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ONGC launches country’s first helium extraction pilot plant in Kuthalam

Photo courtesy: ONGC

PIONEERING WORK: (From right): S.A..Fazal , deputy general manager, production, Cauvery Asset, ONGC, explains the features of the helium extraction plant to ONGC chairman R.S. Sharma (second from right), at Kuthalam on Sunday. —

NAGAPATTINAM: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Limited achieved a technological breakthrough on Sunday with the inauguration of the first Helium Extraction Pilot Plant in the country at its Gas Collecting Station at Kuthalam near Mayiladuturai, Nagapattinam district.

Inaugurating the plant, which is set up at a cost of Rs.6 crore, ONGC chairman R.S. Sharma said: “the project is a significant step towards the objective of assimilating new technology to make India self- reliant in helium.”

He said, “The helium potential of India remains virtually unexplored yet and harnessing indigenous helium stands to be a prospective option to forestall a crisis of this rare and precious gas in future through advanced technology intervention.”

The Corporation now produced more than a million cubic metres of natural gas a day in Kuthalam and the plant was designed, manufactured and installed by the Adsorption Research Incorporated (ARI), United States.

Mr. Sharma said the helium extraction plant was set up to extract and purify helium through a joint technology venture among the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, ONGC, the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics and the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC) in February this year.

He pointed out that most of the gas fields in the country were geologically young and had little or no helium.

But, Kuthalam in Tamil Nadu, was the first Cretaceous age gas field in India and the helium gas was present in 500 ppm (0.05 per cent by volume) concentration in the natural gas produced here.

World over, concentrations above 0.3 per cent were considered for commercial extraction and helium was extracted from natural gas through cryogenic methods. Due to very low concentration of helium in the Kuthalam gas, the Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) technology was applied in four stages so as to produce Helium gas of 99 per cent purity.

When stabilised, the plant was expected to have a recovery percentage of 60 per cent.

India was entirely dependent on imports and required about 1,80,000 cubic metres of helium per annum at a cost of around Rs.20 crore.

“Helium has crucial applications in space technology, cryogenics (low temperature physics), nuclear reactors and a host of high end technologies due to its unique physical properties. Helium is crucial for safe diving operations, a critical routine activity in the ONGC’s offshore operations,” Mr. Sharma said.

Bikash Sinha, Director of Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics and the VECC, explained the need to extract helium at any cost.

A.K. Hazarika, Director (onshore), ONGC and Malti Goel, former Adviser, Department of Science and Technology were among others who spoke.

At a press conference in Kumbakonam, Mr. Sharma said ONGC would explore the possibility of commercial production of helium.

Mr. Sinha said helium was not only a noble gas but a precious gas. “When cooled to minus 265 degree Centigrade, it becomes liquid.”

Mr. Sharma released a brochure, “Importance of the Helium-three in sustainable energy future,” written by Dr. Malti Goel.

Dr. Goel, said “there are seven isotopes of helium out of which helium 4 and 3 are stable. Helium is the second most abundant element found in the universe especially in Sun., hot stars and other planets but is rare on earth. The basic source of helium is nuclear fusion in which hydrogen isotopes unite to form the helium atom.”

Mr. Hazarika; A.K.Pandey, Director, Exploration; A.K.Baiyan, Director, Human Relations; D.M.Kale and Anjaneyalu were present at the press meet.

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