RoydadNaft –  India has launched a significant new offering of 50 exploration blocks spanning oil, gas, and coal bed methane (CBM) resources, marking what the government calls a “transformative milestone” in the nation’s quest for long-term energy security and reduced dependence on oil imports.

In a social media announcement on Monday, Minister Hardeep Singh Puri highlighted the blocks, which are being offered through several active bidding rounds: the tenth Open Acreage Licensing Policy round (OALP-X), the fourth Discovered Small Fields round (DSF-IV), and two special CBM bid rounds.

The breakdown includes:

•  25 oil and gas blocks under OALP-X

•  9 contract areas encompassing 55 discovered fields under DSF-IV

•  16 CBM blocks across two rounds (3 in 2025 and 13 in 2026)

These offerings total the headline figure of 50 blocks, designed to attract both domestic and international investors.

The 25 OALP-X blocks cover a vast 183,000 square kilometers, comprising 6 onshore, 6 shallow-water, 1 deepwater, and 12 ultra-deepwater areas. Notably, four blocks in the Andaman basin span 47,058 square kilometers, with Puri previously suggesting the region could hold even larger hydrocarbon reserves than those discovered in Guyana.

To encourage investment, the government has introduced investor-friendly reforms under the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Act, 2025 (ORDA Act), which separates petroleum operations from mining regulations. Key incentives include a revenue-sharing contract model, a single license covering both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbons, reduced royalty rates, and exploration permitted throughout the contract period.

Through the first nine OALP rounds, India has already awarded 172 exploration tracts to various players.

The DSF-IV round focuses on quicker monetization, offering 9 contract areas with 55 discovered fields, royalty exemptions for the first seven years on deepwater assets, gas marketing freedom, and flexibility in work programs.

For CBM, the 2025 round offers 3 onshore blocks in the Raniganj (West Bengal) and Cambay (Gujarat) basins, while the 2026 special round includes 13 blocks covering 5,100 square kilometers. Benefits here include no revenue sharing until windfall gains, cost reimbursement for mandatory core holes, and no overlaps with existing coal mines.

Puri emphasized the growing role of natural gas in India’s energy mix, stating that these initiatives will help secure the country’s energy future amid rising demand.