Oil and gas major Essar oil and gas exploration and production ltd (EOGEPL) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with IIT (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, to jointly work on research and development (R&D) of various advanced coal bed methane (CBM) technological innovations indigenously. Both the partners will collaborate to explore R&D for several technological frontiers like enhanced microbial recovery, advance reservoir simulation, CBM exploitation technology from deeper coal seams, amongst others. Essar and ISM will also jointly work towards finding an effective solution for various technological and operational challenges faced during CBM exploration and production (E&P). As part of the MoU, EOGEPL would propose an initial list of research topics and provide data for the same to the industry experts and researchers of IIT Dhanbad. It will also allow access to its CBM wells in the Ranigunj field to carry out research experiments, and to investigate and jointly pursue collaborative research and training programmes with the mining school. IIT would survey and scout for advanced technologies of interest to EOGEPL and advise the company on the potential benefits or challenges, collecting and understanding contemporary E&P issues for utilising their strength and dynamically upgrading the work for the results. It will also provide advanced training to EOGEPL officials towards knowledge building and knowledge transfer in mutually agreed areas.Make in Steel 202124 February Click for event info4th Indian Cement Review Conference 202117-18 March Click for event info EOGEPL's Raniganj East CBM block in West Bengal is a flagship asset with a significant volume of CBM gas resources. It has already been accepted as a showcase of CBM development in the country and has created a niche gas customer base that continues to depend on CBM gas supply to sustain their own businesses. The block is currently connected with the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga pipeline of GAIL as part of the National Gas grid for sustained gas supply. The company has already invested over Rs 4,000 crore in the Ranigunj East CBM block towards drilling wells, setting up supply infrastructure and laying customer pipelines in Durgapur and nearby industrial areas. Raniganj has 1.1 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of certified CBM reserves. EOGEPL aims to double its reserve base in the next few years. ISM's location at Damodar Valley Coalfields (Dhanbad), approximately 100 km from EOGEPL Raniganj CBM block, offers a strategic advantage to the partnership. EOGEPL, an investee company of Essar Global Fund Limited (EGFL), is one of India's largest operators of unconventional hydrocarbon acreages.Image: Essar owns one of India’s largest operators of unconventional hydrocarbon acreages.