Published 20:50 IST, December 15th 2019
Anti-Citizenship Act stir hits oil, gas output in Assam
Crude oil and gas production in Assam have witnessed a drastic fall due to the ongoing state- wide protest against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, affecting supply of petrol, diesel and LPG in many districts.
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Crude oil and gas production in Assam have witnessed a drastic fall due to ongoing state- wide protest against contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, affecting supply of petrol, diesel and LPG in many districts.
two major PSU fuel producers Oil India Ltd (OIL) and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on Sunday said ir gas output have totally stopped, while oil production is down by over 75 per cent after protests erupted in state.
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"Our gas production has completely stopped. In crude oil segment, we were producing 9,000 tonnes per day, which came down to just 1,000 tonnes," a senior official from OIL told PTI from its field headquarters at Duliajan in upper Assam.
company is operating only around 50 wells out of its about 400 oil and gas producing wells, he added.
crude supply to Digboi refinery has gone down to 800 tonnes instead of 1,800 tonnes of daily plan, while same to Numaligarh refinery has totally stopped, he said.
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"Besides, drilling of our wells has fully stopped for last six days. Our oil collection stations have also been shut by people protesting against amended Citizenship Act. We have t been able to send gas to our clients like NEEPCO, Namrup rmal, BCPL and Assam Gas Company," official said.
He also added that filled LPG cylinders and tankers are lying in OIL terminals as vehicle transport has come to a halt, reby adding a risk factor to terminals.
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"Keeping LPG inventory is always dangerous because of its highly flammable character," he said.
On Saturday, OIL appealed to people of state in local papers to allow it to carry out day-to-day operations, which firm said, have been "severely impacted".
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An official of ONGC said that its daily oil output has fallen to 1,650 tonnes from 2,200 tonnes.
"Our gas production has completely stopped. Drilling facilities have also come to a halt after protests started. situation is grim as our central tank can stock fuel only for 3-4 days," he added.
PSU major Indian Oil Corporation said vehicle fuel and LPG supply in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, Golaghat and Jorhat districts in upper Assam have been severely affected.
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"As per our information, petrol depots in se five districts have dried up. LPG distribution is also affected as transporters are t able to send ir trucks," IOC Chief General Manr (Indiail-AOD) Uttiya Bhattacharyya told PTI.
However, he said that fuel supply in or districts of Assam and neighbouring states are t affected as company is sending tankers with police escorts.
" Guwahati and Bongaigaon refineries are functioning rmally. All our tankers and trucks are moving under heavy police protection and we are t taking chances," Bhattacharyya said.
A Numaligarh Refinery spokesperson said that ir employees could t go to plant from township as ir vehicles were torched a few days ago.
An official of state-run power major NTPC's Bongaigaon plant said that coal from Margherita mines in Tinsukia district is t reaching plant.
"However, our production is t affected as we also get coal from Raniganj in West Bengal," she added.
Violent protests had erupted in city and or parts of state earlier this week after Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed in Parliament, with agitators engaging in pitched battles with police, forcing administration to impose curfew.
20:35 IST, December 15th 2019