Lok Sabha Question No. 4672 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-21
Subject: Major Oil Exploration Projects
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Shri Putta Mahesh Kumar, Shri Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4672

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 st August, 2025

## MAJOR OIL EXPLORATION PROJECTS

4672. SHRI PUTTA MAHESH KUMAR: SHRI MAGUNTA SREENIVASULU REDDY:

## पेट Ō ोिलयम और Ůाक ृ ितक गैस मंũी

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

a) whether the Government has undertaken any major oil exploration projects during each of the last five years across the country;

(b)  if  so,  the  details  thereof,  State/UT-wise  including  the  list  of  places  where  such discoveries occurred and the total potential quantity identified during the said period;

(c) the total quantum of funds allocated, released and utilised for the said purpose during the said period, State-wise including Andhra Pradesh; and

(d)  whether  the  recent  successful  oil  explorations  would  contribute  towards  protecting India's fuel security and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## पेट Ō ोिलयमऔर 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):  Hydrocarbon  Exploration,  which  includes  Oil  and  Gas  Exploration,  projects  are implemented by entities, both public and private, as per the contractual agreement with the Government. No expenditure is incurred by the Government on exploration projects. These projects  are  undertaken  by  contractors  at  their  own  risk.  During  the  last  five  years  (2019 onwards) the Government has awarded 117 blocks under Open Acreages Licensing Policy (OALP)  bidding  rounds  and  07  blocks  under  Special  Coal  Bed  Methane  Bid  Rounds. State-wise list of hydrocarbon exploration projects implemented is at Annexure-I .

Efforts in this regard have led to 54 discoveries during the last five years i.e., 2020-21 to 2024-25. State wise list of discoveries is attached at Annexure II. The total potential of 182.7 Million Metric Tonne of Oil Equivalent (MMTOE) has been identified through these discoveries .

Exploration and Production (E&P) activities contribute to reducing the country's dependence on imported oil and gas. Geoscientific survey of the blocks awarded under recently concluded OALP Bid Round-IX indicate potential to add 31.2 Billion Tonnes of Oil Equivalent resource potential to the country's existing resource potential.

*****

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  to  (d)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4672 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.08.2025 REGARDING MAJOR OIL EXPLORATION PROJECTS

State / UT-wise details of OALP and CBM Blocks awarded year-wise

| State        | OALP           | OALP          | CBM                 | CBM           |
|--------------|----------------|---------------|---------------------|---------------|
|              | Block          | Year of Award | Block               | Year of Award |
| Andhra       | KG-ONHP-2018/1 | 2019          | Nil                 | Nil           |
| Pradesh      | KG-ONHP-2018/2 | 2019          |                     |               |
|              | CD-ONHP-2020/1 | 2022          |                     |               |
| Assam        | AA-ONHP-2018/1 | 2019          | Nil                 | Nil           |
|              | AA-ONHP-2018/3 | 2019          |                     |               |
|              | AA-ONHP-2019/1 | 2020          |                     |               |
|              | AA-ONHP-2019/2 | 2020          |                     |               |
|              | AS-ONHP-2021/1 | 2022          |                     |               |
|              | AS-ONHP-2021/2 | 2022          |                     |               |
|              | AS-ONHP-2021/3 | 2022          |                     |               |
|              | AS-ONHP-2022/1 | 2024          |                     |               |
| Meghalaya    | AS-ONHP-2022/2 | 2025          | NIL                 | NIL           |
|              | AS-ONHP-2022/3 | 2025          |                     |               |
| Bihar        | GV-ONHP-2021/1 | 2022          | Nil                 | Nil           |
|              | GV-ONHP-2021/2 | 2022          |                     |               |
| Chhattisgarh | Nil            | Nil           | SR(ONHP)-CBM-2021/6 | 2022          |
|              |                |               | SR-ONHP(CBM)-2022/6 | 2024          |
| Gujarat      | CB-ONHP-2018/1 | 2019          | Nil                 | Nil           |
|              | CB-ONHP-2018/2 | 2019          |                     |               |
|              | CB-ONHP-2018/3 | 2019          |                     |               |
|              | CB-ONHP-2018/4 | 2019          |                     |               |
|              | CB-ONHP-2019/1 | 2020          |                     |               |
|              | CB-ONHP-2019/2 | 2020          |                     |               |
|              | GK-ONHP-2019/1 | 2020          |                     |               |
| Gujarat      | CB-ONHP-2020/1 | 2022          | Nil                 | Nil           |
|              | CB-ONHP-2021/1 | 2022          |                     |               |
|              | CB-ONHP-2021/2 | 2022          |                     |               |
|              | GK-ONHP-2021/1 | 2022          |                     |               |
|              | GS-ONHP-2021/1 | 2022          |                     |               |
|              | CB-ONHP-2022/1 | 2024          |                     |               |
|              | CB-ONHP-2022/2 | 2025          | NIL                 | NIL           |
|              | CB-ONHP-2023/1 | 2025          | NIL                 | NIL           |
|              | CB-ONHP-2023/2 | 2025          | NIL                 | NIL           |
|              | CB-ONHP-2023/3 | 2025          | NIL                 | NIL           |
|              | GS-ONHP-2023/1 | 2025          | NIL                 | NIL           |
|              | GS-ONHP-2023/2 | 2025          | NIL                 | NIL           |
|              | GS-ONHP-2023/3 | 2025          | NIL                 | NIL           |
| Jharkhand    | Nil            | Nil           | BP(ONHP)-CBM-2021/2 | 2022          |
| Madhya       | VN-ONHP-2019/1 | 2020          | SR(ONHP)-CBM-2021/5 | 2022          |
| Pradesh      | VN-ONHP-2019/2 | 2020          | SP(ONHP)-CBM-2021/1 | 2022          |
|              | VN-ONHP-2019/3 | 2020          | SR-ONHP(CBM)-2022/4 | 2024          |
|              | VN-ONHP-2019/4 | 2020          | SR-ONHP(CBM)-2022/5 | 2024          |
|              | VN-ONHP-2019/5 | 2020          |                     |               |
|              | SR-ONHP-2021/1 | 2022          |                     |               |

| OALP                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | OALP                                                                                 | CBM                 | CBM           |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|---------------|
| Block                                                                                                                                                                                                                              | Year of Award                                                                        | Block               | Year of Award |
| NM-ONHP-2020/1                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | 2022                                                                                 | Nil                 | Nil           |
| AA-ONHP-2018/2                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | 2019                                                                                 | Nil                 | Nil           |
| MN-ONHP-2018/1                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | 2019                                                                                 | Nil                 |               |
| MN-ONHP-2018/2 MN-ONHP-2018/3 MN-ONHP-2018/4                                                                                                                                                                                       | 2019 2019 2019                                                                       |                     | Nil           |
| RJ-ONHP-2019/2 RJ-ONHP-2019/3 RJ-ONHP-2021/1 CY-ONHP-2018/1 CY-ONHP-2018/2 CY-ONHP-2018/3 AA-ONHP-2018/4 AA-ONHP-2018/5 AA-ONHP-2020/1 AA-ONHP-2020/2 AA-ONHP-2020/3                                                               | 2020 2020 2022 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019                                              | Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil | Nil Nil Nil   |
| RJ-ONHP-2018/1 RJ-ONHP-2018/2 RJ-ONHP-2019/1 AA-ONHP-2021/1 AA-ONHP-2021/2 BP-ONHP-2018/1 BP-ONHP-2019/1 BP-ONHP-2019/2 BP-ONHP-2021/1 AN-OSHP-2018/1 AN-OSHP-2018/2 GK-OSHP-2018/1 GK-OSHP-2018/2 KG-UDWHP- 2018/1 KK-OSHP-2018/1 | 2019 2019 2020 2022 2022 2022 2022 2022 2019 2020 2020 2022 2019 2019 2019 2019 2019 | Nil                 | Nil Nil Nil   |
| MN-OSHP-2018/1 MB-OSHP-2018/1 MB-OSHP-2018/2                                                                                                                                                                                       | 2019 2019 2019                                                                       |                     |               |
| MN-DWHP-2018/1                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | 2019 2019                                                                            |                     |               |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |                                                                                      | Nil                 |               |
| CY-UDWHP-                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 2020                                                                                 |                     |               |
| 2019/1                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 2020 2020 2022                                                                       |                     |               |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 2022 2022                                                                            |                     |               |
| GS-OSHP-2019/1 MB-OSHP-2019/1                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 2022 2022                                                                            |                     | Nil           |
| MB-OSHP-2020/1 MB-OSHP-2020/2 AN-UDWHP- 2020/1 AN-UDWHP- 2020/2 CB-OSHP-2021/1                                                                                                                                                     | 2022 2022                                                                            |                     |               |
| MB-OSHP-2021/1 CB-OSHP-2021/2 CY-UDWHP-                                                                                                                                                                                            |                                                                                      |                     |               |
| 2021/1                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | 2022                                                                                 |                     |               |
| CB-OSHP-2021/3                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |                                                                                      |                     |               |
| KG-UDWHP-                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | 2022                                                                                 |                     |               |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 2024                                                                                 |                     |               |

| State    | OALP             | OALP          | CBM   | CBM           |
|----------|------------------|---------------|-------|---------------|
| State    | Block            | Year of Award | Block | Year of Award |
| State    | 2022/1           |               |       |               |
| State    | MB-OSHP-2022/1   | 2024          |       |               |
| State    | GK-OSHP-2022/1   | 2024          |       |               |
| State    | GS-DWHP-2022/1   | 2024          |       |               |
| State    | MN-UDWHP- 2022/1 | 2024          |       |               |
| State    | BP-OSHP-2022/1   | 2024          |       |               |
| State    | KK-DWHP-2022/1   | 2024          |       |               |
| State    | KK-OSHP-2022/1   | 2024          |       |               |
| State    | CY-UDWHP-2022/1  | 2025          |       |               |
| State    | CY-UDWHP-2022/2  | 2025          |       |               |
| State    | CY-UDWHP-2022/3  | 2025          |       |               |
| State    | GS-OSHP-2022/1   | 2025          |       |               |
| State    | GS-OSHP-2022/2   | 2025          |       |               |
| State    | GK-OSHP-2023/1   | 2025          |       |               |
| State    | CY-UDWHP-2023/1  | 2025          |       |               |
| State    | GS-UDWHP- 2023/1 | 2025          |       |               |
| Offshore | GS-UDWHP- 2023/2 | 2025          | NIL   | NIL           |
| Offshore | GS-OSHP-2023/1   | 2025          | NIL   |               |
| Offshore | MB-OSHP-2023/1   | 2025          | NIL   |               |
| Offshore | CB-OSHP-2023/1   | 2025          | NIL   |               |
| Offshore | MB-OSHP-2023/2   | 2025          | NIL   |               |
| Offshore | CB-OSHP-2023/2   | 2025          | NIL   |               |
| Offshore | MN-UDWHP- 2023/1 | 2025          | NIL   |               |
| Offshore | MN-UDWHP- 2023/2 | 2025          | NIL   |               |
| Offshore | KG-UDWHP- 2023/1 | 2025          | NIL   |               |
| Offshore | KG-UDWHP- 2023/2 | 2025          | NIL   |               |
| Offshore | MN-UDWHP- 2023/3 | 2025          | NIL   |               |

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) to (d) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 4672 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.08.2025 REGARDING MAJOR OIL EXPLORATION PROJECTS

## State wise list of Discoveries during last five years (2020-21 to 2024-25)

|   Sr No | Name of Discovery         | Operator   | Year    | State          | Nature   |
|---------|---------------------------|------------|---------|----------------|----------|
|       1 | KW2-Updip-1               | Vedanta    | 2020-21 | Rajasthan      | Oil      |
|       2 | KGD982NA-CHN-B#1 (AA)     | ONGC       | 2020-21 | offshore       | Gas      |
|       3 | AWEL-A-1                  | AWEL       | 2020-21 | offshore       | Gas      |
|       4 | Dinjan-1                  | OIL        | 2020-21 | Assam          | Gas      |
|       5 | Kunjban-13 (KUDD)         | ONGC       | 2020-21 | Tripura        | Gas      |
|       6 | Kavitam South-1 (KTAC)    | ONGC       | 2020-21 | Andhra Pradesh | Gas      |
|       7 | Sundulbari-16 (SDAP)      | ONGC       | 2020-21 | Tripura        | Gas      |
|       8 | BS-17-1 (BS-17-A)         | ONGC       | 2020-21 | offshore       | Oil &Gas |
|       9 | B-126N-1 (B-126N-A)       | ONGC       | 2020-21 | offshore       | Oil &Gas |
|      10 | GK-28-14 (GK-28-P)        | ONGC       | 2020-21 | offshore       | Gas      |
|      11 | WO-5-13 (WO-5-I)          | ONGC       | 2020-21 | offshore       | Oil &Gas |
|      12 | Borhapjan-8               | OIL        | 2021-22 | Assam          | Oil      |
|      13 | Samdang-5                 | OIL        | 2021-22 | Assam          | Gas      |
|      14 | Jaya-1                    | Vedanta    | 2021-22 | Gujarat        | Gas      |
|      15 | Durga-1                   | Vedanta    | 2021-22 | Rajasthan      | Oil      |
|      16 | Mohini-1                  | Pan India  | 2021-22 | Gujarat        | Oil      |
|      17 | South Velpuru-2 (SVLAB)   | ONGC       | 2021-22 | Andhra Pradesh | Oil      |
|      18 | Gopawaram Deep-1 (GMD-AA) | ONGC       | 2021-22 | Andhra Pradesh | Gas      |
|      19 | VGN-1 (VGN-A)             | ONGC       | 2021-22 | offshore       | Oil &Gas |
|      20 | SD-4-4 (SD-4-D)           | ONGC       | 2021-22 | offshore       | Oil &Gas |
|      21 | FB-1                      | Vedanta    | 2022-23 | Gujarat        | Oil      |
|      22 | RE-7                      | Vedanta    | 2022-23 | offshore       | Oil      |
|      23 | Kankpul-1(K-WB-C)         | ONGC       | 2022-23 | West Bengal    | Gas      |
|      24 | RF-10                     | Vedanta    | 2022-23 | offshore       | Oil      |
|      25 | MBS171HAA-1               | ONGC       | 2022-23 | offshore       | Gas      |
|      26 | Mandapeta-60              | ONGC       | 2022-23 | offshore       | Gas      |
|      27 | Malleswaram-22            | ONGC       | 2022-23 | offshore       | Gas      |
|      28 | Kesanapalli West Deep-7   | ONGC       | 2022-23 | offshore       | Oil &Gas |
|      29 | Karugorumilli-1           | ONGC       | 2022-23 | offshore       | Gas      |
|      30 | GS-15-22(AU)              | ONGC       | 2022-23 | offshore       | Gas      |
|      31 | Hatipoti-1                | ONGC       | 2022-23 | Assam          | Oil &Gas |
|      32 | Sesabill-1                | OIL        | 2022-23 | Assam          | Oil      |
|      33 | MBS182HDA-1 (Moonga)      | ONGC       | 2023-24 | offshore       | Oil      |
|      34 | MBS181HCA-1 (Moti)        | ONGC       | 2023-24 | offshore       | Oil &Gas |
|      35 | Pukhraj (ST-6)            | ONGC       | 2023-24 | offshore       | Oil &Gas |
|      36 | Gopavaram-21 (GMDL)       | ONGC       | 2023-24 | Andhra Pradesh | Oil      |
|      37 | South Mahadevapatinam-2   | ONGC       | 2023-24 | Andhra Pradesh | Gas      |
|      38 | Chitbari-1 (GOAI_Sub)     | ONGC       | 2023-24 | Assam          | Gas      |
|      39 | Talamura-3 (TMAB)         | ONGC       | 2023-24 | Tripura        | Gas      |
|      40 | East Lakhibari-6 (ELDA)   | ONGC       | 2023-24 | Assam          | Oil      |
|      41 | MDW-27 (Utkal)            | ONGC       | 2023-24 | offshore       | Gas      |
|      42 | West Amod#1               | ONGC       | 2023-24 | Gujarat        | Oil      |

|   43 | MDW-26 (Konark)        | ONGC    | 2023-24   | offshore       | Gas      |
|------|------------------------|---------|-----------|----------------|----------|
|   44 | South Baghjan-10       | OIL     | 2023-24   | Assam          | Oil      |
|   45 | RANAGHAT               | ONGC    | 2024-25   | West Bengal    | Gas      |
|   46 | PURN-1                 | ONGC    | 2024-25   | Gujarat        | Oil      |
|   47 | MBS191HDA-1 (Neelmani) | ONGC    | 2024-25   | offshore       | Gas      |
|   48 | CHOLA-1                | ONGC    | 2024-25   | offshore       | Gas      |
|   49 | Rudra                  | Vedanta | 2024-25   | Assam          | Oil      |
|   50 | West Matar-2 (MRAX)    | ONGC    | 2024-25   | Gujarat        | Oil &Gas |
|   51 | Chandramani (B-56-2)   | ONGC    | 2024-25   | offshore       | Gas      |
|   52 | Yandapalli-1 (YPAA)    | ONGC    | 2024-25   | Andhra Pradesh | Oil &Gas |
|   53 | Mechaki-6              | OIL     | 2024-25   | Assam          | Oil      |
|   54 | Mechaki-7              | OIL     | 2024-25   | Assam          | Gas      |