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| Valley floats on gas, Jammu has oil | | |
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Mar 22: Kashmir floats on gas! This observation has been made by a renowned geologist of the state whose works on gas in Kashmir have been accepted by the American Association of Petroleum geologists in Vol 52/4, April 1968.
The geologist's (Haji AM Butt) observation finds weight in Kulhana's Chronicle of Kings where he refers to "self created fire" coming from earth at Shyam, 85 Kms southwest of Nichama Handwara.
Another reference comes from Abu Fazal's Ain-e-Akbari which states that in sub-division of Kamraj fire came out from fissures in earth and bowls of rice placed on it got cooked. Presence of oil at several places in Jammu region has not been ruled out.
Even Walter Lawrence has made a mention of a fire in a Hindu temple at Jawalaji Asthapan at Khrew, Pulwama. And recently, a labourer of the IRCON while digging a well near Budgam fainted. Fortunately an expert was around and he revived the labourer by giving him oxygen. Later the expert told that Methane gas rendered the labourer unconscious. A few years ago, gas oozed out from a hole in Maharajpora, Sopur. It caused an explosion when a man ignited it with a matchstick.
According to Butt Kashmir Valley is an intra-mountain basin formed during the geosynclinal stage of the development of Himalayas and lies between two main Himalayan ranges, the Pir Panjal and Zanaskar. "The Valley is filled with Karewa which are overlied by folded Triassiac rocks. The presence of carbonaceous matter and other organic material was the source of Methane gas accumulation", he said.
Methane gas seepages, according to Butt, are common throughout the valley, especially towards North and more especially in and around Sopur. "Dig a well anywhere, smell it or ignite it and see the results. It is Methane gas coming out."
Studies conducted within a radius of 15 kilometers around the historic city of Srinagar have confirmed presence of Methane gas with some Olefins and Ethylene but no Acetylene.
Wells drilled up to 100 meters at Barzulla, New Secretariat, Silk factory, Yechgam, Nowgam and Chattergam confirmed presence of Methane at 70% to 90%.
The huge reserves of gas if retrieved and used effectively can make Kashmir as important as Iran as far as gas production is concerned, believe the experts.
Not just gas, the Valley promises huge quantities of Petroleum. Butt states Kashmir Valley is located tectonically in a zone of compression from the east and west, forming a V shaped pattern of bonding organic zones. In the Assam Valley, with proven oil fields, a similar V shaped pattern resulted from southward compression from the Himalayas and the westward movement of Shora ranges. "The periods of folding after Ecocene and beginning of Pliocene has resulted in movement of oil, trapped in the limestone taps of Kashmir. In 1964 oil made its way out at Hanga, Handwara. The oil oozing out from the earth was collected by a number of people. Fortunately the phenomenon was photographed and bears testimony to presence of oil in the Valley", said Butt.
Work done by the ONGC in 1963-65 at Sopore, Yechgam, Nowgam, Rawalpora, and Vaughama had to be abandoned as drilling up to 150 meters did not reveal any promise. In 1970 the ONGC put the Russian Rig into operation at Suransar. The well chocked and the Rig could not be retrieved. The work was again abandoned.
According to Butt, oil lies deep beneath 2000 meters in the bosom of earth. "The well at Hanga and the freshly broken limestone at several places in Jammu region (which smells of kerosene), presence of an oil seepage near Rajouri are strong proofs of presence of oil in the state. " |
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