Lok Sabha Question No. 1790 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-05
Subject: Reduction in Import of Petroleum Products
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Shri Mansukhbhai Dhanjibhai Vasava

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 1790 TO BE ANSWERED ON 5 TH  DECEMBER 2024

## REDUCTION IN IMPORT OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS

## †1790. SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA:

## पेट Ō ोिलयम और Ůाक ृ ितक गैस मंũी

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes to formulate any long-term plan to develop Petroleum and Gas sector to reduce the imports;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the extent to which imports are likely to be reduced by the implementation of the above scheme; and
- (d) the other steps taken by the Government to reduce the imports?

## ANSWER

## पेट Ō ोिलयम और Ůाक ृ ितक गैस मंũालय मŐ राǛमंũी ( ŵी सुरे श गोपी )

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI SURESH GOPI)

(a)  to  (d):  Government  has  adopted  a  multi-pronged  strategy  to  reduce  the  dependency  on crude oil which, inter alia, include demand substitution by promoting usage of natural gas as fuel/feedstock across the country towards increasing the share of natural gas in economy and moving towards gas based economy, promotion of renewable and alternate fuels like ethanol, second  generation  ethanol,  compressed  bio  gas  and  biodiesel,  creating  electric  vehicle charging  infrastructure,  refinery  process  improvements,  promoting  energy  efficiency  and conservation, efforts for increasing production of oil and natural gas through various policies initiatives,  etc.  For  promoting  the  use  of  Compressed  Bio  Gas  (CBG)  as  automotive  fuel, Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative has also been launched. Government's push to other alternative fuels such as ethanol blended petrol (EBP) Programme has resulted in forex savings of Rs. 1.09 Lakh crore approx. from ESY 2013-14 to ESY 2023-24.

However, India's energy consumption is increasing continuously due to sustained economic growth over the last few years through industrialisation, urbanisation, transportation needs, infrastructure development, rising income, improved standard of living, increased access to modern  energy  coupled  with  increase  in  private  consumption  and  gross  fixed  capital formation, etc. resulting in increasing import of Crude Oil.

The government has been taking various steps to boost domestic oil and gas production which, inter-alia, include:

i. Policy under PSC regime for early monetization of hydrocarbon discoveries, 2014. ii. Discovered Small Field Policy, 2015. iii. Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP), 2016. iv. Policy for Extension of PSCs, 2016 and 2017. v. Policy for early monetization of Coal Bed Methane, 2017. vi. Setting up of National Data Repository, 2017. vii. Appraisal of Un-appraised areas in Sedimentary Basins under National Seismic Programme, 2017. viii.  Policy framework for extension of PSCs for Discovered Fields and Exploration Blocks under Pre-New Exploration Licensing Policy (Pre-NELP), 2016 and 2017. ix. Policy to Promote and Incentivize Enhanced Recovery Methods for Oil and Gas, 2018. x. Policy Framework for exploration and exploitation of Unconventional Hydrocarbons under Existing  Production  Sharing  Contracts  (PSCs),  Coal  Bed  Methane  (CBM)  Contracts  and Nomination Fields, 2018. xi. Natural Gas Marketing Reforms, 2020. xii. Lower  Royalty  Rates,  Zero  Revenue  Share  (till Windfall  Gain)  and  no  drilling commitment in Phase-I in OALP Blocks under Category II and III basins to attract bidders. xiii. Release of about 1 Million Sq. Km. (SKM) 'No-Go' area in offshore which were blocked for exploration for decades. xiv. Government is also spending about Rs.7500 Cr. for acquisition of seismic data in onland and  offshore  areas  and  drilling  of  stratigraphic  wells  to  make  quality  data  of  Indian Sedimentary Basins available to bidders. Government has approved acquisition of additional 2D Seismic data of 20,000 LKM in onland and 30,000 LKM in offshore beyond Exclusive

Economic Zone (EEZ) of India.

*****