Oil, natural gas reserves in Godavari river basin land: BSIP
The researchers have studied the sediments, including coal and shale, which were deposited in the area to understand the palaeoenvironment (environment in the past)
Scientists at the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences have hinted at the probability of oil and natural gas reserves in the terrestrial sequence (land area today which was river dominated in the past) of the Godavari River basin.
These sequences are commonly found in the marine sequence, but it is challenging to trace their availability in the terrestrial sequence.
Neha Aggarwal, a scientist involved in the research, said that they used palynology and geochemical tools to identify the ‘Sequence Stratigraphy’.
“Sequence Stratigraphy is a technique used by geologists to study rock layers (strata) to understand how they have been deposited over time due to the gradual changes in the sea levels. During the Permian period, due to a geological event an ocean - Neo-Tethys - opened within the Gondwana subcontinent. A rise in the sea levels was also part of the event which affected the Godavari valley coalfield,” said Aggarwal.
The researchers have studied the sediments, including coal and shale, which were deposited in the area to understand the palaeoenvironment (environment in the past). As part of the research, the amount of organic carbon was measured. Among these several organic carbon samples, one sequence shows the deposition of the planktonic organisms which have the potential for hydrocarbon generation. Hydrocarbons can include oil and natural gases, Aggarwal added.
The scientists while conducting the analysis found that fluctuating sea level causes deposition of organic matter in between the terrestrial sequences which got converted to hydrocarbon at a required temperature.
Another scientist, Divya Mishra, said that the study is a preliminary attempt to find oil and natural gases in the terrestrial sequence of the Godavari River basin. “We have identified the probable promising sites for hydrocarbon potential, especially shale gas,” Mishra said.