A clutch of projects in the petroleum and natural gas sectors for Tamil Nadu, involving massive investments exceeding Rs.10,000 crores, is at a very advanced stage of clearance by the Centre.
On the 500 MW power project planned by MRL near Manali using heavy fuel available from the refinery, Mr. Mohan said the Centre had approved its implementation by a joint venture company with PSEG Global and Larsen & Toubro as the partners.
Dispelling impressions that the CPI(M) was not concerned about Tamil Nadu's industrial growth, Mr. Mohan said he was also pressing the Centre to quickly clear the expansion of the existing 0.5 million tonnes per year refinery of MRL at Panangudi.
Regarding projects for tapping methane from the lignite bed at Mannargudi, the Centre has initiated action through the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) to collect methane- related date from there.
While the Chennai-Tiruchi-Madurai petro-product pipeline at a cost of Rs.538.70 crores was scheduled to be completed by 31 July 2001, Mr. Mohan said the feasibility of implementing the project was being re-examined in view of the new upcoming Cuddalore Refinery.
In July 2009, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India gave licence to Great Eastern Energy Corporation Limited to explore and extract coalbed methane for 667 square kilometers in the Mannarkudi block of Thiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu.
[1] Subsequently, the state government under Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Signed a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) granting the firm rights in researching the presence of methane particles and sighting industrial development in the locality.
[6] As part of the Government of India's Discovered small fields policy, a contract given to GEM laboratories private limited in December 2016 to extract hydrocarbon for 10 square kilometers in the village.