Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:-


(a) the oil and gas exploration ventures going on in different areas in the country alongwith the agencies involved in exploration;

(b) whether some of the exploration ventures have been dropped or discontinued;

(c) if so the reasons therefor;

(d) the status of exploration in the different areas of Karnataka and Kerala including Cochin High;

(e) whether production of oil, gas or other petroleum products have been started in any of the exploration ventures; and

(f) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI DINSHA PATEL)

(a) Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) is carrying out exploration in 112 nomination exploration blocks and 46 New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) exploration blocks spread over 18 basins, both onshore and offshore of the country. ONGC is also carrying out exploration for Coal Bed Methane (CBM) in two nomination blocks and seven blocks awarded under two CBM rounds.

Oil India Limited (OIL) is carrying out exploration in 8 Nos. of NELP blocks as consortia partner while in 6 Nos. of NELP blocks, OIL is operator.

In addition to ONGC and OIL, the following companies are also engaged in exploration of oil and gas in the country:-

Company 			Number of blocks 


RIL				34 (thirty four)
Cairn				6 (six)
GSPC				5 (five)
HOEC				3 (three)
Focus (previously Phoenix)	3 (three)
Premier Oil			2 (two)
Enpro Finance			2 (two)
OAO Gazprom			1 (one)
Canoro				1 (one)
Tullow				1 (one)
Essar 				1 (one)
JEPL				2 (two)
Hardy				2 (two)
Niko Resources Ltd. 		2 (two)
ENI				2 (two)
Geo Petrol 			1 (one)
Geo Global			1 (one)