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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.
Explanation
Identified shale-gas formations are spread over several sedimentary basins of the country, such as Cambay, Gondwana, Krishna Godavari Onland, and Cauvery.[1] This confirms that all three basins mentioned in the question have shale gas resources.
More specifically, data adequate enough to generate estimates of shale gas was available from 4 sedimentary basins, which were the Cambay Basin, the Krishna Godavari Basin, the Cauvery Basin and the Damodar Valley Basin.[2] Three wells were drilled in Cambay basin exclusively for shale gas and oil,[3] demonstrating active exploration there. Technically recoverable shale gas in Cambay is estimated to be about 20 Tcf,[4] while Cauvery Basin has technically recoverable resources of about 9 Tcf.[5]
Therefore, all three regions—Cambay Basin, Cauvery Basin, and Krishna-Godavari Basin—contain shale gas resources, making option D (1, 2 and 3) the correct answer.
Sources- [1] https://www.masterresource.org/india-energy/shale-gas-india/
- [3] https://ibm.gov.in/writereaddata/files/05152018165238PNG2016.pdf
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis question bridges static geography with energy policy. While NCERTs confirm 'Natural Gas' in all three basins, the specific tag 'Shale Gas' came from the 2013 Shale Gas Policy and USGS assessments. If a basin holds conventional gas, it almost certainly holds the source rock (shale); the question tested your awareness of India's exploration targets.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Three of these wells were drilled in Cambay basin exclusively for shale gas and oil."
Why this source?
- Explicitly states wells were drilled in the Cambay basin specifically for shale gas and oil.
- Indicates active exploration targeting shale resources in Cambay by ONGC.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"Identified shale-gas formations are spread over several sedimentary basins of the country, such as Cambay, Gondwana, Krishna Godavari Onland, and Cauvery."
Why this source?
- Lists Cambay among identified sedimentary basins that contain shale-gas formations in India.
- Mentions specific exploration activity (wells spudded) in the Gandhar area of the Cambay basin.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"Cambay Basin: ... The formation of interest is the Palaeocene-Eocene Cambay black shale. Technically recoverable shale gas is estimated to be about 20 Tcf."
Why this source?
- Describes the Cambay black shale as the formation of interest for shale gas in the basin.
- Provides an estimate of technically recoverable shale gas (about 20 Tcf) for the Cambay Basin.
- Explicitly states wells were drilled in the Cambay basin specifically for shale gas and oil.
- Indicates active exploration targeting shale resources in Cambay by ONGC.
- Lists Cambay among identified sedimentary basins that contain shale-gas formations in India.
- Mentions specific exploration activity (wells spudded) in the Gandhar area of the Cambay basin.
- Describes the Cambay black shale as the formation of interest for shale gas in the basin.
- Provides an estimate of technically recoverable shale gas (about 20 Tcf) for the Cambay Basin.
NCERT. (2022). Contemporary India II: Textbook in Geography for Class X (Revised ed.). NCERT. > Chapter 5: Print Culture and the Modern World > Natural Gas > p. 115
Strength: 5/5
“Natural Gas is found with petroleum deposits and is released when crude oil is brought to the surface. It can be used as a domestic and industrial fuel. It is used as fuel in power sector to generate electricity, for heating purpose in industries, as raw material in chemical, petrochemical and fertilizer industries, as transport fuel and as cooking fuel. With the expansion of gas infrastructure and local city 52 CONTEMPORARY INDIA – II gas distribution (COD) networks, natural gas is also emerging as a preferred transport fuel (CNG) and cooking fuel (PNG) at homes. India's major gas reserves are found in the Mumbai High and allied fields along the west coast which are supplemented by finds in the Cambay basin.”
Why relevant
States that India's major gas reserves are supplemented by finds in the Cambay basin, showing the basin contains natural gas occurrences.
How to extend
A student could combine this with the basic fact that shale gas is a form of natural gas occurring in sedimentary basins to consider Cambay as a candidate for shale gas and then look for reports of organic-rich shale units there.
INDIA PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, TEXTBOOK IN GEOGRAPHY FOR CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Mineral and Energy Resources > Natural Gas > p. 61
Strength: 5/5
“the surface. It can be used as a domestic and industrial fuel. It is used as fuel in power sector to generate electricity, for heating purpose in industries, as raw material in chemical, petrochemical and fertiliser industries. With the expansion of gas infrastructure and local city gas distribution (COD) networks, natural gas is also emerging as a preferred transport fuel (CNG) and cooking fuel (PNG) at homes. India's major gas reserves are found in the Mumbai High and allied fields along the west coast which are supplemented by finds in the Cambay basin. Along the East Coast, new reserves of natural gas have been discovered in the Krishna-Godavari basin.”
Why relevant
Repeated NCERT statement that Cambay basin supplements major gas reserves, reinforcing that the basin hosts gas deposits.
How to extend
Use this corroboration plus knowledge that gas in basins can occur in conventional reservoirs or in shales to motivate checking Cambay’s reservoir types and shale presence.
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 1: Geological Structure and formation of India > 1. Natural springs and glacier lakes > p. 26
Strength: 4/5
“The thermal springs in India have classified as: • i) Himalayan Province-Territory Orogenic belt with territory magmatism• ii) Areas of Faulted blocks-Aravali belt• iii) Volcanic arc-Andaman and Nicobar arc• iv) Deep Sedimentary basin-Cambay Basin in Gujarat• v) Radioactive basin-Surajkund, Hazaribagh, Jharkhand• vi) Cratonic province-Peninsular India”
Why relevant
Classifies the Cambay Basin as a 'Deep Sedimentary basin', a geological setting where sedimentary rocks (including shales) commonly occur.
How to extend
A student could take this geological classification and, using a basic geological map or stratigraphic summaries, search for shale formations or source rocks in the Cambay sedimentary sequence that might host shale gas.
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 8: Energy Resources > 2. The Gujarat Coast > p. 12
Strength: 4/5
“This is the second largest oil producing area of the country. Its main oilfields are in Ankleshwar, Cambay-Luni area and Ahmadabad-Kalol region. (i) Ankleshwar: Situated in the district of Bharauch, it stretches over an area of about 30 sq km. The oil of this region belongs to the Eocene period. Oil production in this region was started in 1961. Ankleshwar oil is rich in gasoline and kerosene. The crude oil from this region is sent to the Koyali petroleum refinery. • (ii) Cambay-Luni Region: This oilfield lies about 60 km to the west of Vadodara. The drilling operations in this region were started in 1958.”
Why relevant
Notes oilfields in the Cambay-Luni/Ankleshwar region and that the oil belongs to the Eocene period, indicating known hydrocarbon-bearing strata and specific stratigraphy in the basin.
How to extend
A student could use the Eocene age note to check whether Eocene or nearby-age shales in the Cambay succession are organic‑rich and potential shale-gas source rocks.
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 8: Energy Resources > Petroleum > p. 9
Strength: 3/5
“Oil in India was discovered near Margherita (Upper Assam); for the first time in 1860 by the Assam Railway and Trading Company. Subsequently, oil was discovered at Digboi in 1889. In the beginning of the 20th century (1917), oil was discovered at Badarpur (Assam). In 1954, production of oil was started in Naharkatiya region. The Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) was established in 1956. With the efforts of the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC), oil was discovered in the Gulf of Cambay (Khambat) in 1961 and in Bombay High in 1976.”
Why relevant
Records discovery of oil and gas in the Gulf of Cambay (Khambat), confirming exploration has occurred in Cambay-related areas.
How to extend
Knowing exploration occurred, a student could look for exploration reports or technical papers from those surveys that specify whether gas is conventional or in low-permeability (shale) reservoirs.
States that India's major gas reserves are supplemented by finds in the Cambay basin, showing the basin contains natural gas occurrences.
A student could combine this with the basic fact that shale gas is a form of natural gas occurring in sedimentary basins to consider Cambay as a candidate for shale gas and then look for reports of organic-rich shale units there.
Repeated NCERT statement that Cambay basin supplements major gas reserves, reinforcing that the basin hosts gas deposits.
Use this corroboration plus knowledge that gas in basins can occur in conventional reservoirs or in shales to motivate checking Cambay’s reservoir types and shale presence.
Classifies the Cambay Basin as a 'Deep Sedimentary basin', a geological setting where sedimentary rocks (including shales) commonly occur.
A student could take this geological classification and, using a basic geological map or stratigraphic summaries, search for shale formations or source rocks in the Cambay sedimentary sequence that might host shale gas.
Notes oilfields in the Cambay-Luni/Ankleshwar region and that the oil belongs to the Eocene period, indicating known hydrocarbon-bearing strata and specific stratigraphy in the basin.
A student could use the Eocene age note to check whether Eocene or nearby-age shales in the Cambay succession are organic‑rich and potential shale-gas source rocks.
Records discovery of oil and gas in the Gulf of Cambay (Khambat), confirming exploration has occurred in Cambay-related areas.
Knowing exploration occurred, a student could look for exploration reports or technical papers from those surveys that specify whether gas is conventional or in low-permeability (shale) reservoirs.
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