Lok Sabha Question No. 5892 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-10
Subject: Shale Oil and Gas
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: ANANT KUMAR DATTATREYA HEGDE, HARI MANJHI

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5892 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 th  APRIL, 2017

## SHALE OIL AND GAS

## 5892.   SHRI ANANTKUMAR HEGDE: SHRI HARI MANJHI:

## पेट्रोलियम और प्राक ृ लिक गैस मंत्री

## Will the Minister of PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

- (a)   whether United States of America (USA) has prepared /proposes to prepare a substitute of petrol and diesel by producing shale gas and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (b)      whether  the  Government  has  signed  any  treaty  with  USA  to  enhance  technical  and institutional cooperation in hydrocarbon including in production of gas from marginal fields, shale structure, developing gas pipeline network and improving refinery efficiency;
- (c)      if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  progress  made  in  this  regard  so  far  and  the extent  to  which  our  oil  companies  and  Oil  and  Natural  Gas  Corporation  Limited  and  oil refineries are likely to be benefited from it; and
- (d)    the date on which shale gas was first discovered in the country?

## ANSWER

पेट्रोलियम और प्राक ृ लिक गैस मंत्रािय में राज्य मंत्री ( प्राार रन्त्िवत्र ( ) प्रााप्र ामेवध ीी )

## MINISTER OF STATE (I/C) IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- (a):  Shale gas in the United States is rapidly increasing as an available source of natural gas.  Led  by  new  applications  of  hydraulic  fracturing  technology  and  horizontal  drilling, development  of new  sources  of shale gas has offset declines in production from conventional gas reservoirs, and has led to major increases in reserves of US natural gas.

In order to exploit shale gas & Oil in the country, Government of India on 14 th October, 2013 announced the Policy Guidelines for Exploration and Exploitation of Shale Gas and Oil by National  Oil  Companies  (ONGC  and  Oil  India  Limited  (OIL))  in  their  onland  Petroleum Exploration  License  (PEL)  /  Petroleum  Mining  Lease  (PML)  areas      awarded  under  the nomination regimes.

In pursuance of this Policy, under the first phase of assessment ONGC has identified and initiated  shale  gas  and  oil      exploration  activities  in  50  PEL/PML  areas;  and  OIL  has identified and initiated shale gas exploration activities in 6 PEL/PML areas.

- (b)  &  (c):    The  Government  signed  a  Memorandum  of  Understanding  (MoU)  with  the Department of State (DOS), USA on 6.11.2010 to provide a framework for the exchange of knowledge & expertise in the  areas  concerning  shale  gas  resources  characterization  and assessment in India. The details of cooperative activities are:
- a. Shale Gas Resource Assessment
- b. Technical studies
- c. Regulatory Framework Consultation
- d. Investment promotion

As an outcome of the MOU, United States Geological Survey (USGS) in Jan'11 estimated Technical  Recoverable  Shale  Gas  of  6.1  TCF  for  three  basins,  namely,  Cambay,  KG  & Cauvery. USGS in Apr'14 estimated Technical Recoverable volume of 62 million  barrels of shale oil  for Cambay Basin.

- (d)  Shale gas is still under exploration stage and till date no commercial discovery has taken place in the country.

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