Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and bp have announced the start of production from the Satellite Cluster gas field in block KG D6 off the east coast of India.

RIL and bp have been developing three deep-water gas developments in block KG D6 – R Cluster, Satellite Cluster and MJ – which together are expected to produce around 30 million metric standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd) of natural gas by 2023, meeting up to 15 per cent of India’s gas demand.

The developments will each utilise the existing hub infrastructure in the KG D6 block.

RIL is the operator of the block with a 66.67 per cent participating interest and bp holds a 33.33 per cent participating interest.

The Satellite Cluster is the second of the three developments to come onstream, following the start-up of R Cluster in December 2020.

The field is located approximately 60 kilometres from the existing onshore terminal at Kakinada on the east coast of India in water depths of up to 1850 metres.

The field will produce gas from four reservoirs utilising a total of five wells and is expected to reach gas production of up to 6 mmscmd) Together, the R Cluster and Satellite Cluster are expected to contribute to about 20 per cent of India’s current gas production.

The third KG D6 development, MJ, is expected to come onstream towards the latter half of 2022.

In addition to their gas value chain partnership, in 2020 bp and RIL also completed the formation of their major retail, aviation fuels and mobility alliance. bp’s activities in India also include Castrol lubricants, oil and gas trading, clean energy projects through Lightsource bp, IT back office activities, a new global business services center, staffing and training for the global bp marine fleet, and the recruitment of skilled Indian employees for bp’s global businesses.