By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
India’s relentless hunt for hydrocarbons beneath the deep waters of the east coast has yielded an encouraging result, with the state-run ONGC striking gas in a deepwater exploratory well in the Mahanadi Offshore Basin just 55 days after drilling began.
The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) struck gas on September 18 at well MN-DW18-1-H-D, located about 43 km off Konark, Odisha. The well was spudded on July 25 by Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, making the discovery within less than two months of the start of drilling. “MDW-28, the maiden well of ONGC’s current deepwater campaign in the Mahanadi Basin is flowing gas with encouraging rates and sustained reservoir pressure,” ONGC said.
The speed of the operation underlines the advances in modern offshore exploration, where sophisticated geological and subsurface data, advanced drilling systems and specialised deepwater rigs enable exploration teams to reach and evaluate prospective formations in a relatively short period.
Drilled to a target depth of 1,623 metres, the well encountered gas in the 1,441–1,452 metre interval. ONGC said the well has been flowing gas with encouraging flow and reservoir pressure, with the flow continuing for three days following the strike.
The well is the first ONGC well drilled in the Mahanadi Basin under the Samudra Manthan initiative, adding significance to the discovery as India expands exploration into its offshore frontier areas.
The location, only about 43 km from the Odisha coast, could also prove advantageous for future development. ONGC has said the proximity offers potential for early monetisation, although this will depend on further appraisal and commercial evaluation.
The discovery could potentially be developed along with other finds in the area through shared facilities enabled by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 2025, providing a route for deepwater resources to be brought onstream more efficiently.
The drilling campaign also reflects the increasingly technology-driven nature of India’s offshore exploration. ONGC Chairman and CEO Arun Kumar Singh, along with senior directors, visited the drillship Platinum Explorer on August 27 and interacted with the team involved in the operation.
For ONGC, the discovery strengthens its deepwater exploration programme. For India, it adds another promising find to the effort to expand the country’s indigenous hydrocarbon resource base especially in view of the US-Iran and Russia-Ukraine wars that have created a big oil and gas crisis in the world.