ONGC Strikes Gas In Mahanadi Deepwater Basin Off Odisha Coast
Union petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri describes the discovery as a major milestone for India’s offshore energy exploration: Reports
BHUBANESWAR: The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has struck natural gas in a deepwater exploration well in the Mahanadi Offshore Basin, about 43 km off Odisha’s Konark coast, marking a significant development in the state’s offshore energy exploration.
The discovery was made on September 18 at the MN-DW18-1-H-D well, the first well drilled by ONGC in the Mahanadi Basin under the Centre’s Samudra Manthan deepwater exploration campaign. The well was drilled to a target depth of 1,623 metres using the drillship, Platinum Explorer.
Gas was encountered in the 1,441-1,452 metre interval. ONGC said the well has been flowing gas with encouraging flow rates and sustained reservoir pressure.
Union petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri described the discovery as a major milestone for India’s offshore energy exploration. In a post on X, he said the discovery, along with other finds in the area, could open up the potential for cluster development through shared facilities under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 2025.
The discovery is significant for Odisha because of the well’s proximity to the coast. ONGC has indicated that the location could offer potential for early monetisation, subject to further appraisal and commercial evaluation. The company has not yet disclosed the estimated volume of recoverable gas or expected production capacity.
The discovery does not, at this stage, establish the size of a commercially exploitable reserve. Further drilling, testing and appraisal will be required to determine the extent, quality and commercial viability of the gas-bearing reservoir.
The possibility of developing the find along with other nearby offshore discoveries through shared infrastructure could potentially reduce development costs and facilitate faster monetisation, subject to regulatory and commercial clearances.
The well was spudded on July 25 as part of ONGC’s deepwater exploration campaign in the Mahanadi Basin. The initiative is aimed at expanding exploration of India’s deep and ultra-deepwater hydrocarbon resources and reducing dependence on imported energy.
For Odisha, the discovery could assume greater economic significance if commercially recoverable quantities are established. It could potentially support the state’s growing industrial and energy requirements and strengthen the coastal region’s role in the energy sector.
The latest find adds to ONGC’s exploration efforts in the Mahanadi Basin, including the Utkal and Konark offshore discoveries. Further appraisal will determine the scale and development potential of the latest gas discovery.