To augment Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR), the Government of India in July 2021, had approved the establishment of two additional commercial-cum-strategic petroleum reserve facilities with total storage capacity of 6.5 MMT at Chandikhol (4 MMT) in Odisha and Padur (2.5 MMT) in Karnataka, on a Public Private Partnership mode said Suresh Gopi, Minister of State in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

Government, through a Special Purpose Vehicle called Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserve Limited (ISPRL), has established SPR facilities with total capacity of 5.33 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) of crude oil at 3 locations namely Visakhapatnam (1.33 MMT), Mangaluru (1.5 MMT) and Padur (2.5 MMT) capacity.

Once operational, India's SPR will increase from 5.33 MMT to 11.83 MMT, added Suresh Gopi.

Government and OMCs evaluate, from time to time, the possibility of augmentation of storage capacities based on technical and commercial feasibility. Assessment of new sites for establishing additional petroleum reserves is a continuous process.

To ensure security of crude supplies and to mitigate the risk of dependence on crude oil from a single region, Indian Oil Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) have diversified their crude basket and are procuring crude from countries located at various geographical locations viz. Middle East, Africa, North America, South America etc.

Further, the Government has already diversified the import of LNG by adding Australia, USA and UAE as sourcing destinations. India has also signed various long term agreements for procurement of LNG for ensuring uninterrupted supplies and safeguarding from price volatility.