English
Kathmandu: What comes as good news for India’s neighbour Nepal is that scientists there have discovered a huge reserve of methane gas in the country’s western region. With this discovery, the total methane reserve of Nepal may reach around 430 billion cubic meters, potentially enough to meet the country’s gas demand for about 50 years, as per a report published by the China Geological Survey (CGS). The report presented preliminary findings from only one of the four wells targeted in the Jaljale area of Dailekh district, raising the country’s prospects of tapping domestic energy sources, according to the state-run Gorkhapatra daily.
The findings that were shared with the Nepal Government on Thursday stated that the exploration was carried out under a bilateral agreement, which was signed between Nepal and China in 2019. “The first drilling operation was launched on May 11, 2021, reaching a depth of over 4,000 metres. It revealed an estimated 1.12 billion cubic metres of methane in a single well,” the report read.
Gorkhapatra stated that the total reserve in the region could reach 430 billion cubic metres.
“The report reflects preliminary findings from just one of the four targeted wells. Based on initial estimates, the total reserves in the region could reach 430 billion cubic metres, which could potentially meet Nepal’s gas demand for about 50 years,” Gorkhapatra said.
Deputy Director General of the Department of Mines and Geology and head of the petroleum exploration project Dinesh Kumar Napit stated that it is deepest and most advanced exploration ever conducted in the country.
Further testing will be done to assess the quality of the gas, commercial viability and economic potential.
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