New Delhi: Paving the way for easy exploration of oil and gas reserves in forest areas, the Union environment ministry has said that seismic surveys done for the purpose will not be regulated under the Forest (Conversation) Act, 1980, if they do not involve clearing of forest area.
Seismic survey is a process wherein sound waves are bounced off underground rocks and the waves that are reflected back are analysed to understand the detailed local geology of an area. This helps in ascertaining the size of possible oil and gas reservoirs. The waves are created by setting off small explosives in holes drilled (known as shot holes) at the site to be explored.
“The Seismic Survey for oil and gas exploration which require use of small explosive material specific to seismic survey for purpose of energy generation in shot holes in forest land will not attract provisions of Forest (Conservation) Act 1980 provided that these surveys do not involve any clearing of forest and operation are restricted to cleaning of bushes and lopping of tree branches for purpose of sighting,” said the MoEFCC’s guidelines sent to all states on Wednesday.
The environment ministry’s order also specified that the “density of shot hole for such seismic survey is restricted up to 16 boreholes per 10 square kilometer”.
Last year on 3rd March 2016, the forest division of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) had come out with guidelines stating that investigations and surveys carried out for development projects such as transmission lines, hydro-electric projects and seismic surveys will not attract the provisions of the FC Act, 1980.
But since then, MoEFCC has received several representations for clarification on the number of shot holes to be drilled for seismic survey so that the activity does not need a nod under the FC Act, 1980.
MoEFCC’s order is important because India is undertaking a massive seismic survey programme. In October 2016, Union petroleum and natural gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan had launched the National Seismic Programme (NSP) to trace oil and natural gas reserves across the country.
NSP’s aim is to undertake a fresh appraisal in all sedimentary basins across India, especially where no/scanty data is available, to have better understanding of the hydrocarbon potential of India.
Under the programme, the Oil and Natural Gas Corp. (ONGC) and Oil India Ltd (OIL) have been asked to conduct seismic surveys in 26 sedimentary basins in 18 states and Union territories across the country. It is expected to be completed by March 2019.