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.
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
All three basins are assessed to hold shale gas. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas told Parliament in July 2015 that Cambay, Krishna-Godavari and Cauvery are among the basins where agencies have estimated shale gas resources.
- ✓ 1. The Cambay Basin (Gujarat) appears in every agency's list of shale gas basins quoted by the Ministry, including the US Geological Survey assessment.
- ✓ 2. The Cauvery Basin (Tamil Nadu coast) is listed alongside Cambay and Krishna-Godavari in the assessments given to the Rajya Sabha.
- ✓ 3. The Krishna-Godavari Basin (Andhra Pradesh coast) is also listed; the USGS put recoverable shale gas in these three basins at 6.1 trillion cubic feet.
Remember · Shale gas basins named in official lists: Cambay, Krishna-Godavari, Cauvery (plus Assam-Arakan, Damodar and Ganga valley in some estimates).
Sources
- Exploration of Shale Gas (Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, 31 July 2015) ↗ “United States Geological Survey (USGS) has also estimated technically recoverable shale gas resources of 6.1 TCF in 3 basins (Cambay Onland, Krishna Godavari Onland & Cauvery Onland).”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·