NEW DELHI- Oil Companies Turn the Screw

Oil Companies Turn the Screw B M WHEN the Oil ami Natural Gas Com- mission drilled the first well in the Godavari basin and struck oil early in 1980, the then Petroleum and Chemicals Minister, Virendra Patil, told Parliament amidst much cheering that a second Bombay High had been discovered. Since then, however, the ONGC hits been having a rough time with its drilling of the Godavari basin. This is not unusual. Finding oil is a difficult and exacting job and no oilman will be unduly put out on this score. The drilling of the second well in the basin has met with specially difficult conditions. Strong winds and waves and other conditions have resulted in several mishaps. Some equipment has been lost and work held up. This, however, does not mean that prospects of finding a rich oilfield under the basin have diminished in any way. It is still considered a highly promising structure and there can be no question that the effort to find oil there should be slackened, much less given up. On the contrary the effort has to be intensified with better technology, better equipment and more expertise.