India is planning to auction its first-ever shale gas area for exploration. Work for the same is expected to begin in 2012.

The decision of this sale has come at a time when India is setting up targets for the launch of the ninth and the possibly the last auction of oil and gas blocks this year.

Talking about the same, Oil Minister Murali Deora said that the shale gas is coming up as an emerging area and is slowly becoming an important source of energy for many countries. This is true for the nations which have been able to exploit the potential of this area.

He was talking to the media during the signing of the oil blocks awarded during the New Exploration Licensing Policy's last auction.

While India will see its first ever shale oil exploration after this, countries like US, Canada and China have already taken strong steps in this direction as an alternative energy resource.

As reported by several sources, some pockets in Western and North-East India are expected to have good amount of shale oil reserves.