The oil and gas industry has been instrumental in fuelling the rapid growth of the Indian economy. India has total reserves of 775 million metric tonnes (MT) of crude oil and 1074 billion cubic metres (BCM) of natural gas as on April 1, 2009, according to the Ministry of Petroleum.
Petroleum exports during 2008-09 were US$ 26.2 billion according to the Ministry of Petroleum.
Under New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP VIII), 1.62 sq km of area comprising 70 blocks was put up for bidding.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved award of 33 out of 36 oil and gas blocks that were bid for in New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP-VIII), for which bidding closed on October 12, 2009.
Production
By the end of the Eleventh Plan the refinery capacity is expected to reach 240.96 MMTPA.
- Crude oil production during 2009-10 was 33.68 MT, compared to 33.50 MT in 2008-09.
- Refinery production in terms of crude throughput was 160.03 MT in 2009-10.
- The production of natural gas went up to 47.57 billion cubic metres tonnes (BCM) in 2009-10 from 32.84 BCM in 2008-09.
Consumption
The sales/consumption of petroleum products during 2008-09 were 133.40 MT (including sales through private imports), an increase of 3.45 per cent over sales of 128.94 MT during 2007-08, according to the Ministry of Petroleum.
India's domestic demand for oil and gas is on the rise. As per the Ministry of Petroleum, demand for oil and gas is likely to increase from 186.54 million tonnes of oil equivalent (mmtoe) in 2009-10 to 233.58 mmtoe in 2011-12.
The refining capacity in the country increased to 177.97 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) as on April 1, 2009 as compared to 148.968 MTPA as on April 1, 2008.
Gas
India's natural gas demand is expected to nearly double to 320 million standard cubic meters per day by 2015, according to a report released by global consultancy firm McKinsey at the VI Asia Gas Partnership Summit.
According to the report, the current demand of 166 million standard cubic metres per day (mscmd)—made up of nearly 132 mscmd supplies from domestic fields and the rest from imported LNG-- is likely to rise to at least a minimum of 230 mscmd and a maximum of 320 mscmd by 2015.
In January 2010, Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) said that gas availability in India is expected to grow at 23 per cent compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) to 312 mscmd by FY14, buoyed by trebling of domestic production to 254 mscmd and doubling of regasified liquefied natural gas imports to 58 mscmd.
To capture the opportunity presented by the impending gas surge in India, GAIL is investing significantly in its pipeline network. Over the next three years, it will invest US$ 660.7 million –US$ 770.8 million, expanding its transmission capacity from the current 150 mscmd to 300 mscmd.
State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) has added 83 million tonnes of oil and gas reserves in the 2009-10 fiscal, the highest in two decades.
The ultimate reserve accretion of ONGC including its joint ventures (with firms like Cairn India) in domestic fields in 2009-10 has been 87.37 million tonnes of oil and oil equivalent gas against the target of 76.28 million tonnes.
ONGC on a standalone basis added 82.98 million tonnes of oil and oil equivalent gas reserves.