Blocks awards & status

Government of India signed 310 production sharing contracts involving 29 discovered fields (One PSC signed for Panna & Mukta Fields), 28 exploration blocks under pre-NELP Exploration Blocks and 254 blocks under NELP regime with National Oil Companies and Private (both Indian and Foreign)/ Joint Venture companies as licensee /lessee for blocks. Also 30 Revenue Sharing Contracts (RSCs) have been signed under DSF (Discovered Small Field)-2016 involving 30 Contract Areas. Under HELP (Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licencing Policy), in Open Accreage Licencing Policy (OLAP), Bid Round I, 55 RSCs have been signed on 1st October, 2018. At present out of 310 PSCs & 85 RSCs signed so far under various bidding rounds (Discovered Field, PreNELP, NELP,HELP and DSF), 106 PSCs and 85 RSCs are operational.

Petroleum Exploration Licenses (PEL) for domestic exploration & production of crude oil and natural gas have been granted under the different regimes over a period of time:

• Nomination Basis: Petroleum Exploration License (PEL) is granted to National Oil Companies viz. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) and Oil India Ltd. (OIL) on nomination basis prior to implementation of NELP. Under Nomination regime, ONGC is operating 9 PEL and 334 PML blocks covering an area of about 94,358 sq. Km. In addition, OIL is operating 3 PEL and 22 PML under nomination regime covering an area of 5,158 square Kilometres.
• Pre-NELP Discovered Field: Petroleum Mining Lease (PML) is granted under small / medium size discovered field Production Sharing Contract (PSCs) during 1991 to 1993 where operators of blocks are private companies and ONGC/OIL has the participating interest. Government of India has signed 28 contracts.
• Pre-NELP Exploration Blocks: 28 Exploration Blocks were awarded to private companies between 1990 and prior to implementation of NELP where ONGC and OIL have the rights for participation in the block after hydrocarbon discoveries.
• New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) -1999 onwards: Under NELP, exploration blocks were awarded to Indian Private and foreign companies through international competitive bidding process where National Oil Companies viz, ONGC and OIL also competed on equal footing. Government of India has signed 254 contracts under NELP regime.As on 31st March, 2018, the block under operational are 66 blocks and 188 blocks are relinquished.
• Discovered Small Field (DSF) Policy:With a view to increase domestic production of oil and gas, Government has brought out DSF Policy for monetizing the unmonetized/relinquished discoveries of Nomination and PSC regimes. These discoveries clustered in Contract Areas have been awarded under the new regime of Revenue Sharing Model. Till date, two DSF Bid rounds have been conducted. 30 Contract Areas were awarded in DSF Round I and 23 in DSF Round II.
• Hydrocarbon Exploration & Production Policy:Government notified Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) on 30th March, 2016 and formally put in operation w.e.f. 1st July, 2017 with notification of Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) and operationalisation of National Data Repository (NDR). Under Hydrocarbon Exploration & Licensing Policy (HELP), Government has awarded 94 exploratory blocks on Revenue Sharing basis.

Under PSC Regime as on 1st April, 2018, an investment of about US$ 41 billion on exploration and production was made. Out of this, investment of US$6.3 billion on discovered fields, US$ 8.2 billion on Pre-NELP exploration Blocks and US$ 26.5 billion on NELP Blocks were made for exploration and production activities.