS, HR, HX, HY.
 The processed crude @ 46,000 BOPD (approx.) and compressed & dehydrated gas @ 1.0
MMSCMD (approx.) are transported to onshore at Uran processing complex (near Mumbai)
through sub-sea HUT pipelines.
 The treated seawater is pumped and injected into reservoir @ 1,32,000 BWPD (approx.) through a
wide sub-sea pipeline network.

ii) South Bassein Field:

 South Bassien field is located in Arabian
Sea in the north-west direction 80 km
from Mumbai City. Field was discovered
in 1976 and put on production in the year
1988. The north-south anticline structure
of the field has an arial extent of around
200 km. The reservoir has been divided
into two distinct hydrocarbon producing
zones viz. ‘A’ & ‘B’. ‘A’-zone comprises
of free gas cap & B-zone has gas with a
thin layer of oil.
Fig 2.8: BPA process complex
 BPA complex consists of four bridge-connected platform viz. BLQ-1 as utility-cum-living quarter,
BPA as process platform commissioned in May 1987, BA as well cum process platform and BCP
platform with gas compression facility commissioned on May 1999. BPB complex consists of four
bridge-connected platform viz. BLQ-II as utility-cum-living quarter, BPB as process platform
commissioned on Nov 1989, BC as well cum process platform & subsequently added BCP-B
platform with gas compression facility commissioned on April 1999.
 All the facilities here are designed for 1200 ppm H 2S & 7% CO2. The average H2S content is
presently between 60 to 95 ppm.
 BPA & BPB complexes receives well fluids from three unmanned well platforms viz. BB, BD & BE
exclusive of BA & BC which are bridge connected to BPA & BPB respectively.
 BPA & BPB together had original capacity to handle 20 MMSCMD of free sour gas, which has been
recently upgraded to handle 30 MMSCMD of free gas.
 Presently, over 32 MMSCMD (approx.) of free sour gas & 5700 M 3/Day (approx.) of condensate is
being processed at BPA & BPB complex and dispatched to Hazira. The sour gas from B-55 is also
being transported to Hazira through BPB.

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 Chapter: 2 – Introduction to Indian Offshore

Important Portrayal of Western Offshore:

Fields Production Commenced on Process Complex Commissioned on

BOMBAY HIGH 21st May 1976 BHN 11th February 1981
RATNA 11th January 1983 BHS 25th August 1982
HEERA 20th November 1984 SHP 1st November 1985
PANNA 26th November 1986 BPA 25th March 1987
NE 6th December 1990 SCA 8th August 1987
HPC 2nd September 1988
SHD 11th April 1984
NQO 18th May 1985
NQG 12th March 1986
HEERA 1st August 1985
ICP 19th May 1989
BPB 23rd November 1989
ICG 17th May 1990
SHG 30th April 1994
NQP 16th May 1994
NLP 30th June 1994

Water Injection Platform Started on

WIN (Bombay High North) 30th March 1984
WIS (Bombay High South) 29th March 1987
ICW 18th October 1989
HRW (Heera) 2nd September 1990
NLW (Neelam) 30th July 1994

Western offshore has 24 TG (turbine generators), 23 PGCs (process gas compressors),

18 MOL (main oil line pumps), 20 MIP (main injection pumps), 12 SWLP (sea water
lift pumps), 17 water makers from the world-class equipment manufacturer & service
provider & the numbers are still growing.
Name of Installation Date of Commissioning Water Injection Processing Capacity
m3/day bwpd
WIN 30.03.1984 50,000 3,20,000
WIS 29.03.1987 80,000 4,80,000
ICW 18.10.1989 40,000 2,50,000
WIH 02.09.1990 19,000 1,20,000
MNW 13.02.2004 40,000 2,50,000

Platforms Crude Handling Capacity Of Platforms (bopd)

Stabilized Mode Pressurized Mode
NA 40,000 80,000
NC 32,000 40,000
SA 60,000 110,000
BHN 90,000 180,000
BHS 30,000 60,000
R-12 40,000 40,000
SHD 60,000 110,000
NQO 50,000 100,000
SHP 75,000 150,000
HEERA 20,000 40,000

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 Chapter: 2 – Introduction to Indian Offshore

SAGAR LAXMI 10,000 --

BPA 1,000 --
SCA 20,000 40,000
ICP 90,000 100,000
2.2 Western Offshore – JV:
I) Panna-Mukta Field:
The offshore Panna block area is comprising approximately 430 Sq.Km. is located 50 km east of
Bombay High field and 95 km
NW of Mumbai and Mukta
block comprising
approximately 777 sq. km is
located at 110 km NW of
Mumbai and 25 km east of
Bombay High field. The
discovery well in Panna
structure was BS-1 drilled in
1976. A total of 12 exploration
and delineation wells were
drilled. While the discovery
well in Mukta was B-57-1,
drilled in 1981. The license
area encompassing B-19, B-
57 and B-126 structures. Fig 2.9: Panna-Mukta & Tapti fields – Joint Venture
The initial production started from December 1990. The trial production commenced in November 1986.
The field was being produced through the Sagar Laxmi jack up early production system (EPS) and gas
was being flared. The cumulative oil and gas production till handing over to JV was 10.93 MMBbl (1.74
MMm3) and 33.5 BCF (0.95 BCM) respectively while the average daily production of oil was around
10,000 Bbl.
Consequent to an offer from Government of India to Indian and foreign companies, to participate with
ONGC in joint venture development of medium sized discovered fields, a production sharing contract
(PSC) was signed by Government of India on 22nd December 1994, with the following contractor
parties, for the joint venture development of Panna-Mukta field. EOGIL was designated as operator for
these fields. Subsequently, British Gas Exploration and Production India Ltd. (BGEPIL) acquired the
entire participating interest (30%) of EOGIL in February 2002. However, mutual agreement evaded in
the operating committee meetings to designate one of the partners as sole operator of the contract area
and BGPIL was allowed to carry petroleum operations as an interim operator pending resolution of
operator ship issue through mutual agreement. After concerted efforts all the three partners have
agreed and signed an MOU on February 28th, 2003 that instead of BGEPIL being the sole operator, the
‘contractor’ (ONGC, RIL and BGEPIL) shall be the ‘operator’. The operations shall be through an
operator board having chairman on 2 years rotation i.e. ONGC, RIL and BG in that order. An
unincorporated joint venture (UJV) is to be formed which will work through an operator board.

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 Chapter: 2 – Introduction to Indian Offshore

II) Tapti Field:

The Mid and South Tapti
fields, located about 200 km
north of Mumbai, were
discovered by the drilling of
C-2-1 and MT-1 in the year
1978 and 1980 respectively
and comprising of
approximately 1471 Sq. Km.
area. Before entering in to
production sharing contract,
total of 23 exploratory wells
(15 in South Tapti and 8 in
Mid Tapti) were drilled till
1.4.94. The PSC considered
an OGIP of 39.65 BCM for both South and Mid Tapti andFig IPOD envisaged
2.10: a gas production profile of
Tapti field
4.2 MMm3/d for 15 years with 4 (3 in South & 1 in Mid Tapti) well head platforms, 1 process platform of
5.1 MMm3/d gas producing capacity, 25 wells (18 in South and 7 in Mid Tapti) in Phase-I and 7 well
head platforms and 26 wells in Phase-II. The expected gas recovery up to 2019 was 29.8 BCM and 2
MMm3 of condensate. Production sharing contract (PSC) was signed by Government of India on 22nd
December 1994, with the following contractor parties, for the joint venture development of Mid & South
Tapti field.

2.3 Eastern Offshore – ONGC:

I) G-1:
The G1 field is located 28 km
offshore, in water depths ranging
from 135 to 500 meters. Five
production wells will be drilled with
sub-sea completions, and the
well-fluid will be transported by
dual sub-sea pipelines rising from
water depths of 429 m to the
processing facilities on-shore.
Development of GS-15, a shallow-
water field lying 5 km offshore has
been integrated in the project.
Production of 1 million tonnes of
low-sulphur crude oil and 6 billion
cubic metres of natural gas over
the expected field life of 15 years.
Fig 2.11: G-1 field

2.4 Eastern Offshore – JV:

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 Chapter: 2 – Introduction to Indian Offshore

II) Ravva Field:

The Ravva oil and gas field is
located off Amlapuram coast in the
shallow waters of Krishna-Godavari
offshore area, was discovered by Oil
and Natural Gas Corporation Limited
(ONGC) in 1987. The Ravva
structure is a large faulted anticline
and is segmented into a series of
relatively narrow fault blocks. ONGC
drilled 30 wells on the Ravva
prospect, out of which 21 wells were
oil / gas bearing. Among the
discoveries made, major chunk of oil
reserves were located primarily in
two blocks viz. R-17 / R-27 and R-10
/ R-12 blocks.
Fig 2.12: Ravva field
About 14.7 MMT (106 MMBBLS) of recoverable oil was estimated by ONGC in these blocks, and the
developmental efforts of ONGC culminated in early 1993 with the installation of two well-head
structures, one each at R-17 and at R-10, two flow lines to the shore, and onshore facilities for crude
processing and storage. Oil production from the field was commenced by ONGC in March 1993.
Consequent to an offer in 1992 from Government of India to Indian and foreign companies, to
participate with ONGC in joint venture development of medium sized discovered fields, a production
sharing contract (PSC) was signed by Government of India on 28th October 1994, with the following
contractor parties, for the joint venture development of Ravva field.

II) PY – 3 Field:
PY-3 field is situated 70 km off Pondicherry coast in Cauvery offshore block. The field was discovered
during exploration by ONGC in 1988, wherein
total 7 wells were drilled out of which 3 oil
were bearing. Subsequently the field was
identified for production sharing contract
(PSC) by Government of India in fourth round
of bidding. The PSC was signed on 30-12-94
between Government of India and a
consortium consisting of the following partners
with participating interests as indicated
against each. VAALCO was initially
designated as Operator. Later VAALCO was
taken over by Hardy Exploration & Production
India Inc. (HEPIL). The participating interest of
ONGC was increased from initial 10% to 40%
based on analysis of Institute of Reservoir
Studies (IRS) of the development plan
submitted by a consultant.
Field & Production Facilities: PY-3
Fig 2.13: PY – 3 field
 Floating production unit (FPU): 1no. (Tahara)
 Floating storage unit (FSO): 1 no. (Endeavor)
 Processing capacity (FPU): 20,000 bbl/day
 Storage capacity (FSO): 420,000 bbl
 Injection capacity planned: 12,000 bwd
 Water injection: 7500 bbwpd through 1 well
 Produced water handling capacity: 5000 bwpd
 Gas handling capacity: 17 mmscfd
 Current average oil production: 7000 bopd

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 Chapter: 2 – Introduction to Indian Offshore

 Cumulative oil production as on 31/03/2004: 1.724 mmt

 Crude oil price: Brent - 35 cents
 Gas: No gas sales

Fig 2.14: PY – 3 platform

2.5 Future Fields:

I) KG D6 (Dhirubhai Ambani, Reliance):

Reliance India Limited planned to develop deepwater gas fields in block KG-DWN-98/3(KG-D6); this is
located in the Krishna Godavari basin, offshore east coast India. RIL, as an operator, on behalf of itself
& its co-venturer Niko Resources. The water depths in the block range from 400 m to over 2700 m. KG
D6 development envisages setting up of sub sea production facilities connected to the onshore terminal
through sub sea production pipelines / umbilical. This development involves design, fabrication and
installation of sub sea architecture comprising of manifolds, PLEMs, PLETs, SDAs, SDUs, umbilicals,
etc.

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