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PETROLEUM minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday launched the tenth round of the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP), offering the largest area yet for oil and gas exploration in India.

- RAKESH KUMAR @ New Delhi

PETROLEUM minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday launched the tenth round of the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP), offering the largest area yet for oil and gas exploration in India. This move is part of the government's efforts to increase domestic production and reduce dependence on imports.

"In this bid round, 25 blocks covering an area of approximately 191,986.21 square kilometers are on offer to the investor community," said the minister, while speaking at the third edition of India Energy Week 2025. As per the petroleum ministry, in the tenth round, the 25 blocks on offer span 13 sedimentary basins, covering 191,986.21 sq.km. The blocks are spread across Category-I, Category-II, and Category-III basins. This bid round primarily focuses on offshore blocks, with 19 blocks covering 175,115 sq.km. Additionally, 13 blocks spanning 133,724 sq.km are in deep and ultra-deep-water areas.