MAINS 2013
GS1
10 marks
It is said that India has substantial reserves of shale oil and gas, which can feed the needs of country for quarter century. However, tapping of the resources doesn’t appear to be high on the agenda. Discuss critically the availability and issues involved.
WRITE IN
7 min
200 words
What the examiner wants
Critically discuss India's shale resources and the issues holding back their use.
Discuss criticallyAnswer exactly what the question asks.
Demand-wise check
- 1Availability: Cambay, Krishna-Godavari, Cauvery, Damodar basins≈30 words
- 2Issues: fracking needs huge water in water-stressed areas; groundwater contamination risk≈30 words
- 3Dense population and land acquisition; lack of technology and data≈30 words
- 4Pricing, policy delay; seismic and methane concerns≈30 words
- 5Way forward: policy for NOCs (2013), later Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (2016)≈30 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
Resource estimateBasinsTechnical, environmental, social, economic issuesPolicyConclusion
Where marks usually go
- Only praising shale as an energy solution
- No basin names
Draw this
- Map of India marking four shale basins
Value addition
- DataEIA (2013) estimated India's technically recoverable shale gas at about 96 trillion cubic feet.US EIA, 2013
- FactONGC drilled India's first shale gas well near Durgapur, West Bengal, in 2011.ONGC, 2011
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 38 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Akansh Dhull · AIR 3 · Page 26 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Akansh Dhull · AIR 3 · Page 11 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 17 ↗Same syllabus reference
Links open original public sources. MainsBuddy does not host these answer sheets.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 7 minutes, then get it checked.