Notification/Circular No.: G.S.R. 781(E), dated 3 August 2026
Applicable Act/Rule: Petroleum Act, 1934 | Petroleum Rules, 2002
Applicable Section/Rule: Sections 4 and 29(2) and (3) read with Rules 2, 13, 14A, 75, 106, 143 and 144
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has published draft rules, styled the Petroleum (Amendment) Rules, 2026, in exercise of powers under Section 4 and Section 29(2) and (3) of the Petroleum Act, 1934, proposing further amendments to the Petroleum Rules, 2002, and has invited objections and suggestions from all persons likely to be affected within thirty days of the Gazette copies being made available to the public.
The draft introduces a definition of "District Fire Officer" as the officer nominated by a State Government to be in charge of fire and emergency services for a district, by whatever designation, including any officer authorised to discharge such functions. It also amends the provision on fees so that fees payable to other authorities can be paid through e-payment, and revises the timelines and modes tied to fee refunds and application cancellations under Rule 13. A wholly new Rule 14A is proposed to govern import and transport of ISO tank containers: no person may import a petroleum-filled or petroleum-intended ISO tank container without an import permit from the Chief Controller or Controller, and applicants must apply in Form 7A through the online licensing portal of the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation, submitting a valid Form 15 licence, manufacturer's inspection/test reports and design drawings certified by a Third Party Inspection Agency (TPIA), periodic inspection and hydrotest certificates, an approved road-transport mounting drawing, a safe operating procedure for handling and transport, a self-declaration on return or retention of the container in India, and the scrutiny fee specified in Part C of the First Schedule; on a complete and satisfactory application, the Chief Controller or Controller will grant a valid import permit, or a combined import-and-transport permit where transport of Class A or Class B petroleum in bulk by road within India is applied for simultaneously, for a maximum period of three years, and the permit is deemed granted if no deficiency or objection is communicated within seven working days of a complete application.
Rule 75(3) is proposed to be amended by substituting "three" for "one," and new sub-rules (5) and (6) are inserted permitting extension of a Rule 75(3) permit, where the periodic test/hydrotest certificate of the ISO tank container remains valid, for up to a further three years or the certificate's validity period, whichever is earlier, subject to an online declaration with copies of the hydrotest and TPIA container safety certificates; a further exemption from Rule 75 is proposed for multimodal transport of Class A or Class B petroleum in ISO tank containers imported for one-time use and intended to be returned to the country of origin after filling or decanting, subject to conditions on trailer-chassis stability, registered load limits under the Motor Vehicles Act, carrying only one petroleum-filled container per vehicle, and observance of precautions specified in the Sixth Schedule. Rule 106 is amended to add cross-references on equipment protection levels, Rule 143(1) replaces the requirement of a written application with submission through the online licensing portal, and Rule 144 on No-Objection Certificates is proposed to be substituted with a revised procedure for applicants to obtain a District Fire Officer's certificate, supported by a site plan certified by a registered architect and a legal opinion on title or possession of the licensed premises, before forwarding these to the licensing authority. Objections and suggestions on the draft may be addressed to the Joint Secretary (M&OR), Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, New Delhi-110001, or emailed to js.mkt-png@gov.in.
Link: https://egazette.gov.in/WriteReadData/2026/275979.pdf
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