New Delhi, Jul 11 (IANS): The exploration and production (E&P) segment of India's oil and gas sector will throw up an investment opportunity of at least $100 billion by 2030, Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday.

Addressing the 'Urja Varta 2024' at Bharat Mandapam here, he said, "Despite our progress much of our exploration and production potential still lies untapped within India's 26 sedimentary basins. Despite the abundant geological resources available to us."

"Our efforts in the past have been far short of what needs to be done in the E&P sector," he added.

The minister also highlighted that, as of now, 10 per cent of the country's sedimentary blocks are under exploration. Following the completion of the 10th Open Acreage Licensing Programme (OALP) round, 16 per cent would come under exploration, he added.

The Union Minister said that the government was able to control oil prices due to neutral policies.

The minister also referred to the increased purchases of oil from Russia that have helped India to keep fuel prices under control.

"There was a global turmoil. We could have followed what the West was advising us to do and not sourced oil from a particular country and then oil prices would have shot up," the minister said.