India is primed to become a global leader in hydrogen energy production and exports, according to Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri. Addressing the 6th South Asian Geoscience Conference and Exhibition, Puri highlighted strategic projects like hydrogen blending in natural gas pipelines, the localisation of electrolyzer-based technologies, and initiatives promoting bio-pathways for green hydrogen production. These efforts, he emphasised, are positioning India as a major player in the global hydrogen market.

Puri underscored India’s rising energy demand, which currently stands at 5.4 million barrels per day and is projected to reach 7 million barrels daily by 2030. He drew attention to the sheer scale of domestic fuel consumption, noting that 67 million people visit petrol stations daily—a number equal to the combined populations of the UK, France, and Italy. The country’s fuel demand growth, he added, is three times the global average, and India is expected to account for 25% of the global energy demand increase over the next two decades.

Highlighting India’s energy strategy, Puri emphasised the focus on balancing availability, affordability, and sustainability. He praised India’s significant strides in energy security, underpinned by intensified exploration and production activities. Despite being the world’s third-largest crude oil consumer, he pointed out that India’s exploration potential remains underutilized. The country holds 651.8 million metric tons of recoverable crude oil reserves and 1138.6 billion cubic meters of recoverable natural gas reserves across its sedimentary basins.

Prior to 2014, only 6% of India’s sedimentary basins were under exploration, but that figure has now risen to 10%, with plans to expand exploration to 16% by 2025. Upcoming awards under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) are expected to accelerate this growth. “Our goal is to expand India’s exploration acreage to 1 million square kilometres by 2030,” Puri stated.

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The GEO India 2024 event is anticipated to host around 2,000 participants, with over 20 conference sessions, four plenary discussions, more than 200 technical papers, and 50 exhibition booths. Puri expressed optimism about the contributions of geoscientists, believing their innovative solutions will drive India’s energy revolution and ensure energy security for its citizens. “I have great faith in the innovative minds of geoscientists to lead an energy revolution in India, ensuring energy security for every citizen and meeting future challenges,” he concluded.

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