Oil India Sets New Production Record in Rajasthan's Thar Desert
In a significant milestone for India's energy sector, Oil India Limited has reported its highest-ever crude oil production from the Thar Desert in Rajasthan. The company achieved a terminal production level of 1,202 barrels per day of heavy crude from the Jodhpur Sandstone formation in Jaisalmer, marking a remarkable 70% increase from last year's output of 705 barrels per day.
Annual Production Surge and Strategic Importance
For the full fiscal year, crude oil production from the Thar Desert rose substantially to 43,773 metric tonnes, compared to 32,787 metric tonnes in the previous year. This impressive growth is attributed to enhanced recovery practices, efficient drilling operations, and comprehensive modernization efforts. Company officials emphasized that this increased production directly supports India's national objectives of energy self-reliance and strengthened energy security.
Breakthrough Technology Deployment
The production surge was primarily driven by the strategic implementation of Cyclic Steam Stimulation technology for heavy oil extraction in the region. This marks the first application of CSS technology in Rajasthan's heavy oil reservoirs, representing a significant technological breakthrough nearly three decades after the field's initial discovery.
The CSS technology has enabled production from high-viscosity crude that conventional extraction methods could not effectively recover, opening new possibilities for India's domestic energy production capabilities.
Baghewala Oil Field Operations
The Baghewala oil field, located in the south-western part of the Bikaner-Nagaur sub-basin of the Rajasthan Basin, stands as one of India's few onshore heavy crude-producing fields. Oil India has expanded CSS implementation to 19 wells this year, representing a 72% increase from the previous year's operations.
Despite facing complex geological challenges, the company successfully drilled 13 new wells during the reporting period, compared to just nine wells in the preceding year. This expansion demonstrates Oil India's commitment to overcoming technical obstacles in challenging environments.
Innovative Drilling Techniques
Oil India has introduced several advanced drilling techniques to enhance well productivity, including:
- Fishbone drilling, which creates multiple branches from a single wellbore to increase reservoir contact
- Barefoot completion, where wells are completed without conventional liners or casing in the production zone
These techniques are being deployed for the first time in India's heavy oil reservoirs, representing another technological milestone for the domestic energy industry.
Field History and Technical Challenges
Oil India has been producing heavy oil from the Baghewala field since 2017, though the field was originally discovered back in 1991. Spanning 200.26 square kilometers, the field currently contains 52 wells, with 33 actively producing crude oil.
Officials explained that the crude's exceptionally high viscosity made standard extraction methods economically unviable, necessitating the development and implementation of specialized thermal recovery solutions like CSS technology. This technological adaptation has transformed what was once considered a challenging reservoir into a productive asset for India's energy portfolio.
