ONGC has struck natural gas in a deepwater exploration well in the Mahanadi Offshore Basin, about 43 km off Odisha’s Konark coast, opening a new phase 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 the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation in the 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. ONGC encountered gas in the 1,441-1,452 metre interval and 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 find 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 create the potential for cluster development through shared facilities under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 2025.
The proximity of the well to Odisha’s coast gives the discovery potential importance for the state’s energy and industrial planning. ONGC has indicated that the location could support early monetisation, subject to further appraisal and commercial evaluation. The company has not disclosed an estimated volume of recoverable gas or an expected production capacity.
The discovery does not yet 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 results of that work will determine whether the find can move from an exploration success to a producing offshore asset.
The possibility of developing the discovery alongside other nearby offshore finds through shared infrastructure could reduce development costs and support faster monetisation, subject to regulatory and commercial clearances. Shared facilities would allow multiple discoveries in the area to be assessed as part of a coordinated development approach rather than as isolated projects.
The well was spudded on July 25 as part of ONGC’s deepwater exploration campaign in the Mahanadi Basin. The campaign is intended to expand exploration of India’s deep and ultra-deepwater hydrocarbon resources and reduce dependence on imported energy. The latest discovery adds to ONGC’s exploration activity in the basin, including the Utkal and Konark offshore discoveries.
For Odisha, the find could assume greater economic significance if commercially recoverable quantities are established. It could support the state’s growing industrial and energy requirements and strengthen the coastal region’s role in the energy sector. ONGC’s further appraisal work will determine the scale and development potential of the gas discovery.
