Government in the dark on extent and volume of Mannar Basin gas deposits

Sri Lanka Minister of Petroleum Industries Susil Premajayantha says the Government is yet unaware of the extent and volume of the natural gas deposit found in the Mannar Basin.

The Government announced a few months back that India’s Cairn Company had found two natural gas deposits in the Mannar Basin while exploring for oil.

Minister Premajayantha said that Cairn had not informed the Government of the extent or the volume of the two natural gas deposits.

He observed that the volumes of the deposits would be known by conducting further studies.

He noted that officials from Russia’s Gazprom are currently in Sri Lanka and would assess the data available of the natural gas deposits in the Mannar Basin.

After the initial assessment is concluded by Gazprom, Premajayantha observed that another Russian company would arrive in the country for exploration work.

“It is a long process and you do not find all the details in the first instance,” the Minister said.

(www.colombopage.com)