Raj CM urges Centre to extend time limit for petro exploration

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today urged the Centre to extend the time limit for petroleum exploration activities in the Barmer-Sanchor basin to beyond 2020.
In a letter to Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Raje said that in order to maintain crude oil production at 1.75 lakh barrels per day in the Barmer- Sanchor basin, it is essential that exploration work be continued there in the future as well.
At present, CAIRN India has got permission for crude oil exploration up to 2020. The company had made a requisition to the Centre to extend the deadline under the Production Sharing Contract (PSC), she said.

"If this time limit is extended, then there would be investment of USD 4 million and petroleum production would also receive a jump for the proposed oil refinery," she said.
Her letter, which was released to press, did not mention up to what year this limit should be extended.