RoydadNaft –  In a bold move to lure investors and unshackle its upstream oil and gas sector, India has rolled out sweeping amendments to the Oilfield (Regulation and Development) Act, dubbed the ORD Act of 2025. The overhaul, aimed squarely at slashing red tape and supercharging the Ease of Doing Business, promises to transform how explorers hunt for black gold in one of the world’s fastest-growing energy markets.

At the heart of the changes is a Joint Working Group — a powerhouse team of top Exploration & Production (E&P) players and government officials — that’s been dissecting bottlenecks in the sector. Their blueprint? A slate of reforms greenlit by New Delhi, including flexible delivery points inside and outside contract zones, smoother handoffs of Participating Interest among incumbents, and a streamlined transition for Discovered Small Fields (DSF) bids. “These tweaks aren’t just paperwork,” said one industry insider close to the talks. “They’re the rocket fuel for faster drilling and bigger returns.”

The timing couldn’t be sharper. Since unveiling the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) in 2016, India has turbocharged its Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP), dishing out 172 blocks spanning a whopping 378,652 square kilometers over nine rounds. The latest thrill? OALP Round X, which dangles 25 blocks across 191,986.21 square kilometers — the fattest single-round offering yet, eclipsing previous hauls and signaling New Delhi’s all-in bet on untapped reserves.

Under the HELP umbrella, the rules have gotten friendlier for drillers: royalties slashed, no pesky oil cess, a one-size-fits-all licensing regime, and a revenue-sharing model that rewards output over upfront bids. Perks pile on — full exploration rights for the contract’s life, cut-rate royalties for quick-to-market finds, and zero revenue-share auctions in riskier basins. Category-II and III blocks get extra love with beefed-up incentives, plus a sweetener for originators in frontier zones.

This isn’t just about maps and mandates. It’s a full-court press to crank up homegrown hydrocarbon output and wean India off its import habit, which gobbles up billions annually. Echoing a flurry of 2014-2018 initiatives — from fast-tracking marginal fields to chasing enhanced recovery tech and unconventional plays — the latest push unlocks nearly 1 million square kilometers of once-forbidden “No-Go” offshore turf for prospecting.

Shri Suresh Gopi, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, hailed the strides as a cornerstone for energy sovereignty. “We’re not just reforming; we’re reimagining India’s fuel future,” Gopi declared, underscoring a vision where domestic rigs outpace foreign tankers.

As global energy sands shift, India’s ORD Act remix positions it as a magnet for majors and minnows alike. With bids flying and rigs revving, the real test? Whether these policy pivots deliver the gushers needed to power a nation on the rise.