In a significant move aimed at strengthening oversight of the energy sector, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has notified the Petroleum and Natural Gas (Furnishing of Information) Order, 2026, making it mandatory for all entities in the petroleum and natural gas value chain to furnish detailed operational data to the Central Government.The order has been issued under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, which empowers the Centre to regulate production, supply and distribution of essential commodities in public interest. The notification builds upon existing regulatory frameworks, including the Petroleum Products (Maintenance of Production, Storage and Supply) Order, 1999, and the recently issued Natural Gas (Supply Regulation) Order, 2026.The new order introduces a Centralised institutional mechanism to monitor crude and natural gas stocks.Recognising the need for real-time and structured data to ensure efficient supply chain management, the government has designated the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) as the nodal agency for monitoring. PPAC will be responsible for the collection, compilation, maintenance, and analysis of sector-wide data, enabling more informed policy decisions and timely interventions.The order casts a wide net, covering all entities engaged in production, processing, refining, storage, transportation, import, export, marketing, distribution, and even consumption of petroleum products and natural gas. This includes crude oil producers and importers, oil refineries, oil marketing companies, LNG importers and terminal operators, natural gas pipeline operators, city gas distribution entities, and petrochemical plants.Both public and private sector participants across the supply chain have been brought within the ambit, ensuring comprehensive sectoral coverage.Entities will be required to furnish granular information relating to production volumes, imports and exports, stock positions, storage capacities, allocation patterns, transportation logistics, supply flows, and consumption trends. The data may be required in aggregated or disaggregated formats based on geography, time periods, or consumer categories, as specified by the government or PPAC.The order provides flexibility to the Central Government and PPAC to determine the format, electronic platform, and periodicity of reporting. Entities may be required to submit data on a daily, weekly, monthly, or other specified basis, facilitating near real-time monitoring of the sector.In a key provision, the notification explicitly overrides any contractual or confidentiality obligations. Entities cannot refuse to furnish required information on grounds of commercial sensitivity or proprietary concerns, marking a decisive step towards transparency and regulatory control.The government has clarified that the provisions of this order are in addition to, and not in derogation of, existing regulations governing the sector. This ensures continuity while enhancing the existing monitoring framework.Sources said ensuring energy security and market stability were objectives of the order.Officials indicated that the move is aimed at creating a robust, centralised data ecosystem to enable better tracking of supply-demand dynamics, prevent disruptions, and ensure the availability of petroleum products and natural gas across the country. The order is expected to significantly enhance policy responsiveness and strengthen India’s energy security framework.