India's CCUS regulatory framework is being built in real time. NCM helps shape it — and navigate it.
India does not yet have a comprehensive CCUS-specific regulatory framework. Environmental clearances for capture facilities exist under existing EIA notification processes, but CO₂ geological storage regulation — specifying who can grant storage licences, what monitoring is required, and how long-term liability is managed — is still under development. This regulatory uncertainty is a significant barrier to project development: DFIs will not commit capital, and boards will not approve FIDs, without a clear understanding of the regulatory pathway.
NCM's Licensing & Regulatory team combines India-specific regulatory knowledge — drawn from advisers with direct experience at MoEFCC, PNGRB, and the Ministry of Coal — with international regulatory best practice from Australia's Offshore Petroleum & Greenhouse Gas Storage Act, Norway's CO₂ storage regulations, and the UK's Energy Act framework. We use this combination to map the regulatory pathway for each project — identifying what permissions are needed, which authority grants them, what the evidence base must demonstrate, and what the realistic timeline is.
We are also active participants in the development of India's CCUS regulatory framework itself — providing technical input to Ministry consultations, participating in NITI Aayog working groups, and contributing to the design of carbon storage licensing frameworks that are both environmentally rigorous and commercially workable. This position inside the regulatory process gives NCM clients early visibility of emerging requirements and the ability to shape frameworks in ways that facilitate, rather than obstruct, project development.
Australia's Offshore Petroleum & Greenhouse Gas Storage Act (OPGGS Act) is the most comprehensive CO₂ storage regulatory framework in the world — covering exploration permits, injection licences, monitoring obligations, site closure, and post-closure long-term liability transfer to the state. NCM's Australian regulatory advisers use this framework as the primary reference model for the storage licensing provisions of India's emerging CCUS regulatory framework.
Norway's CO₂ Storage Directive — implemented through the Petroleum Act — provides the European model for offshore CO₂ storage regulation, with a 25-year track record at the Sleipner formation demonstrating that rigorous regulatory oversight and successful commercial operation are fully compatible. The Norwegian model has directly informed EU member state storage regulation, and NCM uses it to benchmark the adequacy of India's emerging onshore storage framework.
The UK's energy regulation for CCUS — developed through the Energy Act 2023 and the North Sea Transition Authority — provides the most recent example of a nation building a comprehensive CCUS licensing regime from scratch in a relatively short timeframe. The UK experience demonstrates that political will, industry engagement, and good regulatory design can compress the timeline for building a workable framework from decades to years.
Whether you are a government body seeking policy advice, an industrial company facing CBAM exposure, or an investor seeking CCUS project opportunities — our team is ready to engage.