Government does not implement EOR projects, cites IEA on 2% decline rate

The question asked the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to provide details on domestic crude oil production trends, decline in major fields, and the status of Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) projects and future projections. The government responded with production data, explanations for natural decline, and details on operator-led recovery initiatives and new offshore schemes.

Asked by: Ms. Mahua Moitra (MP); Answered by: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (Minister Shri Hardeep Singh Puri)

• Domestic crude oil production declined from 29.36 MMT in 2023-24 to 27.96 MMT in 2025-26.
• Onshore production decreased from 14.33 MMT to 13.13 MMT over the same period, while offshore production remained relatively stable (15.03 MMT to 14.83 MMT).
• ONGC and Oil India Limited (OIL) have contained the annual decline rate to around 2% since 2014-15, which is stated to be 3 times superior to the global average of 6%.
• The Government does not directly implement field-level EOR/IOR projects; this responsibility lies with Exploration and Production (E&P) operators under the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Act, 1948.
• The Union Cabinet approved the 'Samudra Manthan' National Offshore Exploration Scheme on 31.07.2026 with an outlay of Rs. 84,084 crore for implementation up to FY 2030-31.
• Operators such as ONGC, OIL, and Vedanta are implementing specific EOR techniques including polymer flooding, microbial EOR, and cyclic steam stimulation.
• No single national target for EOR contribution to production by 2030 is set, as EOR is planned field-wise by individual operators based on technical and economic viability.

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