New Delhi
Public sector oil major ONGC will begin stratigraphic drilling in India’s offshore basins early next year, partnering with global energy giant BP to boost oil and gas exploration. The project, covering the Andaman, Mahanadi, Saurashtra, and Bengal basins, will be executed with an investment of Rs 3,200 crore to enhance energy security and reduce import dependence.
The ONGC-BP collaboration, formalised in July, combines ONGC’s funding with BP’s expertise in deepwater exploration and seismic technologies. The drilling campaign aims to map offshore geology and identify potential hydrocarbon resources for future development. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Delhi during the Urja Varta 2025 event in the presence of Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.
The Andaman and Nicobar offshore basin, located at the boundary of the Indian and Burmese plates, holds promising stratigraphic traps. Its geological continuity with proven petroleum systems in Myanmar and North Sumatra has attracted renewed global interest. Recent ultra-deepwater exploration by ONGC and Oil India Ltd. in the region, including the ANDW-7 wildcat well, has revealed traces of light crude, condensate, and heavy hydrocarbons, confirming the existence of an active thermogenic petroleum system.
So far, ONGC has made hydrocarbon discoveries in 20 blocks, estimated at 75 million metric tonnes of oil equivalent, while Oil India Ltd. has recorded seven discoveries over four years, totaling nearly 10 million barrels of oil and 2,706 million standard cubic meters of gas.
The stratigraphic drilling campaign will provide crucial geological insights, helping shape focused exploration strategies and laying the foundation for unlocking India’s offshore hydrocarbon potential.