Lok Sabha Question No. 5794 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-10
Subject: Cooperation in Oil and Gas
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: POONAM  MAHAJAN, RAJESHBHAI NARANBHAI CHUDASAMA, RAJAN BABURAO  VICHARE, BALASUBRAMANIAM SENGUTTUVAN

## COOPERATION IN OIL AND GAS

## 5794.   SHRIMATI POONAM MAHAJAN SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA SHRI RAJAN VICHARE SHRI B. SENGUTTUVAN

## पैट्रोलियम और प्राक ृ लिक गैस मंत्री

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

- (a) whether the  Government  has  conducted  bilateral  meetings  with  United  States  of America, Saudi Arabia, Russia, China and Australia and have signed/ proposes to sign an agreement/ Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in the oil and gas/ hydrocarbon sector and if so, the details thereof along with the time  by  which  the  said  agreements/MoUs  are  likely  to  be  finalised  and  major achievements in this regard, country-wise;
- (b) whether India and Australia have decided to form a panel/signed MoU on supply of cheap LNG for power plants in India and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has expressed interest in exploration of hydrocarbons in the Arctic region with Russia and China and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the details of oil and gas blocks acquired abroad and investment/funding pattern by ONGC/ONGC Videsh  Limited  (OVL)/Oil  Marketing  Companies  (OMCs)  along with  status  of  commercial  production  and  quantum  of  oil  and  gas  produced  and supplied to the country so far, company/ country/block-wise;
- (e) whether ONGC/OVL/OMCs including private companies have bought/proposes to buy stake in foreign countries including a Russian energy giant and have signed agreements in the oil/gas sector and if so, the details thereof along with the amount invested as a result thereof, company/block-wise; and
- (f) whether  the  Qatar  has  been  the  largest  supplier  of  LNG  and  crude  oil  to  India during the last year and if so, the details thereof along with initiative taken by the Government  to  strengthen  ties  with  Qatar  to  improve  the  energy  security  in  the country?

## ANSWER

## पैट्रोलियम और प्राक ृ लिक गैस मंत्रािय में राज्य मंत्री ( स्विंत्र प्रभार ) ( श्री धमेन्द्र प्रधान )

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- a) As  part  of  India's  energy  diplomacy,  the  Ministry  holds  bilateral  meetings  on  a regular basis, including with USA, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Australia, etc. and signs agreements and MoUs for enhancing cooperation in the oil and gas sector.
- b) No such decision was taken.
- c) Russia has proposed possibility of collaboration in exploration of hydrocarbons in the  Arctic  region.    Indian  PSU  oil  and  gas  companies  have,  however,  found commercially unviable.
- d) & (e) Indian Public Sector Oil and Gas companies have over 44 exploratory blocks in  16  countries  and  20  producing  blocks  in  12  countries.  The  PSU  companies manage  funding  for  their  acquisitions  through  a  mix  of  internal resources, borrowing  from  their  parent  companies,  external  commercial  borrowings,  and/or from market, including through issuance of bonds in the market. During May and October  2016,  Indian  PSU  Oil  and  Gas  companies  acquired  stakes  in  Rosneft's Vankorneft and Taas-Yuryakh oil and gas producing fields in Russia. Indian PSU oil and gas companies have invested over US $ 32.89 billion producing over 25.18 MMTOE of oil and gas.
- f) Qatar  is  the  largest  supplier  of  LNG  to  India.  During  the  year  2015-16  India purchased 9.51 MMT and during 2016-17 (April to Dec.) 7.8 MMT of LNG from Qatar.  India  continuously  engages  with  all  oil  and  gas  producing  countries  to diversify its energy sources and enhance its energy security.

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