India's Hydrocarbon Outlook – 2022-2023

176 DGH: 3 DECADES OF UNLOCKING INDIA'S HYDROCARBON POTENTIAL Non-requirement of FRA Certificate: The Rules do not require the collector to obtain consent of Gram Sabhas before the In- principle approval. These indicate that the state government may pass an order, after the final approval from the Central Government – after ensuring settlement of rights under FRA and fulfilment of compliances under other laws. Authorisation to Regional Officers for approving mining projects upto 5Ha In a bid to simplify the forest clearance process and to fast track the withheld clearances/ approvals, the MoEF&CC has authorised the Integrated regional Offices to approve projects whose area between 0-5Ha directly. This is a progressive step and shall definitely reduce the exorbitant delays that are encountered while applying for smaller patches. A separate & distinct category as" Mining of Mineral Oil" has been created on MoEFCC's PARIVESH portal (the flagship portal of the Environment Ministry for application and approval of green clearances) to cater to hydrocarbon projects vouching for forest clearance. This separate procedure is just to facilitate separate accounting and analysis of hydrocarbon mining projects. Procedures, as envisaged in the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, Rules and Guidelines framed thereunder, as applicable to conventional mining proposals will continue to remain applicable to the proposals pertaining to Hydrocarbon sector. Delinking PEL/PML from FC as per noti- ed FC Rules, 2022 Exemption of Seismic Surveys Land Banks: Compensatory A orestation Non-requireme nt of FRA Certi cate Accredited Compensatory A orestation Seprate & Distinct category for "Mining of Mineral Oil" FC Amendments November 2022: “Mining of Mineral Oil”: DGH has been pursuing for a distinct and separate category for the oil and gas sector since the nature of operations of Oil and Gas Exploration and Production and Conventional Mining are completely different. MoEF&CC has acceded to DGH’s request by creating a separate head as “Mining of Mineral Oil” to cater to the hydrocarbon projects on PARIVESH web portal. This category has been introduced in the Form-A of Forest Clearance process. This is intended to ease out the operators in applying for forest clearance in areas of fresh diversion considering the content of the form is quite compatible with the terms used in E&P O&G sector.