NEW DELHI — State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has officially launched its maiden deepwater exploratory drilling operations in the Mahanadi Offshore Basin, marking a key milestone in India’s frontier energy push.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, inaugurated the spudding of the MN-DW18-1-H-D well via virtual ceremony, advancing the government’s flagship Samudra Manthan Campaign to unlock vast deepwater hydrocarbon reserves off the Odisha coast.
Operational Highlights & Strategic Outlook
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Well Location: Situated 23 nautical miles from the recent Konark discovery off the Odisha coastline.
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National Exploration Push: Directly leverages the opening of ~1 million sq km of previously restricted EEZ offshore zones.
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Technical Infrastructure: Operationalized through ONGC’s Mumbai-based DeepX Mission Centre, driving data integration and exploration strategy.
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Energy Impact: Seeks to tap into an estimated 5,600 MMTOE potential in deepwater zones (up to 3,000m depths) to boost domestic production and reduce import dependency.
Key Snapshot
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Operator: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)
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Offshore Well: MN-DW18-1-H-D
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Key Dignitary: Hardeep Singh Puri (Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas)
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Strategic Framework: Samudra Manthan Initiative / DeepX Hub
