Non-renewable energy in India: News, Updates & Discussions.
- Thread starter suryakiran
- Start date
$20 billion bet: ONGC eyes its oil exploration programme with deep-water drilling rigs; eye on energy security - The Times of India
India Business News: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation or ONGC is expected to spend about $18–20 billion on hiring deep-water drilling rigs for what could become its largest.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation or ONGC is expected to spend about $18–20 billion on hiring deep-water drilling rigs for what could become its largest-ever oil exploration programme, according to people familiar with the development.
Last month, ONGC floated a tender for these rigs as it looks to accelerate hydrocarbon exploration under the government’s Samudra Manthan mission, which is aimed at strengthening the country’s energy security.
Around a dozen domestic and global drilling firms took part in a pre-bid meeting held in Mumbai on March 20, sources said.
“The tender seeks a mix of drill ships and semi-submersible rigs for up to five years. This programme will cost ONGC around $18-20 billion,” a senior industry official whose company attended the meeting told ET.“
ONGC is seeking mobilisation of the rigs within 80 days, which highlights ONGC's urgency to scale up deep-water activity,” the industry official added.
Apart from operations in the KG Basin along the east coast, ONGC has also initiated ultra-deep-water drilling in the Andaman region.
The company is also exploring partnerships with global energy majors such as BP, ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies and Petrobras as part of its strategy to reduce risks that are associated with exploration in capital-intensive frontier areas
The tender that was issued in February invites bids from experienced offshore drilling contractors. This tender invites bids through an international competitive bidding process.
Though the tender was issued in February, the news assumes significance at a time when India’s energy is particularly in focus with the Middle East conflict and the US-Iran war disrupting flows of crude oil, LPG, and LNG.
The situation regarding coal gasification in India is a classic example of a "Policy Paradox." On one hand, India holds nearly 400 billion tonnes of coal—the 5th largest reserves in the world—and yet it continues to import massive amounts of natural gas and urea (fertilizer).
Here is a breakdown of why India is struggling compared to China, the specific "clash" between ministries, and the science behind the byproduct.
1. The Inter-Ministerial Tug-of-War
The primary reason for the delay isn't a lack of coal, but a direct conflict between Energy Security (Ministry of Coal/Mines) and Environmental Safety (MoEFCC).
- The Depth Dispute: As of March 2026, the Ministry of Environment’s Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) has repeatedly declined requests from the Coal Ministry to allow "Underground Coal Gasification" (UCG) at shallower depths.
- The 300-Meter Rule: The Environment Ministry insists that gasification must happen at a minimum depth of 300 meters to prevent groundwater contamination and land subsidence (sinking).
- The Deadlock: The Coal Ministry argues that many of India's richest seams are at 150–200 meters. They cite international examples like Uzbekistan to show it can be done safely, but the Indian environment regulators have applied the "Precautionary Principle," effectively stalling several pilot projects.
China has successfully scaled coal gasification while India is still in the "incentive and pilot" stage.
| Feature | India’s Status (2026) | China’s Status |
| Scale | National Mission target: 100 MT by 2030 (mostly planned). | World leader; gasifies over 150-200 MT annually. |
| Integration | Just starting "Coal-to-Chemicals" plants in Odisha and Maharashtra. | Thousands of operational plants producing Ammonia, Methanol, and Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG). |
| Technology | Heavily reliant on foreign tech (Lurgi, Shell) or BHEL’s emerging tech. | Has developed indigenous, high-efficiency gasifiers optimized for their specific coal types. |
| Regulation | Fragmented; internal fights between Environment, Coal, and Finance. | Centralized "Top-Down" mandate where energy security usually overrides local environmental hurdles. |
You mentioned "Sean gas"—this is actually Syngas (Synthesis Gas). It is the most valuable output of the gasification process.
- What it is: A mixture primarily of Hydrogen ($H_2$) and Carbon Monoxide ($CO$).
- Why it matters: Unlike burning coal (which just makes heat), Syngas is a chemical "building block."
- Byproducts/Uses:
- Ammonia/Urea: India spends billions importing fertilizers; Syngas can produce these domestically.
- Methanol: Can be blended with petrol to reduce oil imports.
- SNG (Synthetic Natural Gas): Can be pumped into the national gas grid.
- Olefins: Used to make plastics, reducing dependence on crude oil.
Despite the ministerial friction, there is movement:
- Financial Incentives: The government has cleared an ₹8,500 crore incentive scheme to attract private players.
- New Projects: In March 2026, the first "Bhoomi Pujan" (groundbreaking) ceremonies were held for integrated plants in Bhadrawati, Maharashtra, and Talcher, Odisha.
- Strategic Shift: India is moving toward "Surface Gasification" (bringing coal up first) to bypass the environmental concerns of "Underground Gasification."
Can understand the reluctance cuz ground water contamination is a big issue in our country. Especially when ground water depletion is a major issue in many states. People don't realise how much environmental damage China has caused in some it's region in persuit of its rare earth manufacturing prowess. Since China is a dictatorship they can do anything and nobody will ever object even if it is clearly might have long term adverse effect. For example, we aren't digging Ganga basin for oil cuz we don't want to worsen pollution. But if it was China they would have done it anyway, cuz they don't care about any electoral, enviromental repercussions. They can go ahead with any experiment they want without going through too much democratic juggling. Cuz they think they can resolve the problem later through some centrally planned initiative. Also, unlike India which has population spread almost everywhere, Chinese population is concentrated in a few key pockets. They just have to make sure those areas are habitable.
@_Anonymous_ Do you think we can emulate the Chinese here?
Last edited:
Unplanned urbanisation, poor planning and land grab + illegal construction have done more harm to water levels and quality in india then coal ever could.
Most of our water shortage arises due to terrain diversion that has happened leading to lost rivers and tributaries.
Then there's areas where every year people loose lives due to floods. I refused to believe that there isn't a way to stop that from happening every year. But they get so much pocket money in name of redevelopment fund that, no one wants to correct the wrongs.
