NEW DELHI: Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has launched the tenth round of the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP), offering the largest area yet for oil and gas exploration in India.
This move is part of the government's efforts to increase domestic production and reduce dependence on imports.
"In this bid round, 25 blocks covering an area of approximately 191,986.21 square kilometres are on offer to the investor community," said the minister while speaking at the third edition of India Energy Week 2025.
According to the Petroleum Ministry, in the tenth round, the 25 blocks on offer span 13 sedimentary basins, covering 191,986.21 square kilometres. The blocks are spread across Category-I, Category-II, and Category-III basins. This bid round primarily focuses on offshore blocks, with 19 blocks covering 175,115 square kilometres. Additionally, 13 blocks spanning 133,724 square kilometres are in deep and ultra-deepwater areas.
India introduced HELP in 2016 to boost domestic oil and natural gas production while reducing dependence on imports. Under HELP, the Open Acreage Licensing (OALP) mechanism allows investors to select blocks based on E&P data available at the National Data Repository (NDR) and submit an Expression of Interest (EoI). The first OALP bidding round was launched in January 2018, with 55 blocks awarded.
The contracts for the tenth round are expected to be signed as per the reforms outlined in the Oil (Regulations and Development) Amendment Bill. The bill clarifies the granting and extension of petroleum leases separate from mining leases, allows for international arbitration, and creates a new dispute resolution mechanism for the E&P sector.
The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha in the last session but is yet to be cleared by the Lok Sabha. Once passed, it will open up exploration opportunities for global companies such as Chevron, ExxonMobil, and TotalEnergies.
The OALP IX round was launched in January 2024, consisting of 28 blocks covering an area of approximately 136,000 square kilometres. The results of the OALP IX round have not been officially announced, and it has seen no foreign participation.