New Delhi: India has launched its biggest oil and gas block bid round under the 10th round of the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) at India Energy Week 2025. The round offers 25 blocks across 13 sedimentary basins, covering a total area of 1.91 lakh square kilometres. With 19 offshore blocks included, this is the largest offshore block bid round in terms of area, spanning 1,75,115 square kilometres.

Of the 25 blocks on offer, 16 are located in areas previously designated as ‘No-Go’ zones, covering 97,919.6 square kilometres. The blocks are categorised into six onland, six shallow water, one deep-water, and 12 ultra deep-water areas. Nine blocks fall under Category-I, 11 under Category-II, and five under Category-III.

The latest round introduces a new e-bidding portal designed to enhance transparency and improve ease of doing business. It is also the first OALP round since the introduction of the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill, 2024. The bill, which has already been passed by the Rajya Sabha and is awaiting approval in the Lok Sabha, proposes a separation of petroleum and mining leases, aiming to provide stable terms for investments and streamline business operations.

The OALP Round-X was launched in the presence of British Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Edward Miliband, Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, and Tanzania’s Deputy Prime Minister Doto Mashaka Biteko. This round comes more than a year after the launch of OALP-IX in January 2024.

Previous OALP rounds have seen limited participation from private players, with most blocks being awarded to public sector companies. With regulatory changes on the horizon, the government hopes to attract greater interest from foreign investors and private sector players.

BI Bureau