(a) whether the Government is focusing on West Asia and the extended South
Asia for repository of hydrocarbons to secure energy needs of the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the steps taken by the Government to have access by pipeline gas from Myanmar,
Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Russia and other countries; and
(d) the other measures taken by the Government to acquire energy security of the country?
MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)
(a) & (b): Government is securing energy needs of the country through various measures including enhanced
domestic Exploration & Production (E&P) activities and acquisition of exploration acreages and producing
properties overseas to bring in equity oil. Presently, National Oil Companies (NOCs) have their presence
in about 29 countries including West Asia and South Asia. In the West Asia and South Asia region the NOCs
have participating interest in E&P activities mainly in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Myanmar & Vietnam.
(c): Import of natural gas through transnational gas pipelines is being pursued from Turkmenistan and
Iran through Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline and Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI)
gas pipeline. Various important issues concerning the Projects are under discussions amongst the
participating countries. Earlier, India had pursued the import of natural gas from A1 and A3 blocks
in Myanmar through Indo-Myanmar gas pipeline. However, Myanmar decided to sell the gas to China and
therefore, import of gas to India did not materialized.
(d): Other measures taken by the Government to enhance energy security of the country include:
(i) Carving out more areas for exploration under various rounds of New
Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) and Coal Bed Methane Policy (CBM).
(ii) Application of Enhanced Oil Recovery/ Improved Oil Recovery techniques for increasing recovery
factor from existing fields.
(iii) Substitution of oil through use of non-conventional source of energy such as bio-diesel, ethanol etc.