Lok Sabha Question No. 6279 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-04-02
Subject: Crude Oil Production
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Shri Rao Rajendra Singh

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 6279

TO BE ANSWERED ON 2 ND  APRIL, 2026

## CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION

## 6279. SHRI RAO RAJENDRA SINGH:

## पेट Ō ोिलयम एवं Ůाक ृ ितक गैस मंũी

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

- (a)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  increase  production  of  crude  oil  in  the  country during the last five years, year-wise;
- (b) the reasons for the decline in crude oil production during the year 2024-25; and
- (c) the steps taken to offset supply pressures in view of the recent conflict in the Middle East?

## ANSWER

## पेट Ō ोिलयम एवं 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)  The  Government  has,  from  time  to  time,  taken  several  measures  to  enhance  crude  oil production, including expansion of exploration acreage under the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP), reduction of 'No-Go' areas, de-risking of exploration through provision  of  geoscientific  data,  and  implementation  of  various  policy  reforms,  including Deregulation of sale of domestically produced crude oil in 2022-23, Enactment of Oilfields (Regulation  and  Development)  Amendment  Act  and  Promulgation  of  the  Petroleum  and Natural  Gas  Rules,  2025  to  promote  ease  of  doing  business,  contractual  stability  and operational efficiency and providing for single petroleum lease system, protection in case of change in law and effective dispute resolution mechanism, etc.

Under  the  framework  of  Open Acreage  Licensing  Programme  (OALP),  Discovered  Small Fields  (DSF)  Policy  and  Coal  Bed  Methane  (CBM)  various  bidding  rounds  are  conducted periodically and blocks awarded for Exploration and Production of crude oil, natural gas and coal bed methane. In the last 5 years, 92 blocks with a total area of ~ 4,04,476 sq. KM have been offered under OALP bid Rounds VI to X. Similarly, 90 Discovered Small Fields (DSF) with an area of ~ 19,937 Sq. KM have been offered under DSF III, DSF IV and Special DSF Bid Rounds during the same period.

(b)    Production is  impacted due to natural  decline in mature and ageing oil and gas fields. Many of the country's major producing fields, such as Mumbai High and fields in Assam, have been in production for several decades and have passed their plateau production phase. In  addition,  geological  and  operational  challenges  impact  production  levels.  These  include increasing watercut, which leads to higher water production and reduces oil and gas yield, sand ingress, and limited reservoir influx. Further, subsurface complexities sometimes restrict the effectiveness of workover operations, new drilling and infill wells, thereby affecting the overall contribution to production.

(c)  To ensure security of crude supplies and to mitigate the risk of dependence on crude oil from  single  region,  Oil  and  Gas  Public  Sector  Enterprises  (PSEs)  which  are  Board  run entities source crude oil from diverse sources depending on their technical and commercial considerations.  Currently,  these  PSEs  import  crude  oil  from  41  countries  including  new suppliers  like  USA,  Nigeria, Angola,  Canada,  Columbia,  Brazil  and  Mexico  in  addition  to traditional suppliers from the Middle East.

*****