**Executive Summary**
This document answers a parliamentary question regarding hydrocarbon exploration in the Kangra-Mandi Petroleum Exploration License area. It details the status of exploration activities conducted by ONGC and Vedanta Limited, expenditures incurred, and the government's initiatives to further explore and commercially utilize resource potential in the Himalayan formations. The response was prepared for the Lok Sabha and scheduled to be answered on January 29, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Kangra-Mandi Petroleum Exploration License (PEL)**
* Awarded to ONGC as Nomination Block on 10.11.1997, covering 3800 sq. km.
* ONGC acquired 1212 Line Kilometers (LKM) of 2D seismic data, conducted geochemical surveys over 300 sq. km, and drilled five exploratory wells.
* The PEL, including re-grants, expired on 28.11.2021.
* **OALP Block HF-ONHP-2017/1 (Mandi Area)**
* Awarded to M/s Vedanta Limited.
* The PEL expired on 30.05.2025 and was relinquished without undertaking exploration activities.
* **Commercial Viability**
* The commercial viability of thermogenic gas reserves in the Subathu and Dharamsala Formations around Jwalamukhi has not been established.
* No hydrocarbon discovery has been notified in the area to date.
* Appraisal, determination of commercial viability, or commencement of production are not applicable at this stage.
* **Expenditure**
* ONGC incurred ₹582 crore in the Kangra-Mandi PEL up to FY 2021–22.
* No expenditure was reported in OALP block HF-ONHP-2017/1.
* No further exploration expenditure is currently planned.
* **National Seismic Programme (NSP)**
* Launched in 2017 to improve geological understanding of poorly explored basins, including the Himalayan region.
* About 709 LKM of seismic data and 1,817 FLKM of Airborne Gravity Gradiometry (AGG) data have been acquired in the Himalayan Foreland Basin.
* One exploration block covering 990.86 sq. km in the Himalayan Foreland Basin has been carved out under OALP Bid Round-X.
**Impact Analysis**
**ONGC**
* **Impact:** Exploration license expired, expenditure incurred with no reported discovery.
* **Action Required:** No specific action required as the exploration license has expired.
**Vedanta Limited**
* **Impact:** Awarded a block but relinquished it without undertaking exploration.
* **Action Required:** No action required, as they have relinquished the block.
**Government (Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for policy roadmap and initiatives to explore and utilize Himalayan resource potential.
* **Action Required:** Continue National Seismic Program and OALP initiatives to reassess and unlock hydrocarbon potential in the region.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas: The central government ministry responsible for hydrocarbon exploration and regulation.
Kangra-Mandi Petroleum Exploration Licence (PEL): A specific block awarded to ONGC for hydrocarbon exploration.
ONGC: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, a major player in hydrocarbon exploration in India.
National Seismic Programme (NSP): A government initiative to improve geological understanding of poorly explored basins.
Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP): A policy framework for awarding exploration blocks.
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 138
TO BE ANSWERED ON 29th January, 2026
Hydrocarbon Exploration in Kangra-Mandi Petroleum Exploration License Area
138. Shri Anurag Singh Thakur:
पेट(cid:332)ोिलयम और (cid:366)ाकृ ितक गैस मं(cid:361)ी
Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:
(a) the current status of hydrocarbon exploration in the Kangra-Mandi Petroleum Exploration
Licence (PEL) area including details of recent 2D/3D (two dimensional and three
dimensional) seismic data acquisition and reprocessing of vintage data by ONGC or other
agencies indicating renewed or significant gas shows seepages or reservoir potential in the
area;
(b) whether recent drilling or geological modelling has established the commercial viability
of thermogenic gas reserves in the Subathu and Dharamshala formations particularly within
the complex 'Triangle Zone' structures of Jwalamukhi, if so, the details thereof;
(c) the total expenditure incurred to date and the projected expenditure for further exploration
and appraisal in the above blocks;
(d) the likely timeframe for completion of appraisal and commencement of commercial
production, if found viable along with the challenges involved, if any; and
(e) the policy roadmap for further Himalayan exploration and the measures proposed to make
commercially viable the untapped resource potential in the Himalayan formations ?
ANSWER
पेट(cid:332)ोिलयम और (cid:366)ाकृ ितक गैस मं(cid:361)ालय म(cid:336) रा(cid:475) मं(cid:361)ी
((cid:373)ी सुरेश गोपी)
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
(SHRI SURESH GOPI)
(a): The Kangra-Mandi Petroleum Exploration Licence (PEL) block covering an area of 3800
sq.km.was awarded to ONGC as Nomination Block w.e.f 10.11.1997. During the exploration
phase, ONGC acquired 1212 Line Kilometers (LKM) of 2D seismic data, conducted
geochemical surveys over 300 sq. km, and drilled five exploratory wells in the area.The PEL,
including re-grants, expired on 28.11.2021.
In addition, one block (HF-ONHP-2017/1) in the Mandi area was awarded under OALP to M/s
Vedanta Limited. The PEL for this block expired on 30.05.2025 and was relinquished withoutundertaking exploration activities.
(b) & (d): The commercial viability of thermogenic gas reserves in the Subathu and Dharamsala
Formations, including the structurally complex Triangle Zone around Jwalamukhi, has not been
established so far. No discovery has been notified in the area till date. As no hydrocarbon
discovery has been established, the question of appraisal, determination of commercial viability,
or commencement of production does not arise at this stage.
(c): ONGC has incurred a cumulative expenditure of ₹582 crore in the Kangra-Mandi PEL up
to FY 2021–22. No expenditure has been reported in OALP block HF-ONHP-2017/1, as the
contractor relinquished the block without executing the committed work programme. At present,
no further exploration expenditure is envisaged in the area.
(e): Government launched the National Seismic Programme (NSP) in 2017 to improve
geological understanding of poorly explored basins, including the Himalayan region. Under
NSP, about 709 LKM of seismic data and 1,817 FLKM (flight line kilometers)of Airborne
Gravity Gradiometry (AGG) data have been acquired in the Himalayan Foreland Basin.
Further, one exploration block covering 990.86 sq. km in the Himalayan Foreland Basin has
been carved out under OALP Bid Round-X, reflecting continued policy efforts to reassess
and unlock hydrocarbon potential in the region.
*****