Page 46 - Policy Economic Report - July 2025

POLICY AND ECONOMIC REPORT
OIL & GAS MARKET

become the norm. He urged adoption of technologies that enable zero pilferage, zero tampering, and
complete transparency. He also emphasized the growing relevance of non-fuel services at outlets, such
as convenience stores, EV charging, utility bill payments, and fintech services, which can enhance
customer experience and provide new revenue streams.

The Minister laid out a roadmap for dealers to reposition themselves as energy entrepreneurs. He advised
the community to upskill their workforce through structured training in customer service, digital tools,
and safety standards. He encouraged collaboration with Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to implement
EV charging points, rooftop solar installations, and energy-efficient infrastructure. Shri Puri also stressed
the importance of adopting digital dispensing systems, automated monitoring, and transparent auditing
to strengthen consumer trust. He highlighted the strategic importance of the dealer network in supporting
national objectives like disaster response, public health drives, and voter awareness campaigns.

Shri Puri particularly urged the petroleum dealer fraternity to leverage the prime locations of their retail
outlets to generate Non-Fuel Revenue (NFR) by offering services such as communication hubs, battery
swapping stations, water kiosks, and digital financial services. He reiterated that as India navigates the
complexities of a rapidly changing energy landscape and works towards becoming a Viksit Bharat,
petroleum dealers will continue to play a central and evolving role.

Concluding his address, the Minister called upon dealers to look beyond retail margins and redefine their
role in line with the vision of energy self-reliance. “Let this conclave be not just a gathering of peers, but
the starting point of a new journey—a journey that takes you beyond retail, beyond margins, and into the
very heart of India's energy transformation,” he said. Shri Puri appreciated the enthusiastic participation
of AIPDA members from across the country and assured the government’s continued support for the
collective benefit of citizens, dealers, and Oil Marketing Companies.

India witnesses renewed spurt in oil and gas exploration: Petroleum Minister Hardeep S Puri

India is witnessing a renewed surge in oil and gas exploration, particularly in offshore regions,
underscoring the country’s vast untapped hydrocarbon potential. In a written reply to a starred question
in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, stated that the
opening of nearly one million square kilometres of erstwhile 'No-Go' offshore areas in 2022 has been a
landmark development. This move has unlocked significant exploration frontiers, especially in deepwater
and frontier regions such as the Andaman-Nicobar (AN) offshore basin, and has been instrumental in
triggering the current momentum in offshore activity.

Since 2015, Exploration and Production (E&P) companies operating in India have reported 172
hydrocarbon discoveries, including 62 in offshore areas. The Minister highlighted the geological
significance of the AN basin, which lies at the junction of the Andaman and Nicobar Basins within the
Bengal-Arakan sedimentary system. The tectonic setting, located at the boundary of the Indian and
Burmese plates, has led to the formation of numerous stratigraphic traps that are conducive to
hydrocarbon accumulation. This geological promise is further amplified by the basin's proximity to proven
petroleum systems in Myanmar and North Sumatra. The region has attracted renewed global interest

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