A Breath of Fresh Air: ONGC & EIL Team Up for Helium Production

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s (ONGC) R&D arm, ONGC Energy Centre Trust (OECT), has signed an agreement with Engineers India Ltd. (EIL) to establish a Helium Recovery Demonstration Plant at ONGC’s Kuthalam Gas Collection Station in the Cauvery Asset, Tamil Nadu.

The ₹39.42 crore project is slated for completion within 18 months and represents a strategic step toward developing domestic capability in high-value gas production. Helium, a critical input for space exploration, semiconductor fabrication, cryogenics, fiber optics, and medical technologies, is currently imported by India, making this initiative vital to national self-reliance.

The project will be executed under an EPCM and Supply model, covering the Detailed Project Report (DPR), Basic Engineering Design Package (BEDP), and full lifecycle execution including design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and performance testing.

Based on a technology package developed by CSIR–IIP, the plant will recover Grade-A Helium (99.995% purity) from 750 Nm³/hr of natural gas, with the capability to operate at 110% capacity.

ONGC stated that this first-of-its-kind initiative aligns with its "Energy Now and Next" vision and supports the Government of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat mission in developing strategic technologies.

“Establishing indigenous capability in helium recovery is of strategic importance for the country’s technological advancement and energy security,” the company added.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.