India will launch its first-ever offer of shale gas areas for exploration by the end of 2011. Speaking at a road show organized in Mumbai today, Oil Secretary S Sundareshan said it targets at least a billion dollar of investment commitments from the ongoing auction of conventional oil and gas blocks. He was speaking to promote 34 oil and gas blocks offered in the 9th round of New Exploration LicensingPolicy (NELP). Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora and Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Jitin Prasad were also present at the road show.Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora informed that India is likely to sign a cooperation agreement with the US Geological Survey during President Barack Obama's visit next month for knowledge-sharing in the area of shale gas. Expressing hope that the current round will be better, Deora said they had got an investment commitment of USD 1.1 billion in NELP-VIII.