Sunday, August 14 2005 11:54 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Dehradun: The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has restored 10 per cent of the oil output lost in a devastating fire at an oil facility in Mumbai High last month and will bring back 70 per cent of the lost output by this month-end.

"We have already improved production from 1,42,000 barrels per day to 1,56,000 barrels per day four days ago and we hope to add another 65,000 barrels per day by month-end," ONGC CMD Subir Raha told sources in Dehradun.

He said the gas production, which had fallen to 6.1 million standard cubic metres per day, has been increased to 7.5 mmscmd and the remaining three mmscmd would be restored by the year-end.

"We have identified FPSOs (a tanker-type vessel) for gas processing and will be placing order soon," Raha said adding a new process platform in place of the destroyed Mumbai High North Platform would be built in two years.

He said ONGC needed a new platform, as the Mumbai High field, which produces half of India's oil output, would be in operation for the next 22-25 years.

Mumbai High North Platform was processing about 38,000 barrels per day crude when it was gutted in a fire late last month. The remaining lost output was being processed at a neighbouring platform called NQO.

"We are trying to link up the NQO platform to the trunk pipeline that carries crude to shores. Once that is done, we will be able to restore 85 per cent of the lost output," Raha said.

By September-end, ONGC hopes to reach up to 2,30,000 barrels per day of oil production from the Mumbai High field.

The field was producing about 2,65,000 barrels per day of oil before the fire.