Coal Bed Methane Policy

• Policy for extension of exploration phases for exploration and production under CBM contracts in 2007.
• Guidelines for pricing and commercial utilization of CBM in 2011.
• Notification for grant of right to exploration and exploitation of Coal Bed Methane to Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries from all coal bearing areas for which they possess mining lease for coal in 2015.
• Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy was introduced in 2016 wherein all types of hydrocarbon resources, both conventional and unconventional can be explored and exploited.
• Policy framework for Early Monetisation of CBM in 2017.
• Notification for consolidated terms and conditions for grant of right to exploration and exploitation of Coal Bed Methane to Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries from all coal bearing areas for which they possess mining lease for coal in 2018.
• A policy framework for Exploration and exploitation of Unconventional hydrocarbons in existing acreages under existing Production Sharing Contracts, CBM contracts and Nomination fields was introduced in 2018.
• A policy framework to promote and incentivize enhanced recovery methods for Oil and Gas was notified by the Government in 2018.

33 blocks have been allotted to various companies in four CBM bidding rounds. State-wise list of CBM blocks is annexed.

Details of CBM producing blocks and its operators are as under:

 CBM production in the previous five years till February 2020 is as under:

                            MMSCM: Million Metric Standard Cubic Meters

Operators are required to take environment clearance from Ministry of  Environment, Forest and Climate Change before starting CBM operations in the area.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas Shri Dharmendra Pradhan in the Rajya Sabha today in a written reply.

Annexure