Pact to explore & produce shale gas

NEW DELHI: India has signed an agreement with the US for technical co-operation in exploration and production of country’s shale gas resources. “The agreement will benefit India as US has rich experience in shale gas production,” oil minister Murli Deora said on the sidelines of an industry event organised to felicitate winners in the Commonwealth Games, held last month.

According to the agreement, the US Geological Survey ( USGS) will co-ordinate with India’s Directorate General of Hydrocarbon (DGH), an official in the oil ministry said.

USGS, America’s federal natural resources research agency, is already assisting India for its national gas hydrate programme (NGHP).

DGH is preparing to launch shale gas bidding round by the end of 2011 and aims to start commercial production of gas hydrates by mid 2015.

DGH, the technical arm of the oil ministry and custodian of India’s oil & gas assets, has planned three- expeditions before starting commercial production of methane from gas hydrates under the NGHP.