Indian ONGC Drills 20 Shale Assessment Wells

Indian state owned energy major ONGC has drilled 20 assessment wells for shale gas and oil under the new shale gas and oil exploration policy, country’s oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan informed the Indian parliament November 28.

The government had in October 2013 announced policy guidelines for shale gas and oil exploration and production by national oil companies (ONGC and Oil India) in their onshore lease areas.

Indian oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan (Credit: Indian government)

In pursuance of this policy in 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 six PEL/PML areas.

In addition to ONGC drilling 20 assessment wells, Oil India has completed studies and geochemical analysis in its identified areas. Further, Oil India has completed conventional core in one well in the state of Rajasthan.

The government earlier this year approved a Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) wherein companies can explore and produce all kinds of hydrocarbons including shale oil and gas, coalbed methane, gas hydrate under a single licence. Pradhan has often said that the government is looking to increase the share of natural gas in the overall energy mix. 

Shardul Sharma