The bid submission process under Discovered Small Fields (DSF) Bid Round – II was successfully completed on January 30, 2019. The bidding under DSF bid round-II started on 9th August 2018, and 25 contract areas were on offer covering 59 discovered oil and gas fields, spread over 3,000 Sq. Kms with prospective resource base of over 190 MMT (O+OEG). Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) received 145 e-bids for 24 out of 25 contract areas under the DSF Bid Round-II by the deadline of 1200 Hours on 30th January 2019.
Out of the total 145 e-bids received, 103 e-bids were received for onland contract areas and 42 e- bids were received for offshore contract areas. As many as 39 companies (Individually or as member of the bidding consortium) have participated in the bid round. The response to the DSF Bid Round-II has been overwhelming as compared to the last round of DSF in 2016. Out of 25 contract areas on offer, 15 are onland and 10 are in shallow offshore areas. All the 15 onland contract areas received ebids while 9 out of 10 offshore contract areas have received e-bids. 6 foreign companies have also submitted the bids. This bid round saw more than anticipated participation from new entrants from India and foreign countries like USA, UK, Australia, Singapore and UAE.
The bids (online first envelopes and hardcopies) were opened on 30th January 2019 at DGH’s Noida office in the presence of the bidders. The evaluation of the bids would be undertaken in a time bound manner and decision on award would be subsequently taken, after the commercial bids (second envelopes) are opened.
Various promotional activities were carried out by DGH under the guidance and leadership of the Hon’ble Minister of petroleum and Natural gas & Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan showcasing the opportunities in Indian upstream sector to global investors. Round the clock support was provided by DGH facilitation desk and the bid platform service provider, to clarify any issues the prospective bidders faced. The Government endeavors to award the contract areas by end of February 2019, so as to expedite the monetization of the hydrocarbon production from these fields.The production from areas offered in DSF-I is likely to start as per contract timelines in 2019-20 and now DSF-II areas follow, as a continuum, to add up to the domestic production and increasing the numbers of oil & gas operators in the country.
