Investments/Recent Developments

As per data released by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), FDI inflows in India’s petroleum and natural gas sector stood at Rs. 43,760.75 (US$ 8.19 billion) between April 2000- December 2024.

Following are some of the major investments and developments in the oil and gas sector:

• India's Oil and Natural Gas Corp is seeking joint venture partners to build very large ethane carriers (VLECs) to ship feedstock for its petrochemical plant in western India.
• Brazilian oil major PetrAleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) signed an agreement to sell crude oil to Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and pacts to cooperate in exploring oil and gas with ONGC Videsh Ltd and Oil India Ltd.
• AM Green has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Uttar Pradesh to establish a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) project in the state.
• Green hydrogen and ammonia producer AM Green of the Greenko Group, and global logistics major DP World have entered into a pact to develop storage and logistics facilities for 2 million tonnes of green fuel per annum.
• Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas Mr. Hardeep Singh Puri said the Exploration and Production (E&P) sector offers investment opportunities worth US$ 100 billion by 2030.
• As of June 1, 2024, India had 10,941 kms of crude pipeline network, with a capacity of 153.1 MMTPA.
• Indian refining capacity has increased from 215.1 Million Metric Tonne Per Annum (MMTPA) to 256.8 MMTPA in last 10 years. Ans is projected to increase to 309.5 MMTPA by the year 2028.
• India’s oil and gas production is expected to achieve a mid-decade peak between 2023-2032, around 2027, driven by the KG-Basin projects operated by Reliance Industries Limited and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).
• The total number of OMC retail outlets increased to 90,165, as of May 1, 2024, from 59,595 in FY17.
• In India, as of May 1, 2024, IOCL owned the highest number of retail outlets (37,511), followed by HPCL (22,050), and BPCL (21,865).
• As of May 1, 2024, there were 25,489 LPG distributors (under PSUs) in India.
• Production of CBM in April 2024 stood at 54.77 MMSCM.
• India’s oil demand in the year 2024 is expected to see a growth of 220,000 barrels per day to reach 5.57 million barrels per day, up 4.19% from 2023, as per an estimate by OPEC.
• As announced in May 2023, Jio-bp, the retail fuel joint venture of Reliance and bp will sell diesel mixed with detergents and dispersants at Rs. 1 cheaper per litre than gasoil sold by the state-run companies, such as IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL.
• In FY24, the oil sector’s total installed refinery capacity stood at 256.8 MMT up to April 2024, and IOCL emerged as the largest domestic refiner with a capacity of 70.1 MMT.
• As of September 30, 2024, Gas Authority of India Ltd. (GAIL) had the largest share (63.47% or 18,534 kms) of the country’s natural gas pipeline network (29,203 kms).
• Tata Mining Limited signed an MoU with Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), to reduce carbon footprint in its operations, and for the supply of natural gas to its Ferro Alloys Plant at Athgarh in Odisha’s Cuttack district. GAIL will supply the agreed quantity of natural gas through its pipeline from Gujarat to Athgarh.
• The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB), the downstream regulator, in March 2023, announced that it has amended the PNGRB Determination of Natural Gas Pipeline Tariff regulations to incorporate provisions for Unified Tariff for natural gas pipelines with a mission of “One Nation, One Grid, and One Tariff.” Based on the regulations, PNGRB has notified a levelized Unified Tariff of Rs. 73.93/MMBTU and created three tariff zones for Unified Tariff, where the first zone is up to a distance of 300 kms from the gas source, the second zone is 300-1.200 kms, and the third zone is beyond 1,200 kms.
• In February 2023, Oil India Limited commenced the project for India’s first exploratory oil well in Mahanadi Onshore Basin in Odisha under OALP.
• In May 2022, ONGC announced plans to invest US$ 4 billion from FY22-25 to increase its exploration efforts in India.
• In April 2022, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Larsen & Toubro and Goldman Sachs-backed renewable energy producer ReNew Power formed a joint venture by signing a term sheet. This JV will develop green hydrogen projects, helping India cut down its carbon emissions.
• Exports of petroleum products from India reached 51.4 MMT in FY24 until January 2024.
• The value of exports of crude oil and petroleum products stood at US$ 44.41 billion. In FY22, crude oil imports stood at 4.24 MBPD, which was worth US$ 120.4 billion.
• In March 2022, the Board of IOCL approved plans to invest Rs. 7,282 crore (US$ 932.6 million) for the development of City Gas Distribution (CGD) network in 9 geographical areas (GAs).
• In March 2022, the Board of Oil India approved an investment of Rs. 6,555 crore (US$ 839.49 million) for Numaligarh petrochemical project.
• In January 2022, Indian Oil Corp. Ltd. (IOCL) announced plans to expand its city gas distribution (CGD) business, looking to invest Rs. 7,000 crore (US$ 918.6 million).
• In January 2022, Adani Total Gas Ltd (ATGL), a joint venture between the Adani Group and TotalEnergies, won licenses to expand its City Gas Distribution (CGD) network to 14 new geographical areas, with an investment of Rs. 20,000 crore (US$ 2.62 billion).