ONGC finds natural gas off Odisha coast in Mahanadi deepwater basin

22 Sep 2026, 06:06 by Sunita · KalingaTV

Bhubaneswar: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has found natural gas off the Odisha coast, under the Samudra Manthan initiative. The gas was struck at a deepwater well in the Mahanadi Offshore Basin, located approximately 43 kilometers off Konark in the state.

The well, designated at the MN-DW18-1-H-D, is the first to be drilled in the Mahanadi basin under the Central Government’s ‘Samudra Manthan’ deep-sea exploration campaign. The well was drilled to a target depth of 1,623 metres. A gas-bearing zone has been identified at a depth ranging from 1,441 to 1,452 meters within the well.

Its proximity to the coast offers potential for early monetisation, subject to further appraisal and commercial evaluation.

Following an analysis of subsurface data, exploratory drilling was conducted at the well on the 18th. According to ONGC, the well has been flowing gas with promising flow and reservoir pressure for the last three days, ONGC said.

However, it has not yet been declared a commercial gas field. Further appraisal drilling and commercial evaluation will be conducted to determine the size of the reserves, production capacity, and economic viability.

In accordance with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules-2025, this discovery could be developed using shared infrastructure alongside other nearby gas fields. Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri inaugurated the drilling of this well using the ‘Platinum Explorer’ drillship on July 25, 2026. On August 27, ONGC Chairman and CEO Arun Kumar Singh, along with other company directors, visited the drilling rig.

The discovery has bolstered ONGC’s deepwater exploration programme and India’s efforts to expand its indigenous hydrocarbon resource base. It is also viewed as a significant exploration success aimed at boosting domestic oil and gas production in the country.

ONGC finds natural gas off Odisha coast in Mahanadi deepwater basin

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