Gas flares take a toll on finances and environment
New Delhi: At a time when India is forced to buy costly natural gas form from international markets after long-term liquefied natural gas imports from Russia is disrupted, some domestic producers are flaring at least 3 million standard cubic metres of gas per day — sufficient to produce about 750 MW of electricity — due to a skewed pricing policy for indigenously produced gas.
The scale of flaring in local oil and gas fields is quite high, which is a waste of a scarce energy resource and also harmful for the environment. The government is aware of the matter and looking for ways to bring this gas into the supply system through incentives, as it would involve considerable investments and, at current pricing policy, does not make any commercial sense, two people aware of the development said, requesting anonymity.
This matter has been frequently raised by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), the first person working in an economic ministry said. High pressure gas valued at ₹816.08 crore was flared in Mumbai High field of state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) during 2012-20, according to a CAG report released in December 2021.
