Government is likely to finalise the new policy for auction of oil and gas blocks during the current financial year. Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said that he will attempt to make the policy during this financial year only, adding further that the ministry has brought the consultation paper and suggestions will come in by November 30 and the ministry will make the policy after considering all the views and take it to the Cabinet.
The policy proposes to free natural gas pricing as well as replace the controversial Production Sharing Contract (PSC) with simpler revenue-sharing regime for all future field auctions in the backdrop of low gas prices not attracting investors in exploration and production sector.
The Oil Ministry has issued a paper on new fiscal and contractual regime for award of hydrocarbon acreages with a view to revive investor interest in oil and gas exploration by simplifying rules. In order to make new bidding round more progressive, transparent and market friendly, the government has brought in this consultation paper.
Global players like BP and domestic companies including RIL as well as state-owned ONGC have been seeking pricing freedom as the current rates make new investments unviable. The government had allowed pricing freedom for the gas produced from 69 small and marginal fields it plans to auction shortly, in September.
Pradhan also made it clear that lower crude prices will not change India's stance on increasing share of renewable sources in its energy mix. He also indicated that as much as 20 GW of output from bio-energy will be achieved against the envisaged 10 GW under the total renewable energy target of 175 GW till 2022.
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