MINISTER OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI MURLI DEORA)
(a) to (d) : A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 479
BY SHRI T.R.BAALU TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2009 REGARDING RESERVES OF COAL BED METHANE AND GAS
HYDRATES
(a) The estimated resources in 26 Coal Bed Methane (CBM) blocks are 1480 billion cubic meters(BCM). Initial estimated resources of gas hydrates are about 1894000 BCM.
(b) A total of 26 CBM blocks have been awarded so far, out of which 23 blocks were awarded
in the three bid rounds under CBM policy. Of the balance three blocks, two blocks were
awarded on nomination basis and one block was awarded through the Foreign Investment
Promotion Board (FIPB) route. Details of blocks awarded to national & international
companies are given in Annex.-I.
(c) The achievements made so far in CBM blocks are as under:
(i) 250 exploratory/pilot wells have been drilled so far.
(ii) 176 BCM reserves of CBM gas have been established in four CBM Blocks.
(iii) Commercial Production of CBM commenced from July, 2007 in Raniganj CBM block, which is
currently at 100000 cubic meters per day.
(d) Drilling of gas hydrates at 21 sites, Gas hydrate characterization study, Micro
Biological study, Biochemical study and study of Physical properties of gas hydrates
have been completed in Gas Hydrate Expedition-1 under the National Gas Hydrate Programme(NGHP).
