US FIRMS KEEN TO EXPLORE OIL AND GAS IN INDIA
New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANS)

A road show the Indian government organised in Houston, the US, to showcase the 57 exploration blocks currently on offer for bidding elicited enthusiastic response from international oil and gas companies, said an official statement. According to the petroleum ministry, of the 57 exploration blocks being offered this time for bidding, 19 are in deep water, nine in shallow water and 29 on land.

"Sixty-six oil and gas companies participated in the road show organised by the Indian government in Houston Monday to showcase 57 exploration blocks currently on offer for bidding," said an official statement issued here Tuesday. "ENI, Total, British Petroleum, Statoil Hydro and Harvest Natural Resources were key among the oil and gas companies that participated in the Houston road show," it said.

"Dinsha Patel, minister of state for petroleum and natural gas, led the road show in Houston," the official communiqué said. "This was the second in a series of road shows planned by the petroleum ministry abroad to pitch for investment in the exploration blocks being offered through the seventh round of bidding under the national exploration licensing policy (NELP)," the statement said.

"The government kicked off its overseas promotional campaign for the offered exploration blocks by holding a two-day road show in London last week," the statement said.

"Also accompanying Dinsha Patel on this visit were Petroleum Secretary M.S. Srinivasan, Joint Secretary for Exploration A.K. Jain and Director General of Hydrocarbons V.K. Sibal," the statement said. "The petroleum ministry plans to organise similar road shows in Calgary (Canada), Singapore, Perth and Dubai".