Government Extends Deepsea Oil and Gas Exploration Bid Deadline to December 10

Companies interested in exploring deepwater oil and gas blocks in India will now have more time to submit their bids. The government has pushed the deadline for the 10th and 11th Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) rounds to December 10, 2026. 

This is another extension for both rounds. OALP-X has now received seven deadline extensions, while OALP-XI has been postponed three times. 

Why Has the Government Extended the Deadline? 

The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) announced the revised date on its website. It did not give a specific reason for the latest extension. 

However, industry sources cited in the report believe the move could be linked to the recently announced Samudra Manthan National Offshore Exploration Scheme. The scheme offers financial support for deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploration, and companies may need more time to assess its provisions. 

The government announced the scheme's guidelines on October 22. 

What Does the Samudra Manthan Scheme Offer? 

The scheme has an approved outlay of ₹84,084 crore through FY31. It aims to help unlock more than 600 million tonnes of additional oil-equivalent hydrocarbon resources. 

One of its key provisions is government support for up to 50% of eligible deepwater drilling costs, subject to a limit of ₹675 crore per well. The support is intended to reduce some of the financial risk involved in exploring difficult offshore areas. 

A deepwater exploratory well can cost an estimated $125 million to $150 million, according to the Petroleum Ministry. 

Details of the Two OALP Rounds 

OALP-X was launched in February 2025 with 25 blocks spread across 13 sedimentary basins. The round includes onshore, shallow-water, deepwater and ultra-deepwater areas. 

OALP-XI was launched in March 2026 with 21 blocks across 11 sedimentary basins. Nine of its blocks are offshore. 

The latest extension gives bidders until December 10 to assess the available acreage, investment requirements and revised support framework. 

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Conclusion 

The repeated deadline extensions show that attracting bidders for India's offshore exploration blocks remains a challenge. The new financial support scheme may help companies assess the opportunities, but the response to the two bidding rounds will become clearer after the December 10 deadline. 

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