Guwahati: Oil India Limited’s (OIL) proposal for extended reach drilling under Dibru Saikhowa National Park has been rejected by the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEF). The decision follows the Supreme Court’s directive prohibiting mining within National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries and a one-kilometre radius of their boundaries.
OIL had proposed the non-forestry use of 0.069 hectares of Dibru Saikhowa National Park for Extended Reach Drilling (ERD). This advanced technology allows drilling longer horizontal wells at high inclination angles to access distant underground oil and gas deposits without vertical drilling.
The proposed drilling involves seven exploratory boreholes of 26-inch diameter in forest land, located in the northeastern part of Upper Assam Basin and north of the discovered Baghjan oil field.
The area proposed for diversion is home to several species, including leopards, elephants, foxes, wild buffalo, dolphins, wild pigs, hoolock gibbons, slow lorises, capped langurs, and pangolins.
“After detailed discussion and deliberation with the DDGF (Central), Regional Office, Shillong, and State Government officials, the Committee decided to recommend the rejection of the proposal for non-forestry use of 0.069 hectares of Dibru Saikhowa National Park area for ERD under Dibru Saikhowa National Park from Baghjan PML in Tinsukia Wildlife Division, Tinsukia in the State of Assam under the orders of the Supreme Court dated August 4, 2006, reiterated vide its order on April 26, 2023, in T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India & Ors (WP(C) No. 202 of 2015),” the minutes of the meeting reveal.
The Supreme Court’s order from August 4, 2006, in the case of T.N. Godavarman Thirumulpad v. Union of India & Ors, clearly states that no Temporary Working Permissions or Temporary Permits for mining activities shall be granted in National Parks, Sanctuaries, and Forest areas.
Additionally, a Ministry letter dated September 12, 2023, clarified that exemptions considered for ERD technology are not applicable if the drilling area falls inside Protected Areas notified under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and Eco-Sensitive Zones of Protected Areas.
The FAC overruled recommendations from the MOEF Regional Office, Shillong office and State Chief Wildlife Warden Assam. The Government of Assam granted a Petroleum Mining Lease (PML) for the Baghjan area in 2006, extended until December 31, 2040. The Assam govt had said there has to be a precise and comprehensive as well as well research Environmental Management Plan, Blow prevention and Fire Risk Mitigation Plan and comprehensive Wildlife Management and Research Plan must be prepared by OIL with adequate funding provisions all to be placed separately in corpus fund of the State Wildlife, notwithstanding other charges M/s OIL may have to pay for the clearances.
The Wildlife Institute of India had provided an Interim Standard Operating Procedure to be adopted while undertaking ERD near the forest area.
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