Hardeep Singh Puri, taking charge as Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas for the second time, pledged to prioritize energy availability, affordability, and sustainability. His agenda includes boosting domestic production of oil and gas, refinery expansion, and promoting biofuels and green hydrogen.
Mr. Puri announced upcoming auctions for new oil and gas blocks, emphasizing collaboration with technical experts to enhance production from mature fields. He anticipates increased oil production from ONGC’s KG-DWN-98/2 block and explores long-term oil deals with Russia.
Dismissing disinvestment plans for Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), Mr. Puri highlights BPCL’s profitability and plans for a fourth oil refinery. The government aims to increase natural gas share to 15% by 2030 and ethanol blending to 20% by 2025, with ethanol blending already surpassing 15%.
