55 per cent of drilling work has been completed under the exploration of the petroleum products in the Bhairavi rural municipality-1 Jaljale, Dailekh.

According to the project, the work was started last May to be completed within four months, but, so far, only 55 per cent of the drilling work owing to hard rocks.

According to the geologist of the Department of Mines and Geology Prakash Luitel, so far, drilling up to a depth of 2,200 meters has been completed. A total of 4,000 meters of drilling needs to be done for a project.

He said that that drilling was started to complete it within four months, however, due to the hard rocks underground the drilling work is estimated to be completed by the middle of November.

Presently, the experts are collecting the data by testing the stones and soil extracted from a depth of 2-2 meters.

He said, "Additional three studies of source rock, reserve wire rock, and seal rock will be carried out after 2,700 drilling. The signals under the criteria set for petroleum products are being successfully obtained."

The 45 ropani of land has been acquired in the Jaljale area of Bhairabi Rural Municipality-1, Lekh, Dailekh for drilling.

Currently, a group of 70 people including Chinese nationals are doing the drilling work.

The agreement was signed with the government of the Republic of China on February 28, 2019, to complete the investigation of petroleum products within three years in Sristhan, Nabisthan and Paduka of Dailekh.

Petroleum products are being explored with financial aid of 2.5 billion rupees and technical support from the Chinese government.

By Kamal Sharma