Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and bp p.l.c. have announced the successful commencement of production from the MJ field, marking the completion of three major deepwater developments in the KG D6 block off India’s east coast.
The start of gas and condensate production from the MJ field follows the start-up of the R-Cluster field in December 2020 and Satellite Cluster in April 2021. All three developments utilise the existing hub infrastructure for the block.
Together, these three fields are projected to produce approximately 30 million standard cubic meters of gas per day, accounting for around one-third of India’s domestic gas production and meeting about 15% of the country’s demand.
Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries Limited, expressed pride in the partnership with bp and highlighted their successful collaboration in executing complex projects under challenging circumstances. He emphasised the contribution of the MJ development to the “Make in India” and “Energy Vision” initiatives laid out by the Indian government.
Bernard Looney, CEO of bp, acknowledged the importance of these new developments in meeting India’s demand for secure gas supplies. He highlighted the enduring strategic partnership between bp and RIL, spanning over 15 years and expanding across various sectors, including gas, retail, aviation fuels, and sustainable mobility solutions.
The MJ field, discovered in 2013 and sanctioned in 2019, is located in water depths of up to 1,200 meters, approximately 30 kilometers from the existing onshore terminal at Gadimoga. To process and separate the gas, condensate, water, and impurities, a new Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessel called the ‘Ruby’ has been deployed. The gas will be transported onshore for sale, while the condensate will be stored on the FPSO and later supplied to Indian refineries through shuttle tankers.
Reliance Industries Limited operates the KG D6 block with a 66.67% participating interest, while bp holds a 33.33% participating interest.
