DSF II to be launched in January 2018

The government intends to launch the second round of auctions for discovered small fields (DSFs) by January 2018. Drawing lessons from the first round, the fields offered in the second round will be grouped into bigger contract areas and deepwater fields will be left out. A total of 61 fields with reserves of about 180 million tonnes of oil equivalent will be offered. The number of contract areas that will be offered under DSF II has not yet been revealed. The quantum of reserves being offered will be more than double that of DSF I. The fields on offer in DSF II include 22 fields relinquished by companies which had won these in previous exploration auctions but did not develop them