India May Auction Six Shale Blocks This Year

India may auction six shale gas blocks in the first round expected later this year, reports financial daily Business Line.

Of these, the two most prolific blocks with estimated reserves of 50 billion cubic metres, are in the Ranigunj coalfields of the Damodar basin in West Bengal, the newspaper said.

The others are in Jharia, also in the Damodar basin, and in the Cauvery basin.

Central Mine Planning & Design Institute (CMPDI) was awarded a contract to prepare the data package for the shale assets.

The institute had prepared the data packages of the 33 coal bed methane (CBM) assets auctioned so far, Business Line said.