Lok Sabha Question No. 45 (STARRED), answered on 2024-11-28
Subject: PML Grant for Ashoknagar Oil Field
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Shri Jagannath Sarkar

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*45

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28-11-2024

## PML GRANT FOR ASHOKNAGAR OIL FIELD

## †*45.  SHRI JAGANNATH SARKAR:

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

- (a)    the  status  of  the  Petroleum  Mining  Lease  (PML)  for  the  Ashoknagar  Oil  field  which  has  been pending with the Government of West Bengal since 10.09.2020;
- (b)   the reasons for not granting PML and the manner in which delay is affecting the Early Development Plan (EDP) for the field; and
- (c)  whether the Government has taken/proposes to take any action for withholding  the PML, which is affecting the State's  economic  prospects,  particularly  in terms  of  job  creation and  local development associated with the monetization of the Ashoknagar Oil field and if so, the measures being considered to resolve this issue?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI HARDEEP SINGH PURI)

(a) to (c):  A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (A)  TO  (C)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.*45  TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  28-11-2024  REGARDING  'PML GRANT FOR ASHOKNAGAR OIL FIELD ASKED BY SHRI JAGANNATH SARKAR'

(a)  to  (c):  Oil  and  Natural  Gas  Corporation  Ltd.  (ONGC)  notified  the  Asokenagar  discovery  on 24.09.2018.  This  has  been  the  outcome  of  continuous  exploration  efforts  of  ONGC  in  the  Bengal sedimentary  basin  over  five  decades.    ONGC,  accordingly,  applied  on  10.09.2020  to  Government  of West Bengal for grant of Petroleum Mining Lease (PML) for an area of 5.88 square kilometers (sq. km.) in  North  24  Parganas  District  for  the  early  monetisation  of  Asokenagar-1  discovery  under  Early Development  Plan  (EDP).  The  recommendation  of  the  Central  Government  for  grant  of  PML  was conveyed to State Government of West Bengal by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoP&NG) on 21.10.2020

Under rule 5(1)(ii) of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 1959, the State Government is empowered to grant PML with the prior recommendation of the Central Government. As the PML was awaited from State Government, EDP could not be implemented thereby affecting production of oil and gas. However, ONGC continued  appraisal/exploratory  drilling  activities  and  established  presence  of  hydrocarbon  in other  wells  namely  Asokenagar-2,  Kankpul-1,  Bhurkunda-1  and  Ranaghat-2,  thus,  enhancing  the hydrocarbon  prospectivity  around  Asokenagar-1  discovery  in  New  Exploration  Licensing  Policy (NELP) Block WB-ONN-2005/4. Based on the latest data availability and analysis, an area of 99.06 sq. km.  with  more than  four  discoveries  has  been  carved  out  into  an  integrated  Field  Development  Plan (FDP)  which  also  includes  EDP  area  of  5.88  sq.  km.  for  developing  oil  and  gas  discovery  of Asokenagar-1. This integrated FDP has been approved by Government of India (GoI) on 10.07.2024. MoP&NG's further recommendation letter for issuance of PML by Government of West Bengal was sent on 29.10.2024. PML application for the approved area of FDP (99.06 sq. km.) was submitted by ONGC on 05.11.2024 to the Government of West Bengal. The grant of this PML is still awaited from State Government of West Bengal.

The power to grant PML for Asokenagar Oil Field lies with the Government of West Bengal. The Government of India and ONGC (Operator) are consistently pursuing for issuance of PML from the Government  of  West  Bengal.  The  recommendation  letter  for  the  grant  of  PML  conveyed  to  State Government  of  West  Bengal  on  21.10.2020  has  been  followed  up  with  the  request  letter  dated 01.02.2023 and D.O. letter dated 12.01.2024 from Director General, Directorate General of Hydrocarbons  to  the  Principal  Secretary,  Government  of  West  Bengal,  Department  of  Industry, Commerce & Enterprises. The matter has been flagged to the Government of West Bengal (GoWB) in the Eastern Zonal Council meeting held on 04.07.2024 at Ranchi for expediting consideration of GoWB.

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