Bidders will get another month to bid for oil and gas exploration blocks offered under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP). The last date for submitting bids under the OALP bid round II and III was April 10. “Bid submission closing date for OALP Bid Round II & III stands extended up to May 15, 2019,” a statement from the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons said.

The Centre had offered to bid out 14 blocks under the OALP-II bid round in January. A month later, another 23 oil and gas blocks and coal-bed methane (CBM) blocks were put on the block in the third bid round. The deadline for bids under OALP II was March 12 but the deadline was initially extended to April 10. The two rounds are now running parallel to each other.