Need for market-based energy pricing to meet high domestic demand: Prime Minister

04 Dec 2013 Evaluate

Amid rising concerns over the growing energy need of the country, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said market-based pricing and technology are essential for meeting nation's oil and gas demand. Expressing the need to increase country’s energy supply by 3 to 4 times within next two decades, the prime minister has cited the example of US shale gas revolution where technology and market-based pricing helped exploit the unconventional gas resource and turn the country into energy surplus. India is expected to become world's third largest energy consumer in seven years. Presently, India is fourth largest energy consumer behind US, China and Japan.

Currently, around 80 percent of domestic crude oil demand and around 25 percent of natural gas demand is met through imports. Concerned over the rising gap between supply and demand of energy, the government is encouraging domestic and global companies to explore onshore and offshore regions. Further, among other measures to achieve energy security, the government is also progressively pursuing options like acquisition of energy assets in other countries.

Further, oil ministry has also formulated a roadmap for cutting India's dependence on imports to meet its oil needs. Ministry wants oil imports to be cut to 50 percent by 2020 and by 25 percent in 2025 through intensive exploration and exploitation of untapped reserves. Presently, only 0.93 million sq km area in India is held under exploration and production in 19 basins as compared to total estimated sedimentary area of 3.14 million square kilometres, comprising 26 sedimentary basins.

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