MINISTER OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
(SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)
(a) As per the Energy Statistics, 2019 report published by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, out of total energy consumption from various sources in 2017-18, 34.32% was from crude oil. The details of domestic crude oil production in Million Metric Tonnes (MMT), natural gas production in Million Metric Standard Cubic Meters (MMSCM) and import dependency thereon for the last three years are as under:
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
Domestic crude oil production (including condensate) in MMT
36.0
35.7
34.2
Import dependency on crude oil
81.7 %
82.9 %
83.7 %
Domestic natural gas production (in MMSCM)
31,897
32,649
32,873
Import dependency on natural gas
44.6 %
46.4 %
47.2 %
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(b) In the first Bid Round of Hydrocarbon Exploration Licensing Policy (HELP)/Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP), 55 Blocks having an acreage area of 59,282 sq. km. have been awarded in October, 2018. Under OALP Bid Round-II and III, 32 blocks having acreage area of 59000 sq. km. have been awarded on 16th July, 2019. In the first Bid Round of Discovered Small Field (DSF) Policy, total 30 contracts for 43 discovered small fields were signed with 20 companies in March, 2017. In DSF Round-II, 23 Contract Areas spread over 3,000 sq.km. have been awarded on 7th March, 2019.
(c) & (d) Steps taken by the Government to deal with investor challenges and removing ambiguities in the licensing operating regimes are as follows:
i. Policy for Relaxations, Extensions and Clarifications under Production Sharing Contract (PSC) regime for early monetization of hydrocarbon discoveries
ii. Discovered Small Field Policy
iii. Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy
iv. Policy for Extension of Production Sharing Contracts
v. Policy for early monetization of Coal Bed Methane
vi. Policy framework to streamline the working of Production Sharing Contracts in Pre-NELP and NELP Blocks
vii. Policy to Promote and Incentivize Enhanced Recovery Methods for Oil and Gas
viii. Policy framework for exploration and exploitation of Unconventional Hydrocarbons under existing Production Sharing Contracts, Coal Bed Methane contracts and Nomination fields
ix. The Government in February, 2019 approved major reforms in exploration and licensing policy to enhance exploration activities, attract domestic and foreign investment in unexplored/unallocated areas of sedimentary basins and accelerate domestic production of oil and gas from existing fields. The policy reforms inter alia aim to boost exploration activities with greater weightage to work programme, simplified fiscal and contractual terms, bidding of exploration blocks under Category II and III sedimentary basins without any production or revenue sharing to Government, early monetization of discoveries by extending fiscal incentives, incentivizing gas production including marketing and pricing freedom, induction of latest technology and capital, more functional freedom to National Oil Companies for collaboration and private sector participation for production enhancement methods in nomination fields, streamlining approval processes and promoting ease of doing business including electronic single window mechanism.
x. Ease of doing business: Formulation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), online processing and electronic single window for expeditious approval of contractual/statutory clearances. Constitution of Empowered Coordination Committee (ECC) under the chairmanship of Cabinet Secretary for streamlining and expediting grant of approval/clearances from various Ministries/Departments/Agencies.
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