More deepwater Indian blocks

India's government has made six deepwater and two shallow-water blocks available under the fifth round of its New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP-V). Interested bidders can apply for one or more blocks, either alone or in a consortium, through an unincorporated or incorporated venture. Successful applicants will be obliged to enter into a production-sharing contract, based on the government's Model Production Sharing Contract terms.

The deepwater acreage on offer is as follows:
• Two blocks in the Kerala-Konkan basin off southwest India, KK-DWN-2003/1 and KK-DWN-2003/2, covering a total area of over 30,500 sq km. Fifteen wells have been drilled in this pericratonic rift basin to date, some of which have recorded hydrocarbon shows. Recent seismic has revealed prospective Miocene, Paleocene-Eocene and Eocene-Oligocene plays
• One block, MN-DWN-2003/1, in the Mahanadi-NEC basin off northeast India, covering an area of 17,050 sq km. Eleven offshore wells have been drilled in the basin, some with indications of oil and gas. Paleogene carbonate mounds and Mio-Pliocene submarine fans are among the more prospective targets
• One block (KG-DWN-2003/1) in the Krishna-Godavari basin off the east coast, extending over 3,290 sq km. This basin has been more thoroughly explored, with over 350 wells drilled to date, including numerous oil and gas discoveries –commercial gas finds have been reported recently in the deeper water areas
• Two blocks in the Andaman-Nicobar basin in the southeastern part of the Bay of Bengal, AN-DWN-2003/1 and AN-DWN-2003/2, the combined acreage totaling over 23,000 sq km. Gas has been discovered in Mid-Miocene limestone in one of the 14 wells drilled so far in this basin, and there are indications of gas from Early-Miocene sediments.

The two shallow-water blocks are in the Gulf of Cambay and the Saurashtra basin, both offshore northwest India.

Interested parties can take a look at India's offerings at official road shows to be held in Delhi, London, Houston, Dubai, and Calgary this month.

1/24/05