India to Enhance Investment Appeal to Boost Domestic Oil, Gas Production
India is committed to enhancing the country's business appeal to boost domestic oil and gas production in order to meet rising energy demand, Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said at the "Made in India" event in Mumbai Monday.
The Minister revealed that the government is committed towards creating a conducive business environment for the oil and gas industry through better policies and investment opportunities in India, the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas said in a press release.
He further emphasized "the need to enhance domestic production of oil and gas through process and technical improvements, besides enhanced exploratory coverage" at the event, which is attended by local and foreign investors in India's hydrocarbon sector.
According to Pradhan, India's $140 billion oil and gas industry is projected to grow by five percent a year, with a large part of the country's reserves – estimated at 1.21 million square miles (3.14 million square kilometers) – remaining unexplored, local media Business Standard reported Monday.
To tap the oil and gas resources, India would require state-of-the-art technology in the upstream sector to explore and produce petroleum from complex terrains such as those located in deepwater, ultra deepwater, high pressures and high temperature areas, Pradhan said, as quoted by Business Standard.
The need to bring the hydrocarbon resource into production is a government priority given that Indian oil demand – as forecast by the International Energy Agency (IEA) – is expected to reach 10 million barrels of oil per day (MMbopd) by 2040, up from 3.8 MMbopd in 2014. IEA in its "India Energy Outlook 2015" report, launched in November 2015, pointed out that the country's energy consumption is poised for strong growth over the next 25 years, lifted by rising incomes and population as well as increased urbanization and industrialization.
If India reaches the oil and gas consumption in 2040 as projected by the IEA, the country's demand will be close that to the United States, Pradhan commented, as reported by Business Standard. He added that the government has identified the hydrocarbon sector as one of the 25 priority areas for promotion of manufacturing under the "Make in India" initiative.
In a related development, India's state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp. Ltd. (ONGC) revealed that it will seek interest from local and foreign oil and gas exploration and production (E&P) services providers to support its indigenization drive during the "Made in India" exhibition. ONGC through its Indigenization Group (INDEG) is steering the upstream sector to increase participation, investment and manufacturing capabilities in India to strengthen the domestic E&P service sector.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.
- Malaysia's InvestKL Woos Top Oil, Gas MNCs to Base in Kuala Lumpur
- Petrobangla Invites EOIs for 3 Offshore Exploration Blocks in Bay of Bengal
- Malaysia's SapuraKencana Posts 7.1% Gain in 2Q FY17 PAT to $27M
- TH Heavy Engineering, McDermott End Partnership in Malaysia
- Singapore's NUS Slowly Builds its Petroleum Engineering Program
- Falcon Oil Declares Commercial Flow Test Results for Shenandoah Well
- Japan Failing to Meet Corporate Demand for Clean Power: Amazon
- Macquarie Strategists Expect Brent Oil Price to Grind Higher
- UK Oil Regulator Publishes New Emissions Reduction Plan
- PetroChina Posts Higher Annual Profit on Higher Production
- Pennsylvania County Joins List of Local Govts Suing Big Oil over Climate
- McDermott Settles Reficar Dispute
- US, SKorea Launch Task Force to Stop Illicit Refined Oil Flows into NKorea
- Russian Navy Enters Warship-Crowded Red Sea Amid Houthi Attacks
- USA Commercial Crude Oil Inventories Increase
- New China Climate Chief Says Fossil Fuels Must Keep a Role
- Equinor Makes Discovery in North Sea
- Standard Chartered Reiterates $94 Brent Call
- India Halts Russia Oil Supplies From Sanctioned Tanker Giant
- DOI Announces Proposal for Second GOM Offshore Wind Auction
- Centcom, Dryad Outline Recent Moves Around Red Sea Region
- PetroChina Set to Receive Venezuelan Oil
- Czech Conglomerate to Buy Major Stake in Gasnet for $917MM
- US DOE Offers $44MM in Funding to Boost Clean Power Distribution
- Oil Settles Lower as Stronger Dollar Offsets Tighter Market
- Chinese Mega Company Makes Major Oilfield Discovery
- VIDEO: Missile Attack Kills Crew Transiting Gulf of Aden
- Norway Regulator Blasts Proposal to Halt New Oil and Gas Permits
- Chinese Mega Company Makes Another Major Oilfield Discovery
- New China Climate Chief Says Fossil Fuels Must Keep a Role
- What Is the Biggest Risk to Offshore Oil and Gas Personnel in 2024?
- Vessel Sinks in Red Sea After Missile Strike
- Exxon Rights in Stabroek Do Not Apply to Hess Merger with Chevron: Hess
- Analysts Reveal Latest Oil Price Outlook Following OPEC+ Cut Extension
- Equinor Makes Discovery in North Sea