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LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-1920
TO BE ANSWERED ON 30th JULY, 2026
EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION OF HYDROCARBONS
1920. SHRI PRAVEEN PATEL:
SHRI DAMODAR AGRAWAL:
पे(cid:282)ो(cid:871)लयम और (cid:292)ाकृ(cid:467)तक गैस मं(cid:287)ी
Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:
(a) the measures taken to promote exploration and production of hydrocarbons;
(b) the policy reforms which have been introduced to attract investment and ease of
doing business in the upstream petroleum sector;
(c) the details of the progress achieved under the Open Acreage Licensing Programme
(OLAP) and other initiatives taken for exploration;
(d) the steps taken by the Government to increase domestic production of crude oil and
natural gas; and
(e) the initiatives taken by the Government to promote exploration activities in frontier
and previously inaccessible areas?
ANSWER
पे(cid:282)ो(cid:871)लयम और (cid:292)ाकृ(cid:467)तक गैस मं(cid:287)ालय म(cid:581) रा(cid:207)य मं(cid:287)ी
((cid:302)ी सुरेश गोपी)
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
(SHRI SURESH GOPI)
(a), (b), (d) & (e):Government have implemented multiple policies to improve domestic
exploration and production of hydrocarbons, attract investment, promoting ease of doing
business the details are placed at Annexure-I.
(c): Under OALP Rounds I–IX, 172 exploration blocks covering 3.79 lakh sq. km have
been awarded, attracting committed investments of about USD 4.36 billion and resulting
in 21 hydrocarbon discoveries. The progress achieved under OALP(as on
31.03.2026)includes:
(i) Acquisition of 37,740 LKM of 2D seismic data and 52,000 sq. km of 3D seismic data
under the Committed Work Programme.
(ii) Drilling of 114 exploratory wells against committed obligations.
(iii) 21 hydrocarbon discoveries have been made under OALP.
********Annexure-I
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A), (B), (D) & (E) OF LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1920 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2026 REGARDING
“EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION OF HYDROCARBONS ASKED BY SHRI
PRAVEEN PATEL AND SHRI DAMODAR AGRAWAL.
i. Policy under Production Sharing Contract (PSC) regime for early monetization of
Hydrocarbon discoveries, 2014;
ii. Discovered Small Field Policy, 2015;
iii. Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP), 2016;
iv. Policy for Extension of PSCs, 2016 and 2017;
v. Policy for early monetization of Coal Bed Methane, 2017;
vi. Setting up of National Data Repository, 2017;
vii. Approval of Un-appraised areas in Sedimentary Basins under National Seismic
Programme, 2017;
viii. Policy to Promote/Incentivize Enhanced Recovery Methods of Oil/Gas 2018;
ix. Policy for exploration and exploitation of Unconventional Hydrocarbons under
Existing Fields, 2018;
x. Lower Royalty Rates, Zero Revenue Share (till Windfall Gain) and no drilling
commitment in Phase-I in OALP Blocks under Category II and III basins to attract
bidders, 2019;
xi. Natural Gas Marketing Reforms, 2020;
xii. Release of about 1 Million Sq. Km. (SKM) “No-Go” area in offshore which were
earlier blocked for exploration for decades, 2022;
xiii. Revised Domestic Price Guidelines were issued in 2023;
xiv. Amendments in the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948 to promote
ease of doing business, contractual stability, operational efficiency and faster dispute
resolution, 2025;
xv. Notification of Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 2025.
xvi. The Model Revenue Sharing Contract (MRSC) has been revised to align with the
Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Act, 2025 and the Petroleum and
Natural Gas Rules, 2025. The updated MRSC strengthens contractual clarity, operational
flexibility, and commercial certainty across all basin categories.
xvii. Announcement of National Deepwater Exploration Mission under Samudra Manthan
with an objective to augment hydrocarbon resources and reserves and to enable their
timely conversioninto production.
xviii Appraisal of Un-appraised areas in Sedimentary Basins under National Seismic
Programme, 2017.
xix. Release of about 1 Million Sq. Km. (SKM) ‘No-Go’ area in offshore which were
blocked for exploration for decades in 2022.
xx. Government have approved acquisition of additional 2D Seismic data of 20,000 LKM
in onland and 30,000 LKM in offshore beyond Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of India.
xxi. Hydrocarbon Resource Assessment Study (HRAS 2025) has been launched on
17.07.2025 for resource assessment across all Indian sedimentary basins.
xxii. The Royalty rates for production of crude oil and casing head condensate has been
notified vide notification dated 08.05.2026 and 04.06.2026.
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