New Delhi, September 22: India has made a significant natural gas discovery in the deep waters of the Mahanadi Basin off the Odisha coast, with the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) reporting encouraging gas flow from its maiden deepwater well in the basin.
The discovery was made through well MDW-28 (MN-DW18-1-H-D), the first well drilled by ONGC in the Mahanadi Basin under the government’s Samudra Manthan campaign.
ONGC said the well is currently flowing gas at a good rate with sustained reservoir pressure. The well was perforated on September 18 following an evaluation of subsurface data.
“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 on Tuesday.
The Mahanadi deepwater campaign was launched on July 25 by Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Puri with the spudding of MDW-28. The initiative is aimed at expanding exploration into India’s offshore and deepwater hydrocarbon resources.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 2025 allow the use of shared infrastructure for the development and exploitation of deepwater resources, potentially facilitating faster commercial development of discoveries in the region.
ONGC said it would continue exploration in deepwater and ultra-deepwater areas as part of efforts to expand domestic hydrocarbon production and strengthen India’s energy security.
India currently imports around 51 per cent of its natural gas requirements. With no cross-border pipeline connections, the country relies on liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports to meet a substantial portion of its demand.
The latest discovery comes amid continued concerns over global energy supply chains, particularly in the wake of disruptions linked to the ongoing West Asia crisis.
Senior BJP leader from Odisha Baijayant Panda welcomed the discovery, describing it as a significant development for the state and India’s energy sector.
“ONGC has struck gas in its maiden deepwater well in the Mahanadi Basin,” Panda said, calling the discovery a reflection of efforts to harness India’s offshore potential and strengthen energy security.
