New Delh, Sept. 21 -- State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) has discovered gas in a deepwater well off the Odisha coast, a find that could be brought into production relatively quickly if further appraisal establishes commercial viability.
The discovery was made on September 18 at the MN-DW18-1-H-D well in the Mahanadi Offshore Basin, about 43 km from Konark, under ONGC's Samudra Manthan deepwater exploration campaign.
The well, the first drilled by ONGC in the Mahanadi Basin under the campaign, encountered gas between depths of 1,441 and 1,452 metres. It was drilled to a target depth of 1,623 metres after being spudded on July 25 using the drillship Platinum Explorer.
ONGC said the well has been flowing gas for three days, reporting "encouraging flow and reservoir pressure".
The company said the discovery remains subject to further appraisal and commercial evaluation. The next stages will include assessing the reservoir, estimating recoverable resources and determining whether the find can support commercial development. Its location close to the Odisha coast could help speed up monetisation if the discovery proves viable, ONGC said. The find could also potentially be developed along with other discoveries in the area using shared facilities.
Such an approach may be supported by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 2025, which allow deepwater resources in the region to be developed through shared infrastructure.
The discovery comes as ONGC expands exploration in India's frontier offshore areas, where deepwater projects can require substantial investment in appraisal and infrastructure before production begins. It also forms part of efforts to raise domestic hydrocarbon output and reduce dependence on imports.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.