New Delhi: British oil and gas major BG Group has suspended operations at a major oil and gas field in Cambay basin as an immediate fallout of Indo-Pakistan border tensions.

All expatriate officials at the CB-OS/1 exploration block in the Gulf of Cambay have left the country after aborting the $ 20 million drilling programme, sources said.

British Gas has also called back majority of its expatriate officials working at the producing Panna-Mukta and Tapti offshore oil and gas fields, sources said, adding that only a couple of officials directly connected with the 27,000 barrels per day fields are left in the country.

When contacted, a senior BG India official, who did not wish to be identified, confirmed that drilling operations have been suspended in Cambay basin, but went on to add that the personnel would be re-deployed on easing of tensions between the two neighbouring countries.

The official, an Indian national, said exodus of British nationals from the operating Panna-Mukta and Tapti fields has not affected its operations.

"Oil and gas is being produced as usual. BG India employees are on their jobs," the official said.

Incidentally, the employees producing 27,994 barrels per day of oil and 86.22 million cubic feet per day of gas from Panna-Mukta oil and gas field and 184.74 million cubic feet per day of gas from Tapti gas field are all Indians with only BG India Chief Executive Nigel Shaw and Operations Chief B Crawford left to co- ordinate.

PTI