~1,281 sq. km. of new acreage added across West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana
NEW DELHI (India CSR): Essar Oil & Gas Ltd. (formerly known as Essar Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Ltd. or EOGEPL), one of India’s leading Coal Bed Methane (CBM) producers, has been awarded five new CBM blocks through the Government of India’s Special CBM (SCBM) Bid Rounds 2025 and 2026. The blocks add ~1,281 sq. km. of new acreage across West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana, with an estimated 6.6 TCF of gas-in-place resources, the company said.
The contracts for the SCBM-2025 and SCBM-2026 Bid Rounds were formally signed on October 15, 2026, at a ceremony chaired by Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Government of India. The signing marks an important step in the Government’s efforts, through the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG) and the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), to unlock India’s unconventional hydrocarbon potential, attract investment and strengthen domestic exploration and production, Essar said.
The two newly awarded blocks in the Raniganj region of West Bengal, together spanning approximately 330 sq. km., will expand Essar Oil & Gas’ existing ~500 sq. km. Raniganj East footprint to around 830 sq. km. The proximity of the new blocks to the Company’s existing producing asset will create significant synergies in infrastructure, operations and technical capabilities, enabling the development of an integrated CBM producing field that is expected to become the largest CBM producing field in India.
The Singrauli block in Madhya Pradesh further strengthens Essar Oil & Gas’ presence in an established CBM region, providing an opportunity to leverage the broader ecosystem associated with CBM development in the basin. The blocks in Telangana’s Godavari Valley mark an expansion into a new CBM geography, allowing Essar Oil & Gas to apply its established expertise to developing new resource areas.
Pankaj Kalra, CEO, Essar Oil & Gas Ltd., said, “The award of these five CBM blocks marks a significant milestone in Essar Oil & Gas’ growth journey and reinforces our commitment to unlocking India’s vast unconventional hydrocarbon potential. Building on our proven track record at Raniganj, we see substantial opportunities to leverage our technical expertise, operational capabilities and established infrastructure to accelerate the development of these resources. Our focus will be on translating this expanded acreage into sustainable production growth, creating long-term value and contributing meaningfully to India’s energy security by strengthening domestic natural gas supplies and reducing dependence on imports.”
Bhuwan Chandra Tripathi, Chairman, Essar Oil & Gas Ltd. and Operating Partner – Energy, Essar Group, said, “Natural gas will continue to play an important role in India’s energy mix as energy demand continues to grow. The expansion of Essar Oil & Gas’ CBM portfolio reinforces our commitment to developing India’s indigenous energy resources. As a Group, we remain focused on supporting India’s energy security through responsible development of domestic hydrocarbon resources, while contributing to the country’s transition towards a more balanced and sustainable energy mix.”
Essar Group is a global conglomerate with over five decades of entrepreneurial experience in conceptualising, investing, building, and operating world-class assets across the energy, infrastructure, metals & mining, technology & retail sectors. Through Essar Oil & Gas Ltd, the Group is expanding its upstream portfolio across India.
Essar Oil & Gas has invested more than Rs. 6,000 crore in exploration and production at Raniganj and currently produces approximately 950,000 standard cubic metres of gas per day (SCMD), accounting for nearly 50% of India’s CBM production. The Company’s broader ambition is to contribute 5% of India’s natural gas production by progressively developing its CBM portfolio and unlocking additional domestic gas resources.
With over 25 years of pioneering experience in CBM exploration and production, Essar Oil & Gas is well positioned to help develop India’s vast unconventional hydrocarbon potential. Around half of India’s natural gas consumption is currently met through imports, making the accelerated development of domestic gas resources critical to strengthening the country’s energy security and supporting its transition towards a gas-based economy.
The Essar Oil & Gas Ltd
Essar Oil & Gas Ltd. (formerly known as Essar Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Ltd. or EOGEPL), is one of the largest E&P companies in India primarily focused in the domain of Unconventional Hydrocarbons (UHC) having a resource base of 12 TCF (Trillion Cubic Feet) CBM and shale gas resources. Essar Oil & Gas has so far invested in excess of ₹6,000 crore in exploration to commercial development of the Raniganj CBM Block. The company is a pioneer of UHC in India with about 25 years of experience in E&P of CBM. EOGEPL is the only E&P player in India to produce over ~105 BCF CBM till date. As on date the project is commissioned with 454+ wells and a state-of-art indigenous infrastructure facilities.
The Essar Group
Essar is a global conglomerate of ecosystems with a portfolio of world-class assets. With over five decades of entrepreneurial experience, the Group has built and scaled businesses across global markets, executing investments exceeding US$30 billion. Today, the Group operates across the Energy, Infrastructure, Metals & Mining, and Technology & Retail sectors, generating approximately US$15 billion in annual revenues and employing more than 7,000 people worldwide.
Essar is now focused on the next phase of its growth journey. The Group is transforming and modernising its existing portfolio while investing in new platforms across future fuels, smart mobility, and digital infrastructure to build future-ready ecosystems. These include investments in hydrogen, biofuels, renewables, LNG and EV mobility solutions, and large-scale data centre infrastructure.
With a strong focus on innovation, governance, and disciplined capital allocation, Essar continues to build globally competitive businesses across sectors that are critical to the global economy. The Group’s strategy combines its traditional strengths in infrastructure and core industries with new opportunities emerging from the digital economy.
Essar remains deeply committed to the communities around its operations. Through Essar Foundation, the Group supports initiatives across health, education, livelihood generation, women’s empowerment, sports, environmental stewardship, and local infrastructure development across India.
