Status of Natural Gas in the Kathmandu Valley

The “Kathmandu Gas Project” was established in 1978 for the exploration of natural gas beneath the ground of the Kathmandu Valley, with the support of the Department of Mines and Geology and the Japanese aid agency JICA. This project was the first to initiate research and study on the possibility of natural gas within the Kathmandu Valley.

Subsequently, with technical and financial assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), around 26 square kilometers were divided into 3 blocks, and a total of 14 gas wells were drilled on various dates. According to the studies, tests, and exploration reports conducted in different phases, the findings include:

• Gas Porosity: 35%

• Gas-Water Ratio (0.4): 1:2.5

• Reserve Thickness: 85 meters

• Gas Reserve:

• Block A: 47.6 million cubic meters (Proven)

• Block B: 170 million cubic meters (Probable)

• Block C: 100.8 million cubic meters (Probable)

The places and dates of gas well drilling conducted under this project are as follows:

Well No.	Location	Depth (m)	Drilling Year (BS/AD)	Block
1	Department of Industry Premises, Tripureshwor, Kathmandu	305	2037/38 (1980/81)	A
2	Pachali, Teku, Kathmandu	301, 350	2039/40, 2073/74 (1982/83, 2016/17)	A
3	Waste Management Premises, Kuleshwor, Kathmandu	302	2039/40 (1982/83)	A
4	Hyumat, Kalimati, Kathmandu	300	2042/43 (1985/86)	A
5	Hyumat, Kalimati, Kathmandu	454.4	2042/43 (1985/86)	A
6	Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu	570.13	2044/45 (1987/88)	A
7	Teku Dobhan, Kathmandu	358.8	2044/45 (1987/88)	A
8	Shankhamul, Kathmandu	455.31	2045/46 (1988/89)	B
9	Koteshwor Mahadevsthan, Kathmandu	300	2047/48 (1990/91)	B
10	Koteshwor Tinkune, Kathmandu	300	2048/49 (1991/92)	B
11	Koteshwor Jadibuti, Kathmandu	300	2048/49 (1991/92)	B
12	Tikathali, Lalitpur	300	2049/50 (1992/93)	C
13	Balkumari, Lalitpur	300	2049/50 (1992/93)	C
14	Imadol, Lalitpur	300, 350	2049/50, 2071/72 (1992/93, 2014/15)	C

• Gas Reserve Estimate:

o   Gas prospective zone = 26sq. km.

o   Average gas reservoir thickness = 85m

o   Porosity = 35%

o   Gas water ratio = 0.4

o   Total gas reserve = 26000000*85*0.35*0.4 = 300 million cubic meter 

The reserve estimation for three blocks is as follows: 

Parameter	Block A (Teku–Tripureshwor)	Block B (Koteshwor–Tinkune)	Block C (Manahara–Imadol)
Prospective Area	4 sq. km	14 sq. km	8 sq. km
Porosity	35%	35%	35%
Gas-Water Ratio	0.4	0.4	0.4
Reserve Thickness	85 m	85 m	85 m
Gas Reserve	4,000,000 × 85 × 0.35 × 0.4 = 47.6 million m³ (Proved)	14,000,000 × 85 × 0.35 × 0.4 = 170 million m³ (Possible)	8,000,000 × 85 × 0.35 × 0.4 = 100.8 million m³ (Possible)

Gas Distribution

Around the year 1983, with the support of JICA, a gas bullet with a capacity of 500 cubic meters was constructed in Teku, Pachali of Block A as a trial. Gas from Well No. 1, 2, and 3 was stored in the bullet through a pipeline system and distributed via pipelines to nearby government offices and hospitals for several years.

The brief description of those boreholes is as follows:

DMG Well No.1: Cottage Industry Office, Tripureswor

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1284.39 m; Drilled Depth-305 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone 10 to 189 m; Aquifer tapped -188 to 297 m, 5 places, 85 m; Specific capacity 146 to 200 cum/day/m2

DMG Well No.2: Model Gas Plant Premises, Teku

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1281.93 m; Drilled Depth -301 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone 1.5 to 42, 44 to 69, 99 to 140 and 145-183 m; aquifer tapped-190 to 296 m, 4 places, 83 m; Specific capacity-6 to 77 cum/day/m2

DMG Well No.3: Teku KMC, Kathmandu

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1279.0 m; Drilled Depth-302 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone -none; aquifer tapped-170 to 297 m, 6 places, 101 m; Specific capacity-60 to 150 cum/day/m2.

DMG Well No.4: Hyumat Tole, Left bank of the Bisnumati River

Elevation of Top of the Wall-185.6 m; Drilled Depth-300 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone -0 to 197; aquifer tapped-190 to 299 m, 6 places, 65 m; Specific capacity-10 to 43 cum/day/m2.

DMG Well No.5: Hyumat Tole, Left bank of the Bisnumati River

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1285.66 m; Drilled Depth-450 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone -0 to 198; aquifer tapped-298 to 450 m, 4 places, 133 m; Specific capacity-9 to 20 cum/day/m2.

DMG Well No.6: Bhrikuti Mandap

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1293.5 m; Drilled Depth-577 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone -20 to 173; aquifer tapped 176 to 550 m, 11 places, 214 m; Specific capacity 18 to 137 cum/day/m2, water level- 6 m above the ground surface, Weathered rock-549 to 570 m and Bed rock 570 to 577 m.

DMG Well No.7: Teku

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1278.18 m; Drilled Depth-359 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone -14 to 74, 80 to 185; aquifer tapped-187 to 340 m, 5 places, 119 m; Specific capacity-9 to 20 cum/day/m2, Weathered rock-346 m and Bed rock 355 to 359 m.

DMG Well No.8: Sankhamul

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1284.55 m; Drilled Depth-455 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone-23 to 182; aquifer tapped-183 to 438 m, 3 places, 414 m; Specific capacity-46cum/day/m2.

DMG Well No.9: Koteshwor

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1298.55 m; Drilled Depth -300 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone -none; aquifer tapped-90 to 288 m, 14 places, 116 m.

DMG Well No.10: Tinkune

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1291.80 m; Drilled Depth-300 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone-32 to 106; aquifer tapped-110 to 295 m, 11 places, 99 m; water level-0.28 m above ground surface ; discharge-118 l/min.

DMG Well No.11: Herb Production and Processing Ltd., Manohara

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1294.68 m; Drilled Depth-300 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone 12 to 161; aquifer tapped-124 to 289 m, 11 places, 89 m; water level- 4.77 m above ground surface ; discharge-110 l/min; Transmisivity-3215 sq.m./day; Storage Coefficient -0.000139

DMG Well No.12: Tikathali, Lalitpur

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1300.75 m; Drilled Depth 301 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone 55 to 120; aquifer tapped-159 to 292 m, 7 places, 94 m; water level-11.77 m above ground surface ; Drawdown-12.45 m, Discharge- 120 l/min.

DMG Well No.13: Balkumari, Lalitpur

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1287.72 m; Drilled Depth-300 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone-89 to 152; aquifer tapped-163 to 268 m, 6 places, 70 m; water level- 1.9 m above ground surface; Drawdown-25 m, discharge-400 l/min.

DMG Well No.14: Imadole, Lalitpur

Elevation of Top of the Wall-1290.98 m; Drilled Depth-300 m; Thick clay > 25 m above screen zone -0 to 157; aquifer tapped-113 to 290 m, 7 places, 90 m; water level-2.06 m above ground surface: Drawdown-21 m, Discharge-336 l/min.