India to double gas production by 2022

India expects to double its natural gas production by 2022 as it seeks to reduce its reliance on imports into the country, government officials said yesterday.

Gas production will be doubled to over 60 billion cubic metre (bcm) from the current 33 bcm, said V.P. Joy, director general of India’s Directorate General of Hydrocarbon. India plans to spend an additional $2 billion in the next three to five years, particularly in deepwater and offshore areas, to increase its gas production.

“There is a lot of potential (for the number to be higher) because of all the various bidding rounds,” said Joy on the sidelines of a roadshow.