ONGC strikes gas at its first Mahanadi deepwater well under Samudra Manthan

New Delhi: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) struck gas on September 18 at a deepwater well in the Mahanadi Offshore Basin off the Odisha coast. The well, MN-DW18-1-H-D, is the first in the basin to be drilled under the Samudra Manthan initiative, ONGC said in a statement issued on Monday.

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Gas has been flowing from the well since the strike. "The well is flowing gas with encouraging flow and reservoir pressure for last three days," the company said. The well was drilled to a target depth of 1,623 metres, and the gas strike was recorded at the 1,441–1,452 metre interval.

43 km off Konark

The well lies about 43 km off Konark, and ONGC said this location could help bring the gas to market sooner. The well's "relative proximity to the coast offers potential for early monetisation, subject to further appraisal, and commercial evaluation," it said.

The company also pointed to the Petroleum and Natural Gas (PNG) Rules, 2025, as a route to developing the find. "This find, along with other discoveries in the area, can be a candidate for development through shared facilities enabled by the PNG Rules, 2025, bringing deepwater resources onstream," ONGC said.

According to the company, the discovery "strengthens ONGC's deepwater exploration programme and India's efforts to expand its indigenous hydrocarbon resource base."

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Drilling timeline

Drilling began on July 25, when Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri spudded the well. About a month later, on August 27, ONGC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Arun Kumar Singh visited the drillship Platinum Explorer. Director (Technology and Field Services) Vikram Saxena and Director (Exploration) OP Sinha went with him, and the three met the team running the drilling campaign.

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