Page 2 - Hardeep Singh Puri

Will 'assess' ethanol-blending plan before setting higher targets: Puri

Hardeep Singh Puri said India has met the 20 per cent ethanol blending target six years ahead of schedule but further increases will be reviewed amid concerns over vehicle efficiency

ONGC, BP to drill stratigraphic wells for India's energy security

State-owned ONGC has signed an agreement with global energy giant BP to collaborate on drilling multiple stratigraphic wells in India. This partnership will enhance geological understanding and unlock untapped hydrocarbon potential, strengthening India's long-term energy security, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) said in a post on X. "#ONGC has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with @bp_plc on 17 July 2025, to collaborate on drilling stratigraphic wells in India's Category II & III offshore sedimentary basins: Andaman, Mahanadi, Saurashtra, and Bengal," the oil major said. The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on the sidelines of Urja Varta 2025 event in the national capital. Pankaj Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said this was one of the initiatives that "we have been talking about sometime ... called stratigraphic wells." This is the first of the series of such

India has weeks of oil supply, imports continue via many routes: Puri

India, the world's third-largest oil importer and fourth-biggest gas buyer, has enough energy supplies to meet requirements for several weeks and continues to receive supplies from several routes, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said amid escalating tensions in the globe's biggest energy supply regions. In a post on X, the minister said the government has been "closely monitoring the evolving geopolitical situation in the Middle East since the past two weeks." "Under the leadership of PM @narendramodi Ji, we have diversified our supplies in the past few years and a large volume of our supplies do not come through the Strait of Hormuz now," he said. The Strait of Hormuz, which Iran is threatening to shut down following US strikes on its nuclear facilities, is an important transit for oil coming from the Middle East. About 2 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil out of India's total import of 5.5 million bpd transits through the narrow waterway. However, India has diversified ..

Israel-Iran tensions: Hardeep Puri says India has adequate energy supplies

India, the world's third-largest oil importer and fourth biggest gas buyer, has enough energy supplies for the coming months, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said amid escalating tensions in the globe's biggest energy supply regions. In a post on X, the minister said he held a periodic review of energy availability scenario with the captains of the Indian oil industry. "India's energy strategy is shaped by successfully navigating the trilemma of energy availability, affordability and sustainability," he said. "We have adequate energy supplies for the coming months." Global oil prices have jumped to their highest level since January after Israel struck Iran, in a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East. The rate of the benchmark Brent crude was up by more than 10 per cent shortly after the news emerged, but eased a little. Brent was trading close to USD 75 a barrel, up more than 5 per cent over Thursday's close. India imports more than 85 per cent of its crude oil needs

Oil India commences natural gas production from Bakhri Tibba in Jaisalmer

Government owned Oil India Ltd (OIL) has commenced natural gas production from the Bakhri Tibba block, located in the desert belt near the India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district. The commencement of natural gas production was announced by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri. Taking to social media platform 'X', the Union Minister hailed the milestone as a testament to the company's resilience and commitment. "This milestone is a shining example of Oil India Ltd's resilience, resolve and responsibility in delivering energy under challenging frontier conditions," Puri posted on Monday. He further said, "I commend the relentless efforts of the Oil India team, who brave extreme situations daily to ensure stable energy flow. Every hydrocarbon molecule produced brings us closer to energy security and self-reliance," he added. Oil India has begun production from the DSF-III (Discovered Small Field) block in Bakhri Tibba. The operation is situ

Foreign technical partners to have 1st right of refusal on oil finds: Puri

Petroleum minister cites ONGC-BP and Oil India-Petrobras deals as models where foreign technical partners will be given priority rights on oil or gas discoveries

Improved prospects, attractive valuation for oil marketing companies

OMCs hold 45 days inventory priced at around $75 per barrel crude

Excise duty on petrol, diesel raised by Rs 2 a litre after 34 months

OMCs to absorb extra cost, retail prices may be cut if global prices remain low, Minister says

No windfall tax on oil, gas companies after new law: Hardeep Singh Puri

Oil and gas companies will not face any new taxes like the windfall profits tax after the coming into effect of a new law that promises stability of fiscal regime, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said. Parliament has passed the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2024 that provides policy stability to investors, decriminalises provisions and promotes ease of doing business. "After this bill, it will be difficult to levy (new taxes like) windfall tax because somebody will sue us (for failing to keep the promise of fiscal stability)," he said at a reception he hosted to celebrate the passage of the bill. Investors looking to invest in finding and producing oil and gas want fiscal stability, and new taxes that seek to take away gains made when prices are high, without compensating for low or no margins when rates are low, are often a deterrent. India imposed a windfall profit tax on July 1, 2022 joining a growing number of nations that tax super normal profits of energy

Union minister urges state support to make India 2nd largest metro network

Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that he has been on record saying that whatever we wanted to do for Delhi in terms of improving transport facilities

Govt to pursue $2.81 bn demand from RIL, partners till the end: Puri

The ministry raised the demand recently following the Delhi High Court's decision in the matter last month

India eyes higher ethanol blending target, boosts focus on green hydrogen

Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri announced the country had already achieved 19.6 per cent ethanol blending and was confident of reaching 20 per cent by next month

Will achieve 20% ethanol blending by April, aiming to go beyond that: Puri

India is looking at increasing its target to blend ethanol with petrol to more than 20 per cent and has formed a committee under the NITI Aayog for this, Petroleum Minister Hardeep S Puri said on Wednesday. Addressing the Advantage Assam 2.0 business summit in Guwahati, he said 19.6 per cent blending has already been achieved. "We will be looking at more than 20 per cent blending of biofuel. Already a NITI Aayog group has been set up and they are looking into it," he said. "We had set a target of 20 per cent blending by 2026, but already achieved 19.6 per cent. I am sure we will touch 20 per cent next month," he added. Puri said that the country has a capacity of 1,700 crore litre of blending, and already 1,500 crore litre are being utilised. With India spending USD 150 billion on different types of fuel imports, he said that one area where the attention is lacking is green hydrogen. "The green hydrogen price is presently USD 4.5. If you can bring it closer to USD 2.5, there will

De-dollarisation of oil purchases has never been objective: Hardeep Puri

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep S Puri said on Friday that de-dollarisation of oil purchases was never the objective, emphasising that "most transactions are in dollars and always have been". Instead, he clarified that the primary objective is to procure sufficient oil "at lower prices" to help control inflation. "De-dollarisation is not an objective at all. Most of these (oil) transactions are in dollars and always have been. We had one transaction in rupees, but I think it was a very small one. Transactions in rupees are a good thing, but it takes two to tango," Puri told PTI during a press conference. Exuding confidence that India has established contacts with the new US administration led by President Donald Trump, he said the Indo-American relationship on the energy front will deepen. According to the Union Minister, India is already purchasing energy worth up to USD 20 billion from the US, emphasising that Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently had a very ...

Good times are ahead: Hardeep Singh Puri on natural gas availability

Puri said India's investments in Mozambique and Russia assets hold major potential

More energy coming into global market from Western Hemisphere: Puri

The development and deployment of small and modular reactors have become part of the general discourse, Puri said

India calls for 'energy transition', sees role of fossil fuels in near term

Calling for a nuanced understanding on 'energy transition', India on Tuesday said the shift from polluting fossil fuels to cleaner sources should be just where affordable energy is available to meet needs of developing nations. Speaking at the inaugural session of India Energy Week, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said energy transition "is not outright replacement (of any fuel) but more shifting the primacy of one energy source over another." Developing nations like India meet most of the energy demand from fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. While there is a call to shift from the polluting sources to renewables, India feels that move cannot be abrupt, with oil and gas as well as coal continuing to meet energy demand in the period when the cleaner sources are scaled up. "The very notion of 'energy transition' requires a nuanced understanding. It is not outright replacement, but more shifting the primacy of one energy source over another," he said. "The transition isn'

'Music to my ears': Hardeep Singh Puri on Trump admin's stance on energy

Union Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri made the statement during a panel session on the inaugural day of the four-day India Energy Week 2025

By 2030, India wants to add 500 GW renewable energy capacity: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually addressed the India Energy Week 2025, outlining India's energy roadmap and the country's commitment to becoming a global energy leader

India open to buying energy from all sources at lowest rates, says Puri

Union Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday said that India is open to energy imports from all sources at the lowest rates and domestic oil marketing firms are looking for more gas which is expected to cost less in 2026. Addressing a presser on Indian Energy Week 2025 beginning on Tuesday, Puri allayed fears of impact on energy supplies to India from Russia after US sanctions. Today we have a situation that we have (increased) from 27 suppliers to 39 suppliers. We added Argentina among others. We are open to import from all sources." "We issued tenders at the importation. Those tenders are open to any supplier. We buy from the cheapest source possible." He also informed that domestic (oil marketing firms) companies are looking for more gas. "We also expect the prices of gas (natural gas) to come down. My reading of the international market is that in 2026 you will begin to see a major increase in the availability of natural gas. We may get more gas from Qatar. Our companies ar