UPSC Prelims 2016 Q74: Geography – Economic & Mineral Geography
In which of the following regions of India are shale gas resources found?
1. Cambay Basin
2. Cauvery Basin
3. Krishna - Godavari Basin
Select the correct answer
using the code given below.
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 3 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation
Shale gas resources in India
Shale gas is natural gas trapped in fine-grained shale rock.
It is extracted by horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking).
| Region | Shale gas resources found? | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cambay Basin | Yes | Gujarat |
| 2. Cauvery Basin | Yes | Tamil Nadu |
| 3. Krishna-Godavari Basin | Yes | Andhra Pradesh |
Other basins with shale gas potential:
| Basin | State |
|---|---|
| Damodar (Gondwana) | Jharkhand, West Bengal |
| Assam-Arakan | North-east |
| Indo-Gangetic | Northern plains |
India's shale gas policy of 2013 allowed ONGC and Oil India to explore it in their existing blocks.
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. The Krishna-Godavari Basin also has shale gas resources.
- (b) Incorrect. The Cambay and Cauvery basins also have them.
- (c) Incorrect. The Cambay Basin of Gujarat is the best-known shale area.
- (d) CORRECT. Shale gas resources are found in the Cambay, Cauvery and Krishna-Godavari basins.
Key point
Shale gas basins of India: Cambay, Krishna-Godavari, Cauvery, Damodar, Assam-Arakan, Indo-Gangetic; extracted by fracking.
Remember
Shale gas: Cambay, Krishna-Godavari, Cauvery and more.
Common mistakes
- Thinking shale gas occurs only where conventional gas is absent.
- Confusing shale gas with coal bed methane, found in coal seams.
- Forgetting the water use and pollution concerns of fracking.
Exam tip
Sedimentary basins that hold oil and gas usually hold shale gas too.
Sources
- Directorate General of Hydrocarbons — Shale gas and oil resources in India
- Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas — Policy Guidelines for Exploration and Exploitation of Shale Gas and Oil (2013)