Question : EXPLORATION OF OIL AND GAS

(a) the details of exploration of oil and natural gas by various public and private sector companies in the country during each of the last three years and the current year, company and State/UT-wise;

(b) the details of the profit earned by the Government from exploration of oil and natural gas from Tamil Nadu;

(c) the details of funds released by various companies for social and economic development of the people of various States, company and State/UT-wise;

(d) whether the Government proposes to increase investment in the oil and gas sector in the country and if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise; and

(e) whether there is any proposal to set up oil-based industry with public-private partnership in Tamil Nadu and if so, the details thereof?

Minister of State in the Ministry of PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SMT. PANABAAKA LAKSHMI)

(a) The details of exploration of oil and natural gas in the country during each of the last three years and current year by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. (ONGC), Oil India Ltd. (OIL) and Private/Joint Venture (Pvt/Jv) Companies are given at Annexure-I, Annexure-II and Annexure-III respectively.

(b) The details of contribution made by ONGC to Tamil Nadu State Government and to Central Exchequer from its production/sales in Tamil Nadu is given at Annexure-IV.

As far as OIL is concerned, there is no exploration activity currently being carried out in the state of Tamil Nadu.

Under PSC Regime, as none of the awarded block is on production, so no profit/cess/royalty has accrued to Government (Both state and Central Government) from above 7 awarded blocks till date.

(c) The details of funds released by various companies for social and economic development of the people of various States, company and State/UT-wise by ONGC and OIL are given at Annexure-V and Annexure-VI respectively.

Under the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) regime, the Contractors are carrying out various Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities under the PSC regime. Expenditure toward CSR has been disallowed for cost recovery by contractors. The Contractors have reported that the following amount has been spent by them for CSR activities for awarded blocks in respective states:

#   Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) -   Rs.  61 Crores in Andhra Pradesh (Since Inception to March, 2013)

#   Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (GSPC) – Rs.  89 Crores in Andhra Pradesh (Since Inception to March, 2013)

#   Cairn India Limited (CIL)   - Rs. 26 Crores in Andhra Pradesh & Rajasthan (Since April, 2012 to March, 2012)

#   Heramec Limited – Rs 6 Lakhs in Gujarat (Since April, 2006 to March, 2012)

#   Jubilant Energy Private Limited – Rs 7.2 Crores in Tripura, Assam & Manipur (Since Inception to March, 2012)

(d) The Government is planning to launch the tenth round of NELP bidding (NELP-X). So far, A total of 46 exploration blocks (17 Onland,15 Shallow Water and 14 Deep Water blocks), covering an area of about 1,66,054 Sq. Km, have been proposed under NELP-X bidding round based on the inter-ministerial clearances received so far. The numbers of blocks to be offered under NELP-X may go up further after inter-ministerial clearances are received for few other blocks. 17 onland blocks are spread over states of west Bengal (2), Punjab(1), Rajasthan(4), Gujarat(9) and Maharastra (1). Offering of Exploration blocks under tenth round of NELP bidding (NELP-X) will further accelerate investment in Oil & Gas sector in India.

(e) No Madam, there is no such proposal.