The government has extended the deadline for submitting bids for deepwater and ultra-deepwater oil and gas blocks under the tenth and eleventh rounds of the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) to November 15, 2026.
The deadline for the offshore acreage under OALP-X and OALP-XI had previously been extended to September 17. The latest revision gives prospective bidders another two months to evaluate the blocks and submit their bids.
The extension comes as the government prepares to implement the Rs 84,084 crore Samudra Manthan National Offshore Exploration Scheme, aimed at accelerating exploration of India's offshore hydrocarbon resources.
OALP-X Deadline Extended Again
OALP-X was launched in February 2025 with 25 blocks covering around 1,82,589 sq km across 13 sedimentary basins, making it the largest OALP round by acreage at the time.
The round comprises six onshore blocks, six shallow-water blocks, one deepwater block and 12 ultra-deepwater blocks. Of the total, 19 blocks are offshore, with the 13 deepwater and ultra-deepwater blocks spanning around 1,24,327 sq km.
Bidding for the onshore and shallow-water blocks closed on June 19, 2026. The deadline for the remaining deepwater and ultra-deepwater acreage was subsequently extended to September 17 and has now been pushed to November 15.
OALP-X has seen multiple revisions to its bidding schedule since its launch. Bidding was originally scheduled to close at the end of July 2025 before the deadline was moved to October 31 and then December 31, 2025. It was subsequently extended again in 2026.
OALP-XI Offshore Blocks Also Get More Time
OALP-XI was launched in March 2026 with 21 blocks covering 80,234.49 sq km across 11 sedimentary basins.
The round consists of 12 onshore blocks, four shallow-water blocks, one deepwater block and four ultra-deepwater blocks. Nine of the blocks are offshore, covering around 45,296 sq km.
Bidding began on March 30, while the onshore and shallow-water portion closed on June 19. The deepwater and ultra-deepwater blocks were earlier given a September 17 deadline, which has now been extended to November 15.
The extensions give companies additional time to assess offshore acreage, where exploration typically requires greater upfront capital, sophisticated technology and longer development timelines than onshore and shallow-water projects.
Rs 84,084 Crore Offshore Exploration Push
The Samudra Manthan National Offshore Exploration Scheme is aimed at unlocking India's offshore hydrocarbon potential and targeting more than 600 million tonnes of oil-equivalent additional reserves.
The scheme provides for the government to bear up to 50 per cent of the cost of drilling deep-sea and ultra-deep-sea wells. The Union Cabinet approved the programme at the end of July, while detailed rules governing its implementation are yet to be announced.
The pending implementation framework comes as the government seeks to increase participation in technically challenging offshore exploration and expand domestic oil and gas production.
OALP Part Of Broader Domestic Exploration Strategy
India imports more than 88 per cent of its crude oil requirement and around half of its natural gas requirement, making domestic exploration and production an important part of the country's energy-security strategy.
The Open Acreage Licensing Policy, introduced under the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy framework, allows companies to submit expressions of interest for acreage and participate in bidding rounds for blocks identified by the government.
OALP-X has a particularly large offshore component, with 19 of its 25 blocks located offshore. Its 13 deepwater and ultra-deepwater blocks alone cover around 1,24,327 sq km. OALP-XI adds nine offshore blocks covering about 45,296 sq km, including one deepwater and four ultra-deepwater blocks.
The government has also sought to make exploration more attractive through measures including simplified licensing, revenue-sharing terms, marketing and pricing freedom and greater access to geological and geophysical data.
With the latest extension, companies now have until November 15, 2026, to submit bids for the remaining deepwater and ultra-deepwater acreage under both OALP-X and OALP-XI.