Jai Siya Ram
The announcement of a natural gas discovery in the Andaman Basin is a significant development for India’s energy sector. State-run explorer Oil India Ltd (OIL) has definitively established the presence of natural gas for the first time in this frontier area.
Here are the full details of the discovery:
1. Key Discovery Details
| Detail | Information |
| Discovering Entity | Oil India Ltd (OIL), a state-owned explorer. |
| Well Location | Sri Vijayapuram-II well in the Offshore Andaman Block AN-OSHP-2018/1. |
| Location Specifics | Approximately 17 km (9.20 nautical miles) from the east coast of the Andaman Islands. |
| Drilling Depth | Drilled at a water depth of 295 meters to a target depth of 2,650 meters. |
| Gas Confirmed | Initial production testing between the depths of 2,212 and 2,250 meters established the presence of natural gas with intermittent flaring. |
| Gas Quality | Gas samples tested in Kakinada showed an impressive composition of 87% methane, indicating a high-quality natural gas reserve. |
| Status | The presence of gas is definitively confirmed. The size of the gas pool and its commercial viability are still being verified. |
2. Strategic Importance for India
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri hailed the discovery as “an ocean of energy opportunities,” underscoring its immense strategic value:
- Energy Security: The discovery is a major step toward reducing India’s heavy reliance on imported oil (currently about 88% dependence) and gas (about 50% reliance). Unlocking domestic reserves is critical for India’s goal of energy self-reliance during the “Amrit Kaal.”
- Validation of Geological Potential: The find validates a long-held geological belief that the Andaman Basin is rich in hydrocarbons. This region lies along a proven hydrocarbon belt that stretches from Myanmar in the north to Indonesia (where major gas finds have recently occurred) in the south.
- National Deepwater Mission: The breakthrough is a major boost for the government’s National Deepwater Exploration Mission (dubbed “Samudra Manthan”), which was launched to accelerate offshore exploration and fully exploit the nation’s hydrocarbon reserves.
- Global Collaboration: The successful find is expected to advance India’s exploration ambitions and will involve closer coordination with global deepwater leaders such as BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, and Petrobras.
- Cleaner Fuel Transition: Natural gas is a cleaner-burning fuel compared to coal and oil. If commercially viable, this reserve would accelerate India’s transition to cleaner energy sources, helping meet its climate goals.
3. Next Steps in the Exploration Campaign
The discovery is an initial “occurrence” of hydrocarbons, and further work is required to determine if it is a commercially exploitable “discovery.”
- Commercial Viability Assessment: The immediate next steps involve extensive testing and data analysis to verify the exact size of the reserve and its commercial viability, which will take several months.
- Further Testing: OIL will undertake additional testing of higher-up prospects in the well and conduct gas isotope studies to understand the gas’s genesis.
- Broader Exploration: This success is expected to spur an accelerated drilling campaign by both OIL and ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation) in the deep and ultra-deepwater regions of the Andaman Basin, where a large number of exploratory wells are already planned.
