New Delhi, July 26: Reliance Industries, Essar Oil, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and Indian Oil Corporation will sign on Friday contracts with the government for exploration of gas in five Coal Bed Methane blocks awarded to them. ONGC-IOC combine will sign contract for Bokaro and North Karanpura blocks in Jharkhand while RIL would sign contracts for Sohagpur East and West CBM block in Madhya Pradesh.
"Signing of contract would mark the beginning of the exploration programmes of the awardee companies," sources said.

RIL has committed an investment of Rs 30 crore each in Sohagpur East and West CBM block, while ONGC-IOC combine would put in Rs 70 crore in Bokaro and Rs 39 crore in North Karanpura blocks in Jharkhand.
Essar Oil has committed an investment of Rs 101 crore in East Raniganj block in West Bengal, sources said adding two CBM blocks - North Raniganj (West Bengal) and Jharia coalfield (Jharkhand) - have been awarded to the consortium of ONGC and Coal India on nomination basis for exploration and production of CBM. Bureau Report