The use of wood as a cooking fuel has been in place for a long time. With better facilities available today, we have moved on to the use of oils and liquefied gas as the preferred cooking fuel. However, not all are able to use gas or oil, and continue to use wood that is sometimes a cheaper or more accessible option. Essar’s EOGEPL is out to change this.
While cooking mid-day meals, a smoke- and dust-free kitchen that is run on gas fuel, has always remained a dream for both the students and the caretakers of all Anganwadi centres. On 7 September 2019, this dream was realised at the Anganwadi (ICDS) centre at Dhabani village, under Pratappur GP of Durgapur-Faridpur Block, Pashchim Burdwan District, West Bengal. Mr Vilas Tawde, MD & CEO – Essar Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Ltd (EOGEPL), inaugurated the Neelsikha Rannaghar scheme, wherein coal bed methane (CBM) gas will be used as a cooking fuel instead of previously used firewood.
The unconventional CBM gas comes as a replacement to expensive LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas). CBM is a natural gas stored or absorbed in coal seams and contains 90%-95% methane. According to the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), India has the fifth largest proven coal reserves in the world and, therefore, holds significant prospects for CBM exploration and exploitation.
EOGEPL is one of the largest exploration & production (E&P) companies in India primarily focussed on Unconventional Hydrocarbons (UHC), with a resource base of 15 TCF of UHC that is strategically located in key sedimentary basins across India. The company is a pioneer of UHC in the country, with about 25 years of experience in exploration and production of CBM.