ONGC Begins Drilling Its First Deepwater Well in the Mahanadi Basin Under Samudra Manthan
State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) commenced drilling its first deepwater exploratory well in the Mahanadi offshore basin on Saturday, 25 July 2026, under the government's Samudra Manthan mission. ONGC spudded exploratory well MN-DW18-1-H-D about 23 nautical miles from the Konark discovery off the Odisha coast, building on its recent Utkal and Konark discoveries. The company said this marks the beginning of one of India's most challenging deepwater exploration campaigns, aimed at boosting domestic production, reducing import dependence and strengthening energy security. The government has opened nearly one million square kilometres of previously restricted offshore areas for exploration ahead of upcoming Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) rounds. India's eastern and western offshore basins, extending to water depths of up to 3,000 metres, are estimated to hold more than 5,600 million metric tonnes of oil equivalent (MMTOE). ONGC launched its deepwater exploration centre DeepX in Mumbai in January.
Key Facts & Details
11 points- 1ONGC began drilling its first deepwater exploratory well in the Mahanadi offshore basin on 25 July 2026.
- 2The well is MN-DW18-1-H-D, drilled under the Samudra Manthan mission.
- 3It lies about 23 nautical miles from the Konark discovery off the Odisha coast.
- 4It builds on ONGC's recent Utkal and Konark discoveries.
- 5The government has opened nearly one million sq km of previously restricted offshore areas.
- 6Fresh acreage will be offered under upcoming OALP rounds.
- 7India's offshore basins, to depths of 3,000 metres, may hold over 5,600 MMTOE.
- 8ONGC launched its deepwater exploration centre DeepX in Mumbai in January.
Deep Dive
- +Spudding is the term for beginning to drill a well.
- +PM Modi called for harnessing untapped offshore potential in his 15 August 2025 address.
- +Recent successes in the Cauvery, Mahanadi and Andaman basins have improved the offshore outlook.
Exam Focus
In which offshore basin did ONGC begin its first deepwater well, and under which mission?
Exam Relevance & Angle
Named exploration missions, basins and the OALP framework are recurring energy and geography general awareness with concrete figures.
Target Exams
Background & Context
Deepwater exploration means drilling in water depths far beyond the shallow continental shelf, where rigs must hold position over kilometres of water before the drill even reaches the seabed. It is the most expensive and technically demanding form of oil and gas search, which is why India's offshore acreage stayed largely untested for decades. Spudding simply means starting to drill. The Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) changed the access model: instead of waiting for the government to put specific blocks on offer, companies study a national data repository and bid for acreage of their own choosing, which is what makes opening previously restricted areas consequential.
Test Yourself
1 / 2ONGC's first deepwater exploratory well announced in July 2026 is in which offshore basin?
Source
This topic is important for:
