OilMin overhauls exploration policy to attract investment

New Delhi, March 11 

In a major overhaul of oil and gas exploration permits, the government will not charge any share of profit on hydrocarbons produced from less explored areas as it looks to attract the elusive private and foreign investment to raise domestic output.

Breaking from the two-and-a-half decade-old practice of having a uniform contractual regime for all sedimentary basins in the country, the new policy provides for different rules for areas that already have producing fields and ones where commercial production of oil and gas is yet to be established.

Irrespective of the basins, producers will get complete marketing and pricing freedom for oil and gas in future bid rounds, said an official notification detailing rule changes approved by the Union Cabinet on February 28.

Oil and gas acreage or blocks in all future bid rounds will be awarded primarily on the basis of exploration work commitment, it said.

While companies will have to pay a share of revenue from oil and gas produced in Category-I sedimentary basins such as Krishna Godavari, Mumbai Offshore, Rajasthan or Assam where commercial production has already been established, they will be charged only prevalent royalty rates on oil and natural gas in the less explored Category-II and III basins.

“To expedite production, concessional royalty rates will be applicable if production is commenced within four years for on-land and shallow water blocks, and five years for deep water and ultra-deepwater blocks from the effective date of the contract,” it said.

India began bidding out oil and gas exploration acreage in 1999 under New Exploration Licensing Policy that awarded blocks to companies offering maximum work commitment. But companies were obliged to share with the government profits made after recovery of cost. — PTI

NEW GUIDELINES

• The new policy provides for different rules for areas that already have producing fields and ones where commercial production is yet to be established

• Irrespective of the basins, producers will get complete marketing and pricing freedom in future bid rounds

• Oil and gas acreage or blocks in all future bid rounds will be awarded on the basis of exploration work commitment