Lok Sabha Question No. 700 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-04
Subject: Crude and Gas Exploration by the Private and Public Sector Entities
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Dr. Thirumaavalavan Tholkappiyan

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 700 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04 th  December, 2025

Crude and Gas Exploration by the Private and Public Sector Entities

700. Dr. Thirumaavalavan Tholkappiyan:

## 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 the details about the number of crude and gas exploration done  by  the  private  and  public  sector  entities  in  the  country  as  well  as  abroad,  if  so,  the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has the details about the number of hydrocarbon wells that have been found in the country and the potential of such reserves found in the new wells; and

(c) if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

## पेट Ō ोिलयम और Ůाक ृ ितक गैस मंũालय मŐ राǛ मंũी (ŵी सुरेश गोपी)

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

(a) to (c) As on 31.3.2025, in the country, the Petroleum Exploration Licence (PEL) acreage under crude and gas exploration  held by public sector (Nomination Regime) is 1583 SKM (square kilometer); and by public sector/ private & joint venture entities is 12,539 SKM. A total  of  616  blocks  are  being  operated  by  public  sector  entities  and  194  block  are  being operated by private sector and joint venture entities.

Government  under  Open  Acreage  Licensing  Policy  (OALP)  and  Discovered  Small  Field (DSF) Policy has awarded a total of 112 blocks and the operators who have been awarded these blocks have drilled a total of 101 Exploratory Wells during the last five years.

Further, 34 Notices of Discoveries (NoD) have been submitted by Operators during the last three years. The details are as under:

| Type of Hydrocarbon discoveries during the last three years   | Type of Hydrocarbon discoveries during the last three years   | Type of Hydrocarbon discoveries during the last three years   | Type of Hydrocarbon discoveries during the last three years   | Type of Hydrocarbon discoveries during the last three years   |
|---------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------|
| Year                                                          | Gas                                                           | Oil                                                           | Oil &Gas                                                      | Grand Total                                                   |
| 2022-23                                                       | 6                                                             | 4                                                             | 2                                                             | 12                                                            |
| 2023-24                                                       | 5                                                             | 5                                                             | 2                                                             | 12                                                            |
| 2024-25                                                       | 5                                                             | 3                                                             | 2                                                             | 10                                                            |
| Grand Total                                                   | 16                                                            | 12                                                            | 6                                                             | 34                                                            |

The  potential  of  reserves  found  in  these  discoveries  is  approximately  19  Million  Metric Tonne (MMT) of oil and 76 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM) of gas.

ONGC  Videsh  Ltd.  (Fully  owned  subsidiary of  ONGC)  undertakes  exploratory and development activities as Operator/JV Partner in various countries which inter alia include Colombia,  Brazil,  Vietnam,  Myanmar,  Russia,  South  Sudan,  Mozambique,  Venezuela  etc. During the last 03 years, OVL has drilled 11 Exploratory wells having potential of reserves of Oil of 4.43 MMT and EUR 2P Gas of 6.16 BCM.

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