Exploration and Production - NELP

The Government of India, offered 69 small and medium sized oil and gas fields in onshore and offshore to private sector, in 1992 and 1993.

Under the first round, NELP I Government of India, invited bids on 8th January 1999 for 48 blocks, for exploration of oil and natural gas. The PSCs were signed for 24 exploration blocks. Within a short period, a total of 16 discoveries have been made in two Krishna-Godavari deep water blocks and one shallow offshore block of Mahanadi - NEC.

Under the second round, NELP II, Government of India, invited bids on 15th December 2000 for 25 blocks for exploration of oil and natural gas. The PSCs were signed for 23 exploration blocks. A total of 5 discoveries have already been made in two blocks, viz. CB-ONN-2000/1 and CB-ONN-2000/2 located in Cambay basin and Krishna Godavari basin.

Under the third round, NELP III, Government of India, invited bids on 27th March 2002, for 27 blocks for exploration of oil and natural gas. The PSCs were signed for 23 exploration blocks.

Under the fourth round, NELP IV, Government of India, invited bids on 8th May 2003, for 24 blocks for exploration of oil and natural gas. The PSCs were signed for 20 exploration blocks.

Under the fifth round, NELP V, 20 exploration blocks have been awarded to different consortiums or individual companies.

55 exploration blocks were offered under the sixth round, NELP VI, on 23rd February, 2006, covering an area of 352 thousand square kilometres. The Government of India, had received 165 bids for 52 blocks by the bid closing date. Three deep water blocks did not receive any bids. A total of 68 companies, including 36 foreign companies and 32 Indian companies, submitted bids either on their own or as joint ventures and 52 deep water blocks have been allocated to 13 companies or consortiums.