According to the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, the government has extended the bid due date for exploration and development of 10 oil and gas blocks under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy Bid Round-VIII from May 16, 2023 to July 5, 2023. Bids were invited in July 2022. The government also extended the deadline for the special coal bed methane (CBM) bid round to June 30, 2023. It was launched on October 10, 2022.