Shri Ram Naik,
Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas informed the Parliamentary
Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry, here yesterday,
that the efforts to accelerate and expand the exploration of
oil and gas in the country through New Exploration Licensing
Policy (NELP) have started yielding results. Significant oil
and gas discoveries have been made in Krishna-Godavari Deep
waters in the blocks awarded under NELP-I. Similarly NELP-II
has already tasted success with discovery of gas in a block
near Surat in Gujarat. The successful implementation of NELP
for accelerating exploration and production is evident from
the fact that till September 2002, an investment of about US$
338.93 million (Rs. 1625 crore) has been made as against of
about US$ 250 Million (Rs. 1200 crore) estimated expenditure
during the first phase of exploration in NELP-I blocks. In the
second and third phase optional work programme, the expenditure
estimated is about US$ 913 Million (Rs. 4380 crore).
In the case of
NELP-II, an investment of US$ 77.08 million (Rs. 370 crore)
has already been made till September 2002 against US$ 290 million
(Rs. 1390 crore) expenditure committed for the phase-I of the
work programme. Shri Naik also informed the members about the
recent initiatives and developments in the Hydrocarbon sector
including the commencement of ethanol-petrol blending programme
w.e.f. 1st January 2003 in 4 States of A.P., Maharashtra,
Punjab and UP to be covered fully by 30.6.2003. The remaining
5 States of Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Goa and Tamil Nadu
and 4 UTs of Chandigarh, Daman & Diu, Pondicherry and Dadra
& Nagar Haveli as part of the first phase of 5 per cent
ethanol-petrol blending programme would also be covered by 30th
June 2003.
Shri Naik said
that IOC, is entering Srilankan market with an investment of
Rs. 200 crore as equity towards marketing petroleum products,
aviation fuels and bulk supply business. Vietnam off-shore gas
field in which ONGC Videsh has 45 per cent interest, commenced
commercial production of gas in December 2002. ONGC Videsh has
a share of 3.5 MMSCMD in the total gas production. Subsidised
LPG has been made available to all educational institutions,
welfare institutions and Government/Municipal Hospitals in addition
to the domestic sector. The Minister informed the members about
the new oil and gas find in Rajasthan by M/s Cairn Energy on
4.2.2003. This will put Rajasthan on the oil map of India. Contracts
for 23 Exploration Blocks from NELP-III were signed on 4.2.2003.
The Members, welcoming
the successes in exploration and production of oil and gas,
expressed hope for better results in future in view of the tremendous
spurt given in this area. They also made suggestions for incorporating
the prospective areas of the remaining regions of various states
in the future rounds of NELP and CBM.
Shri Santosh Gangwar
also attended the meeting along with Petroleum Secretary Shri
B.K. Chaturvedi. The CMDs of various oil PSUs, other senior
officers of the Ministry of Petroleum and Oil PSUs were also
present.
The following Members
attended the meeting.
S/Shri Lal Bihari
Tiwari, Jaswant Singh Bishnoi, Manibhai R. Chaudhari, Prof.
Rasa Singh Rawat, Ram Singh Kaswan, N.H. Diwathe, Kishan Singh
Sangwan, Col. B.R. Shandil, Jai Prakash, Zora Singh Mann, K.K.
Kaliappan, Ram Sajiwan, Prakash Paranjape, Ram Jeevan Singh.
Dr. (Smt.) Sudha Yadav, Shyam Bihari Mishra, Daud Ahmad, Ashok
Kumar Singh Chandel (All from Lok Sabha) Prof. Ram Bakhsh Singh
Verma, Satish Pradhan, Oscar Fernandes, Dr. Arun Kumar Sharma,
Prof. M.M. Agarwal and Ram Nath Kobind (All from Rajya Sabha).
