Faced with the trend of declining production, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is understood to have identified 14 of its major oil and gas fields for augmentation of production under the oil recovery schemes. Official sources said that 14 of the major oil and gas fields contribute nearly 80 per cent the total production of ONGC. The oil and gas giant would implement the improved oil recovery (IOR) and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) schemes to augment oil and gas production in Mumbai High, Heera, Neelam, Gandhar, Kaloi, Sanand, North Kadi, Santhal, Balol, Jotana, Sobhasan, Lakwa, Geleki and Rudra Sagar. The sources said the combined production performance of these fields had improved from 52,200 tonnes a day in April 2000 to 57,078 tonnes a day by March 2007, an increase of 9.3 per cent. The total incremental oil gain is expected to be 110.82 million tonnes by 2029-30. The total approved cost of the IOR and EOR schemes has been pegged at Rs. 14,060.25 crore. The sources said production of crude oil from April 2007 to January 2008 was less than the project estimates for the same period. During the period, the shortfall in crude oil production against pro-rated target was about 2.942 million tonnes. Attributing the shortfall in production to various reasons, the sources said the primary reason was the ageing and natural decline in some oil fields. Shortfall in ONGC's North Gujarat field was due to evacuation constraints. There had also been a decline in base production mainly in Assam Asset. There had been less than envisaged gain from IOR and EOR schemes. Australian co. bags ONGC contract PTI reports from Melbourne Australian construction company Leighton Holdings Ltd. has bagged a contract from ONGC worth $720 million for building an oil and gas pipeline in India. Leighton will install over 200 km of fixed and flexible pipelines for ONGC in the Mumbai High field, about 80 km off the coast of Mumbai and the project will commence in November, according to the company's statement. The work will take place over the next three years, the statement added.