New Delhi, May 08: Government today invited bids for 24 oil and gas blocks including a dozen in the deep waters for bidding under the fourth round of New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP). Of the remaining blocks on offer, 11 are onland blocks and one shallow water block, Petroleum Minister Ram Naik told a news conference here.
The 11 onland blocks are located in Assam, Bihar, Manipur, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Tripura (one each), Tamil Nadu (2) and Gujarat (3). The 12 deep water blocks are located on both the east coast (8 blocks) and on the west coast (4 blocks). One shallow water blocks is located on the east coast.
Naik said two highly prospective blocks in the Andaman deep waters are also being offered for the first time. Asked whether companies from certain countries like China, Pakistan, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh and the Arab would be kept out of the bidding process for the two oil and gas blocks offered in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands due to security concerns, he said there would not be any restriction on any company.
NELP-IV is being launched in the backdrop of recent huge deepwater gas discoveries made in the Krishna-Godavari basin, he said expecting a better response than the previous rounds when most of the multinational oil majors had kept away from bidding. Promotional roadshows have been planned at Delhi (May 20), London (June 5-6), Calgary (June 9-10), Houston (12-13) and Perth (June 26-27). Besides, data centres on the blocks on offer would also be opened at Delhi, Houston and London. Bureau Report