Silchar, May 27: The Union petroleum ministry has decided to step up its drive to explore Mizoram’s rich hydrocarbon reserve that will make the tiny northeastern state as famous as Kuwait in crude oil production.

Superintendent geologist of the state government’s geology and mining department, H. Lallenmawia, said over phone from Aizawl that an agreement was signed on Thursday between the department and three renowned oil firms — Naftogaz of Russia, Geopetrol of France and Reliance Energy Ltd.

Lallenmawia said 3,619 sq km area, falling under geostr-ategic sites, would be earmar-ked stretching from Lunglei to Saiha in south Mizoram. Initially the contract for exploration will be for three years, it could be extended for five more years subject to progress in drilling operations.

The agreement came close on the heels of an eight-year-deed signed on Tuesday between the government and Oil India Ltd, Suntera Resour-ces Ltd. of Cyprus and Shiv-Vani Oil and Gas Exploration Services Ltd. based in Chennai.

Following Centre’s instructions, the Mizoram government has earmarked 3,213 square km stretch between Aizawl and Lunglei districts for these oil companies.

Lallenmawia said the state government had floated a global tender to rope in other oil majors across the globe for exploration works in another block covering 130,00 square km area in North Hlimen area near Aizawl.

The oil exploration in Mizoram started in full swing four years back when the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. was awarded a contract for exploration in Rengte and Bhairabi.

Earlier, the Cachar unit of the ONGC embarked on geological mapping to explore oil and natural gas reserves in northwest Mizoram.