Dehradun, June 18
After successfully having drilled ‘black gold’ in several locations around the world, the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has now dug out water in the parched desert area of Rajasthan.
Usually known for exploring petroleum and gas (‘black gold’) options, the Indian oil giant has achieved the rare feat in Thar desert (under Jaisalmer) by using its expertise in geological studies and drilling capabilities under its ‘ONGC Project Saraswati’. The underground water has been dug out.
Initiated two years ago as part of its corporate social responsibility, the pilot project led the ONGC drillers and geologists to find underground water aquifer that has now started providing 76,000 litres of water per hour. The site, ‘Saraswati-1’, is located around seven km away from Jaisalmer (on the Dabla road) and the bore had to dug 554 metres deep.
Speaking to The Tribune, M Rajagopala Rao, Group General Manager, ONGC, said: “We are carrying out various tests about the quality of the water, and sustainability of the well as well, as the water has been found to be slightly saline. But, it could be used for other purposes than drinking.”
Rao said the water point was being developed as a well and a park would also come up next to it. Thereafter, the facility would be handed over to the local authorities, he said.
The ONGC took a cue from the Libyan experience where during
deep oil drilling in the 1950s,water was found under a desert. Notably, four major underground basins have been located during exploratory drilling for oil in Libya, which contain fresh water at a depth ranging between 800-2,500 metres. This has led to a gigantic irrigation project there, which is now known as Libya’s Great Man-Made River Project.
Rao said the (Libyan) project encouraged them to not only look for water deep under the desert but also to look for underground fresh water aquifers of the “lost” Saraswati (river).
The project, started at an initial cost of Rs 1.7 crore, was part of a MOU between the ONGC, Water & Power Consultancy Services, Central Public Sector Unit for Geological Studies, Electrical Surveys and Drilling. It was to cover 13 districts in western Rajasthan.
At Myzlar, south of Jaisalmer, water was found from an old well drilled by the ONGC in 1970s at a depth of 1,500 metres. And at a nearby well too, fresh water was found as the drillers went deep.
Rao said there were strong indications that ONGC efforts would locate the lost underground aquifers in Thar desert, especially those close to Munnabao-Khokarapar Indo-Pak border.
Also, in Jumman Samoo village of Pakistan, a 12-inch bore, drilled up to a depth of 1,224 feet, encountered a deep layer of aquifers ranging from 1,000-1,200 feet.
In the second phase, the ONGC has plans to extend the project to other areas of Rajasthan, Haryana
and Gujarat.
