Sri Lanka to commence commercial exploration for natural gases by 2018
Officials of Cairns India will hold discussions with Sri Lankan authorities this week on commencing exploration work for natural gasses in the Mannar Basin.
Cairn Lanka, which made gas discoveries in two of the four exploration wells it was awarded, expects production from the country's offshore gas fields starting as early as 2016.
Sri Lanka's Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said natural gasses have already been discovered in oil wells in the Mannar Basin and that commercial exploration for natural gasses will commence in two years by 2018.
Minister Ranawaka addressing a public meeting recently, further said that 20 areas within the territorial waters of Sri Lanka have been identified for exploring crude oil. The blocks are to be offered for excavation under an accepted and a competitive procedure, the Minister added.
He stressed that the new government would not give away oil rich areas in Sri Lanka to various countries in an irregular manner like the previous regime.
