BP presents industry perspective at Indian energy show in Singapore
Global energy majors and investors were updated on multi-billion-dollar opportunities in India’s oil and gas and the reforms underpinning the sector at an India Energy Showcase held on 31 Aug in Singapore, especially the Rs.84,000 crore package to accelerate offshore exploration and attract investments.
The programme was presided over by Dr Neeraj Mittal, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), and attended by senior MoPNG officials including Srikant Nagulapall, Director General, Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH), Vinod Seshan, Joint Secretary Exploration, MoPNG.
Welcoming investors and Indian government officials at the roadshow, Sudhi Choudhary, Deputy High Commissioner of India to Singapore, underscored the depth of India-Singapore engagement in the energy sector, and highlighted the opportunity for closer partnership between Indian and Singaporean companies across the oil and gas value chain.
Presentations illustrated on the ongoing exploration bid round, an industry perspective from BP Group in India, and an overview of India Energy Week 2027, the MoPNG said.
Led by Secretary Mittal, the presentation outlined significant investment opportunities across the value chain, spanning exploration and production, anchored by the Government’s Samudra Manthan National Offshore Exploration Mission, along with manufacturing under Make in India, refining and petrochemicals, midstream and gas infrastructure, and strategic storage.
The roadshow noted that India’s energy demand is growing three to four times faster than the global average, and outlined specific avenues for international participation across the value chain, including equity participation, joint ventures, technology partnerships and long-term supply arrangements.
DGH Srikant Nagulapall provided an overview of India’s hydrocarbon resource potential and the Government’s exploration reforms, including Samudra Manthan, the National Offshore Exploration Mission approved by the Cabinet on 31 July 2026 with an outlay of USD 8.85 billion through FY 2030-31.
The DGH also drew attention to the ongoing OALP Round X and Round XI bidding rounds, with bids for deep and ultra-deepwater blocks closing on 17 September 2026.
The event also highlighted the Government’s continuing programme of exploration and production reforms aimed at creating a more investor-friendly regulatory framework and enhancing energy security through higher domestic production. x
Key reforms highlighted included the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP), the Open Acreage Licensing Programme (OALP), the Discovered Small Field (DSF) policy, the Coal Bed Methane (CBM) programme, the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Act, 2025, and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 2025. Together, these reforms have moved India from a production-sharing to a revenue-sharing fiscal model, opened over 99% of previously restricted offshore acreage, and introduced statutory timelines for regulatory approvals.
BP India chairman Kartikeya Dube shared the group’s experience of operating and investing in India across upstream and downstream operations. BP’s upstream joint ventures include the KG-D6 block, where producing ultra-deepwater gas fields contribute a significant share of India’s domestic natural gas production, alongside a technical services partnership supporting the Mumbai High and Western Offshore fields.
Dube said that BP recognised the pace at which India’s regulatory environment has evolved in recent years, and noted the Government’s continued willingness to engage with industry in advancing further reforms. The presentation underscored the value of sustained collaboration between international energy companies and Indian stakeholders, and highlighted India’s forward-looking reforms as a key factor behind continued investment.
The event also showcased India Energy Week (IEW) 2027, the Government’s flagship international energy event, scheduled to take place from 28 to 31 January 2027 at the New Town Convention Centre, Kolkata.
In his closing address, Secretary Mittal reflected on the breadth of the evening’s discussions, from exploration and production to manufacturing, refining and storage, and reiterated the Government of India’s invitation to global energy companies and investors to deepen their partnership with India’s energy sector for the years ahead.
The India Energy Showcase served as an important platform to engage international energy companies and investors, present India’s policy and regulatory reforms, and highlight the opportunities emerging across the country’s energy sector. The event reaffirmed India’s commitment to fostering partnerships, attracting investment, and strengthening cooperation with global energy stakeholders, and concluded with an emphasis on continued engagement towards a secure, resilient and sustainable energy future, the Ministry said in a press release. Fiinews.com
