LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5892

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10th APRIL, 2017

SHALE OIL AND GAS

5892. SHRI ANANTKUMAR HEGDE:

         SHRI HARI MANJHI:

पेट्रोलियम और प्राकृ लिक गैस मंत्री

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

(a) whether United States of America (USA) has prepared /proposes to prepare a substitute of petrol and diesel by producing shale gas and if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;

(b) whether the Government has signed any treaty with USA to enhance technical and institutional cooperation in hydrocarbon including in production of gas from marginal fields, shale structure, developing gas pipeline network and improving refinery efficiency;

(c) if so, the details thereof along with the progress made in this regard so far and the extent to which our oil companies and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited and oil refineries are likely to be benefited from it; and

(d) the date on which shale gas was first discovered in the country?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (I/C) IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS

(SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

(a): Shale gas in the United States is rapidly increasing as an available source of natural gas. Led by new applications of hydraulic fracturing technology and horizontal drilling, development of new sources of shale gas has offset declines in production from conventional gas reservoirs, and has led to major increases in reserves of US natural gas.

In order to exploit shale gas & Oil in the country, Government of India on 14th October, 2013 announced the Policy Guidelines for Exploration and Exploitation of Shale Gas and Oil by National Oil Companies (ONGC and Oil India Limited (OIL)) in their onland Petroleum Exploration License (PEL) / Petroleum Mining Lease (PML) areas awarded under the nomination regimes.

In pursuance of this Policy, under the first phase of assessment ONGC has identified and initiated shale gas and oil exploration activities in 50 PEL/PML areas; and OIL has identified and initiated shale gas exploration activities in 6 PEL/PML areas.

(b) & (c): The Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of State (DOS), USA on 6.11.2010 to provide a framework for the exchange of knowledge & expertise in the areas concerning shale gas resources characterization and assessment in India. The details of cooperative activities are:

a. Shale Gas Resource Assessment

b. Technical studies

c. Regulatory Framework Consultation

d. Investment promotion

As an outcome of the MOU, United States Geological Survey (USGS) in Jan’11 estimated Technical Recoverable Shale Gas of 6.1 TCF for three basins, namely, Cambay, KG & Cauvery. USGS in Apr’14 estimated Technical Recoverable volume of 62 million barrels of shale oil for Cambay Basin.

(d) Shale gas is still under exploration stage and till date no commercial discovery has taken place in the country