(a) whether the domestic crude oil production has come down against the target in the current financial year;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor; and
(c) the details of the efforts made to bring down import of crude oil to save the import bill?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
(SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)
(a) & (b) The production of crude oil till February 2022 has been 27.16 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) (provisional) against the target of 31.80 MMT for the current financial year. The decline in production of crude oil in recent years has been due to natural decline and increase in water cut in wells of matured fields.
(c) Various steps have been taken to reduce import of Crude Oil. These steps inter alia include demand substitution by promoting usage of natural gas as fuel and moving towards gas based economy, promotion of renewable and alternate fuels like ethanol, compressed bio gas and biodiesel, refinery process improvements, promoting energy efficiency and conservation. Further, policies have been introduced for increasing production of oil and natural gas under Production Sharing Contract (PSC) regime, Discovered Small Field Policy, Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy, etc. Government has also provided functional freedom to National Oil Companies, and for wider private sector participation by streamlining approval processes including electronic single window mechanism. To give a major thrust to Ethanol Blending Programme, Government of India through Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) is establishing 2G Ethanol plants across the country, and promoting the use of Compressed Bio Gas (CBG) as automotive fuel, under Sustainable Alternative Towards Affordable Transportation (SATAT) initiative by Oil Marketing Companies.
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