Question : BIDS INVITED UNDER THE OPEN AREA LICENSING POLICY

(a) whether the Government has any scheme to invite bids under the open area licensing policy for oil and gas exploration in the country;

(b) if so, the intention of the Government behind implementing Open Area Licensing Policy (OALP);

(c) whether the Government has initiated National Data Depository for making available the information about oil and gas blocks to the bidders;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the details of benefits likely to be accrued as a result of the new policies in the field of Oil and Gas exploration?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a) &(b) Government has not firmed up guidelines to invite bids under Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP).

(c) to (e) Yes Madam. A Global Tender has been floated by Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) on 13.11.2009 to build, populate and operate a National Data Repository (NDR) in India. The bid closing date is 18th January, 2010.

NDR is meant for storing and maintaining hydrocarbon exploration and production data in a safe and reusable manner, in perpetuity and make them available for all the stakeholders in the field of oil & gas exploration.