BHUBANESWAR: Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) has struck gas in a deepwater well off India’s eastern coast. The state-run explorer said the discovery’s proximity to Odisha could allow faster development if appraisal confirms commercial viability.The find came on September 18 at the MN-DW18-1-H-D well in the Mahanadi Offshore Basin, roughly 43 km off Konark, as part of ONGC’s Samudra Manthan deepwater exploration campaign. It’s the first well drilled by ONGC in the Mahanadi Basin under this campaign.Gas flowing for 3 days straightThe well hit gas at a depth of 1,441–1,452 metres, after being drilled down to a target depth of 1,623 metres. It has been flowing gas for the past three days, with ONGC reporting “encouraging flow and reservoir pressure.”That said, the company was careful to flag that the discovery is still subject to further appraisal and commercial evaluation — it’s early days yet.
ONGC cautioned that the gas discovery remains subject to further appraisal and commercial evaluation.
Location can be a game-changerHere’s where things get interesting. The well’s short distance from the Odisha coast could support early monetisation if it proves commercially viable. ONGC also pointed out that this find, along with other discoveries in the area, could potentially be developed using shared facilities — cutting costs and speeding up timelines.This kind of shared-infrastructure development could be enabled under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 2025, which allow deepwater resources in the region to be brought into production through common facilities.Part of a bigger deepwater pushThe discovery fits into ONGC’s broader strategy to expand exploration in India’s deepwater basins, as the country works to ramp up domestic hydrocarbon production and cut its dependence on imports.It also comes at a time when ONGC is widening its focus to frontier offshore acreage — territory where a successful find often demands heavy investment in appraisal and infrastructure before any commercial production can begin.What happens nextThe well was spudded on July 25 using the drillship Platinum Explorer. From here, ONGC’s roadmap includes:
- Further appraisal of the reservoir
- Assessment of recoverable resources
- A full commercial evaluation
Only after these steps will a development decision be made.(With agency inputs)