Lok Sabha Question No. 2418 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-01
Subject: NELP
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE, P.R. SUNDARAM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2418 TO BE ANSWERED ON 1 st  August, 2016

## NELP

## 2418.     SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE: SHRI P.R SUNDARAM:

## पेट्रोलियम और प्राक ृ लिक गैस मंत्री

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

(a)    the  details  of  Production  Sharing  Contract  awarded  under  the  ninth  round  of  New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) along with the quantum of crude oil and natural gas extracted/produced from these oil blocks including investment made  in this regard State/UT/blocks-wise including Tamil Nadu;

(b)   whether no exploration licence under NELP has been granted since 2012 and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and

(c)  whether the Government has made any estimation of unexplored oil reserves available in the country as on date and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken to incentivise them in a time bound manner, State/UT/oil block-wise?

## ANSWER

## पेट्रोलियम और प्राक ृ लिक गैस मंत्रािय में राज्य मंत्री ( प्राार रन्त्िवत्र ( ) प्रााप्र ामेवध ीी )

## MINISTER OF STATE (I/C) IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

(a):    Under  the  ninth  round  of  New  Exploration  Licensing  Policy  (NELP)  19  blocks  were awarded and Production Sharing Contracts signed thereof. Details are at Annexure-I. No Production Sharing Contract was signed under the ninth round of NELP in the state of Tamil Nadu.

These blocks are under exploration phase and no oil or gas production has been produced so far.

(b):  There has been no bidding round under NELP after the 9 th round of 2010. Government had  initiated  process  for  formulating  a  new  policy  for  Exploration  and  Production  of Hydrocarbon resources. The new policy named 'Hydrocarbon Exploration Licensing Policy (HELP)' has since been notified by the Government on 30 th March, 2016.

(c):  As per the current estimates out of a total of 28.08 billion tonnes of oil & gas resources in  the  country  about  11.25  billion  tonnes  of  resources  could  be  established  till  date. Government has initiated project of Re-assessment of Hydrocarbon Resources for Sedimentary  Basins  and  Deep  water  Areas  by  collating  Geological  &  Geophysical  data acquired over last two decades.

Following steps have been taken to explore the remaining resources:

- i.    Appraisal of all the remaining sedimentary areas
- ii.   Expeditious exploration of yet to be explored areas through:
- a.   Award of exploration areas under HELP
- b.   Round the year bidding through open acreages licensing system
- iii.  Following  incentives  are  being  offered  to  expedite  exploration  and  production activities under HELP
- a. Easy to administer contractual regime to remove bottlenecks and government intervention for expeditious exploration
- b. Graded system of royalty payment for exploration in difficult and deep water areas
- c. Freedom in gas pricing and selling on arm length basis.

*******

## Annexure

## To be referred in respect of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2418 dated 01.08.2016

## Location Area wise Exploratory investment done on blocks awarded under NELP IX round as on 31.03.2016

| Location Area          | Block Name             | Status                      |   Exploratory Investment (MM$) (P) |
|------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------------|------------------------------------|
| Assam                  | AA-ONN-2010/2          | Operational                 |                               0    |
| Assam                  | AA-ONN-2010/3          | Operational                 |                               0    |
| Assam Total            | Assam Total            | Assam Total                 |                               0    |
| Gujarat                | CB-ONN-2010/1          | Operational                 |                               1.54 |
| Gujarat                | CB-ONN- 2010/10        | PEL Awaited                 |                               0.06 |
| Gujarat                | CB-ONN- 2010/11        | Operational                 |                               4.06 |
| Gujarat                | CB-ONN-2010/3          | PEL Awaited                 |                               0    |
| Gujarat                | CB-ONN-2010/4          | PEL Awaited                 |                               0    |
| Gujarat                | CB-ONN-2010/5          | Operational                 |                               0.43 |
| Gujarat                | CB-ONN-2010/6          | Operational                 |                               2.76 |
| Gujarat                | CB-ONN-2010/8          | Operational                 |                               2.05 |
| Gujarat                | CB-ONN-2010/9          | Operational                 |                               3.43 |
| Gujarat Total          | Gujarat Total          | Gujarat Total               |                              14.32 |
| Madhya Pradesh         | VN-ONN-2010/1          | PEL Awaited                 |                               0    |
| Madhya Pradesh         | VN-ONN-2010/2          | PEL Awaited                 |                               0    |
| Madhya Pradesh Total   | Madhya Pradesh Total   | Madhya Pradesh Total        |                               0    |
| Rajasthan              | RJ-ONN-2010/2          | PEL Awaited                 |                               0    |
| Rajasthan Total        | Rajasthan Total        | Rajasthan Total             |                               0    |
| Tripura                | AA-ONN-2010/1          | Relinquished                |                               0    |
| Tripura Total          | Tripura Total          | Tripura Total               |                               0    |
| Western Offshore       | GK-OSN-2010/1          | Operational                 |                              20.7  |
| Western Offshore       | GK-OSN-2010/2          | Operational                 |                              25.84 |
| Western Offshore       | MB-DWN- 2010/1         | Proposed for Relinquishment |                              11.96 |
| Western Offshore       | MB-OSN-2010/2          | Operational                 |                               3.01 |
| Western Offshore Total | Western Offshore Total | Western Offshore Total      |                              61.51 |
| Grand Total            | Grand Total            | Grand Total                 |                              75.83 |