The government has awarded 28 oil and gas blocks across eight sedimentary basins—spanning 1.36 lakh sq. km—under the latest bidding round, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri announced on Tuesday. An additional two blocks were granted under the Special Discovered Small Field (DSF) Round, following 60 bids.
Speaking at the contract signing ceremony for Round IX of the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP), Puri said 76% of India’s total exploration area has come under active exploration since 2014. “The Indian hydrocarbon sector is entering a new era of accelerated exploration and development,” he said, emphasizing the government’s commitment to building a resilient and investor-friendly energy ecosystem.
Reflecting on a “dull decade” between 2006 and 2016 marked by policy inertia and the exit of global players like BG, ENI, and Santos, Puri credited recent reforms for reviving momentum. Since 2014, India has expanded its explored sedimentary basin coverage from 6% to 10%, aiming for 15% by 2030. A key enabler has been the 99% reduction in “No-Go” zones within the Exclusive Economic Zone, significantly improving access.
To drive data-led exploration, the government has invested Rs 7,500 crore in acquiring seismic data, aerial surveys, and drilling stratigraphic wells. The National Data Repository has also been upgraded to a cloud-based system, offering real-time, transparent access to geological data.
Puri said that OALP Round-X has already been launched during India Energy Week 2025, offering 25 blocks across 13 sedimentary basins. The round covers a record 1.92 lakh sq. km, with over half located in formerly restricted zones.
The event also marked the launch of DSF Round IV, featuring 55 discoveries across nine contract areas, with estimated reserves of 258.59 million metric tonnes of oil equivalent (MMTOE).
So far, 85 Revenue Sharing Contracts covering 175 fields have been awarded under DSF Rounds I–III.
Puri also highlighted India’s potential in unconventional energy, with an estimated 2,600 billion cubic meters (BCM) of Coal Bed Methane (CBM) reserves. Fifteen CBM blocks are currently active, including five in production. A Special CBM 2025 Round will offer three new blocks—two in West Bengal and one in Gujarat.
Puri announced that the amended Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948, will come into force from Tuesday (April 15). The updated legislation aims to modernize India’s upstream oil and gas framework in line with global standards.
