Oil India Discovers Natural Gas in Andaman Sea, Boosting India’s Deepwater Exploration Ambitions – Indian PSU
India’s offshore energy exploration efforts received a major boost with the discovery of natural gas at the Sri Vijayapuram-3 exploratory well drilled by Oil India Limited (OIL) in the Andaman Sea.
The well, located around 15 kilometres off the east coast of the Andaman Islands at a water depth of 355 metres, has successfully established the presence of natural gas during initial production testing.
According to Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, the well encountered natural gas in the Eocene formation at a depth of over 1,900 metres. Continuous flaring during testing confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons, marking another significant milestone in India’s offshore exploration programme.
An elated Hardeep Singh Puri took to X (Formerly Twitter) to say - Congratulations @OilIndiaLimited !
OIL is currently undertaking gas sampling activities to determine the composition and calorific value of the gas, while isotope studies are also being conducted to understand its geological origin.
The discovery assumes significance as it comes under the Samudra Manthan Mission (National Deep Water Exploration Mission), announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address in 2025. The mission aims to accelerate exploration activities in India’s deepwater and ultra-deepwater offshore basins to unlock the country’s hydrocarbon potential.
With the latest find, hydrocarbons have now been reported in two out of the three exploratory wells drilled by Oil India Limited as part of its current exploration campaign in the Andaman Basin.
The Minister added the discovery would strengthen India’s energy security and support future exploration initiatives in collaboration with leading global deepwater exploration companies, including Petrobras, TotalEnergies, BP, Shell and ExxonMobil.
Industry experts believe the Andaman Basin holds significant untapped hydrocarbon potential and the latest discovery could pave the way for intensified exploration and investment in India’s offshore energy sector.
The development is expected to contribute to the government’s vision of enhancing domestic oil and gas production while reducing dependence on energy imports during the country’s Amrit Kaal journey.
