India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources has chosen December 2013 to launch the country’s first bidding round for shale gas exploration.
The round will include six basins across India, including Cambay, Assam-Arakan, Gondawana, Krishna Godavari onshore, Cauvery onshore, and the Indo Ganetic Basins.
India has already completed a broad mapping of its presumed shale gas resources and intends to have its intended regulatory regime in time for the planned first round.
To date, India has had only conventional oil and gas exploration and production and limited unconventional E&P, primarily for coalbed methane (CBM).