ONGC starts drilling first deepwater well in Mahanadi basin under Samudra Manthan mission
ONGC has begun drilling its first deepwater exploratory well in the Mahanadi basin as part of the Samudra Manthan mission. This initiative aims to tap into India's offshore hydrocarbon potential to increase domestic energy production.
Why it matters
Expanding domestic oil and gas exploration is a strategic priority for India to reduce import dependency and boost energy security.
State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on Saturday (July 25, 2026) commenced drilling its first deepwater exploratory well in the Mahanadi offshore basin, marking the start of an ambitious campaign to tap India's deep and ultra-deepwater hydrocarbon resources.
ONGC spudded exploratory well MN-DW18-1-H-D under the government's Samudra Manthan mission, the firm said in a statement.
The well is being drilled around 23 nautical miles from the Konark discovery off the Odisha coast, building on ONGC's recent Utkal and Konark discoveries that have strengthened the hydrocarbon prospectivity of the Mahanadi Offshore Basin.
The drilling campaign forms part of the push to accelerate exploration of India's offshore oil and gas reserves. In his Independence Day address on August 15, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for harnessing the country's untapped offshore hydrocarbon potential.
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