Definition of petroleum may include Shale too

ET, May 27, 2018

The oil ministry plans to amend the Petroleum & Natural Gas Rules 1959 to include shale in the definition of petroleum, a change that would allow private companies to explore and produce the resource in the blocks they already operate. 

It has sought public comments in the next two weeks for the proposed amendment. 

The current definition excludes shale and therefore bars private companies from exploiting it from fields that are producing conventional oil and gas or coal-bed methane. The proposed amendment aims to broaden the scope of petroleum by dropping the line that refers to exclusion of shale. 

The amendment will help Essar Oil, Great Eastern Energy, Reliance IndustriesNSE 0.51 % Ltd, VedantaNSE -0.90 % and other private players wanting to exploit shale in their fields. The government’s 2013 policy permits only state-run Oil and Natural GasNSE 2.76 % Corp and Oil India to explore shale. 

ONGC’s experience in shale exploration hasn’t been very encouraging so far though they have spent significant time and money on it. But private players like Essar and Great Eastern Energy have been sanguine about exploring shale in their coal-bed methane fields in eastern India. Both Essar and Great Eastern have announced plans to invest $1 billion each for shale gas extraction once they receive licence. 

The process to enable private players to exploit shale is part of the government’s plan to turn India into a gas-based economy. A definition change will obviate the need to bring about a separate shale policy for private players. According to the current definition "Petroleum" means naturally occurring hydrocarbons in a free state, whether in the form of natural gas or in a liquid, viscous or solid form, but does not include helium occurring in association with petroleum, or coal, or shale, or any substance which may be extracted from coal, shale or other rock by application of heat or by a chemical process”. 

The proposal drops the last part from the definition that said petroleum does not include “any substance which may be extracted from coal, shale or other rock by application of heat or by a chemical process.” 

Link: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/energy/oil-gas/definition-of-petroleum-may-include-shale-too/articleshow/64345826.cms




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