India Needs Major Hydrocarbon Discoveries: Petroleum Secretary
India faces an urgent need for major hydrocarbon discoveries to satisfy its upcoming energy requirements, according to Pankaj Jain, Secretary of the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry. While speaking at the 15th Biennial International Conference of the Society of Petroleum Geophysicists, Pankaj emphasized that the nation should implement ambitious, deadline-driven exploration approaches that align with the National Deepwater Mission to reach energy independence.
Pankaj noted that there will come a time when renewable energy sources will become increasingly important for meeting additional demand compared to conventional fossil fuels.
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The petroleum secretary emphasized that the current priority should be obtaining substantial discoveries through intensified exploration activities.
During his remarks, ONGC Chairman Arun Kumar Singh highlighted that advances in seismic imaging technology and AI-powered analysis would play a vital role in future exploration successes.
The event, with the theme 'Rock to Cloud: Geo-Exploration Empowering Energy Evolution', brought together geoscience professionals and delegates from prominent international bodies such as the Society of Exploration Geophysicists from the US, the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers from the Netherlands, and the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists.
Oil India's CMD Dr Ranjit Rath characterized India as among the most attractive exploration destinations globally, pointing to forward-thinking policy changes like the Open Acreage Licensing Policy and Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy, as noted in an official statement.
He encouraged geoscientists to maintain their relentless dedication to exploration activities, especially in unexplored regions and ultra-deepwater areas.
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"One day, not too far off, we will be looking at a situation where there will be alternative forms of energy, which will increasingly matter more to us in terms of the incremental demand satisfaction, than fossil fuels, or the way we use fossil fuels itself is going to change. And therefore, it doesn't matter what the peak will be, when the peak will be; the fact is that we have to try to get those big discoveries," the secretary said, as per a statement from ONGC.
Today marked the opening of the Conference at the Jaipur Exhibition and Convention Centre (JECC). Secretary Jain conducted the inauguration ceremony, with notable attendees including Arun Kumar Singh, Chairman and CEO of ONGC and Chief Patron of SPG-India, Dr. Ranjit Rath, CMD of Oil India Ltd., O.P. Sinha, Director (Exploration) at ONGC and Patron of SPG-India, and Ranbir Singh, President of SPG-India.
During his address to the audience, ONGC CEO Arun Kumar Singh reinforced ONGC's dedication to furthering India's deepwater exploration initiatives, emphasizing that innovations in seismic imaging technology, artificial intelligence-based interpretation, and data analytics will drive the future of exploration achievements.
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The opening ceremony additionally included the award presentation of the B.S. Negi Convention Gold Medal and Citation to distinguished geoscientist and former ONGC professional, G C Katiyar. The SPG 2025 Conference Souvenir along with a special edition of the GEOHORIZONS journal were launched during this event.
Arun Kumar Singh, Chairman and CEO of ONGC and Chief Patron of SPG-India, also opened the SPG 2025 Exposition, which displays state-of-the-art technologies and innovations from international pioneers in geoscience and energy exploration, with Dr. Ranjit Rath, CMD of Oil India Ltd., in attendance.