ITANAGAR, Oct 3: Science and Technology Minister Dasanglu Pul, accompanied by Er Tana Tage, Director, Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CES&HS), officials of the Department of Science and Technology, Oil India Limited (OIL) and representatives of SEROS Energy, on Saturday visited the Puga Valley Geothermal Project in Ladakh to study geothermal exploration, deep drilling and power generation in high-altitude Himalayan conditions.
The delegation was received at the Puga geothermal site by ONGC Project Manager Sanjay Kumar and other officials and technical personnel of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC).
During the visit, the delegation was briefed on ONGC’s geothermal drilling programme at Puga Valley, including the development of deep geothermal wells and the proposed 1 MWe pilot geothermal power plant. The project has achieved a significant milestone with the successful drilling of geothermal wells to a depth of 1,000 metres at an elevation of more than 4,400 metres above mean sea level.
The delegation visited the geothermal production well and associated drilling facilities, where ONGC officials explained the drilling methodology, well design, well development and testing procedures. Discussions also covered the operational challenges of geothermal drilling in the high-altitude Himalayan terrain, including difficult logistics, limited working windows and the need for specialised drilling and well-control practices.
The interaction provided the Arunachal delegation with first-hand insights into the planning, execution and monitoring of deep geothermal wells and the challenges involved in developing subsurface geothermal resources from surface manifestations.
Speaking during the interaction, Pul appreciated the efforts of ONGC and its technical partners in advancing geothermal energy development in the country. She emphasised the importance of inter-institutional collaboration, technical knowledge sharing and technology transfer to accelerate geothermal exploration in the Northeast, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh.
Arunachal Pradesh has several geothermal manifestations associated with its Himalayan geological setting. CES&HS is undertaking systematic studies to assess the state’s geothermal potential, particularly in Tawang district.
The Centre is currently engaged in geological, structural, geochemical and geophysical investigations at promising sites including Mago, Thingbu, Damteng, Tsechu and Dirang. It has also undertaken pre-feasibility studies for deeper characterisation of geothermal systems in Tawang.
The Puga visit is expected to provide useful technical and operational inputs for the ongoing investigations and future deep-drilling programmes in Arunachal Pradesh. The experience gained from ONGC’s work in the challenging terrain is considered relevant to other Himalayan regions where difficult accessibility and climatic conditions pose challenges to geothermal exploration.
The visit also underscored the state government’s efforts to explore clean, indigenous and reliable energy sources and assess geothermal energy as a potential component of Arunachal Pradesh’s renewable energy portfolio.