India is said to be having shale gas reserves in at least 250 existing oil and gas blocks. According to government estimates, a few basins in India together have a potential to produce 63 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of shale gas, while it has a total shale potential of close to 300 TCF.
Experts say shale gas and oil reserves may be present in at least 11 more basins across the country.
Shale gas is a natural gas trapped in sedimentary rocks (shale formations) below the earthÂ’s surface. In North America, it contributes to a substantial part of that regionsÂ’ energy requirement.
Major basins in India with potential shale reserves include Cambay, Gujarat, Assam-Arakan in the Northeast, Gondawana in central India, Krishna Godavari in Andhra Pradesh, Cauvery onshore and the Indo-Gangetic basins.
In the next few months, the government may begin the bidding process for shale gas blocks. At least 100 blocks are expected to be up for grabs. The blocks would cover the three major basins of Cambay, Krishna Godavari and Ranigunj (part of the 26 sedimentary basins in India).
While the total recoverable resource in these three basins would be 12-15 TCF, immediately recoverable resource would be in the range of two to six TCF. In the initial exploration stage, the investment is likely to stand at about $2 billion.
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