OIL to explore geothermal potential in Arunachal Pradesh & Assam

GUWAHATI: In a bid to harness India's geothermal energy potential, Oil India Limited (OIL) is reportedly set to embark on a collaborative venture with the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CESHS) to conduct comprehensive research studies on the extensive deep and shallow oil reserves in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, with a specific focus on assessing the region's geothermal resource potential.

Additionally, OIL will join forces with the CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) to conduct Magnetotelluric (MT) surveys at potential geothermal sites in Arunachal Pradesh, while also facilitating the mobilization of drilling rigs for exploration operations.

According to reports, these strategic initiatives were deliberated upon during a high-level meeting convened in Hyderabad by NITI Aayog, a prominent policy think tank, with the objective of establishing a "Consortium of Geothermal Energy" aimed at developing 10 MW of geothermal energy capacity in India by the year 2030.

The session was chaired by Dr. M Ravichandran, Union Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Tana Tage, Director of CESHS, provided insights into the ongoing efforts to characterize the geothermal resources in Arunachal Pradesh.

Notably, recent field studies conducted by CESHS in collaboration with the Norwegian Geological Institute and Geotropy, based in Iceland, have identified over 100 potential hot spring sites in the region.

Furthermore, geochemical tests conducted at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, supplemented by cross-verification at the Central University of Punjab in Bathinda, have yielded promising results, underscoring the region's geothermal potential.