Table 8: CBM reserves of India

Shale gas

Shale gas has reduced America’s dependence on oil imports, leading other countries to look for such reserves. India, too, has potential to reduce its dependence on imports by tapping the potential of shale gas. Six onshore basins — Cambay, Krishna-Godavari, Cauvery, Assam-Arakan, Ganga and Gondwana/Damodar—have been identified for shale exploration (figure 12). The Indian Government entered into a MoU with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to conduct an assessment of the shale gas resources.

According to the US Energy Information Administration, India could be sitting on as much as 96 TCF of recoverable shale gas reserves, equivalent to about 26 years of its gas demand, compared with its 43.8 TCF of natural gas reserves at the end of 2012. Another estimate, by Schlumberger Company, has indicated a shale gas resource base of between 600 Tcf and 2,000 Tcf.