In a significant boost to India’s offshore exploration drive, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has struck natural gas in the deep waters of the Mahanadi Basin off the Odisha coast.
The discovery at well MDW-28 (MN-DW18-1-H-D), the first well drilled in the basin under the government’s Samudra Manthan initiative, marks an encouraging start to ONGC’s latest deepwater campaign.
The well, located approximately 43 km off Konark, was perforated on 18 September 2026 after evaluation of subsurface data. It has since flowed gas at encouraging rates with sustained reservoir pressure for three days. Drilled to a target depth of 1,623 metres by the Platinum Explorer drillship, the well encountered gas in the 1,441–1,452 metre interval in waters about 770 metres deep.
The campaign was launched on 25 July 2026 when Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri officially spudded the well. ONGC Chairman Arun Kumar Singh, along with Director (Technology & Field Services) Vikram Saxena and Director (Exploration) O.P. Sinha, later visited the rig to review progress and motivate the crew.
#ONGC strikes gas in the deep waters of Mahanadi Basin.
MDW-28, the maiden well of ONGC’s current deepwater campaign in the Mahanadi Basin is flowing gas with encouraging rates and sustained reservoir pressure.
The campaign was launched on 25 July 2026 by Hon’ble Minister of… pic.twitter.com/whAV8TubIK
— Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) (@ONGC_) September 21, 2026
ONGC highlighted that the well’s relative proximity to the coast offers potential for early monetisation, subject to further appraisal and commercial evaluation. The company noted that this find, together with earlier discoveries in the area such as Utkal and Konark, could be developed through shared facilities enabled by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 2025. Such an approach could improve project economics and speed up bringing deepwater resources into production.
The discovery comes as India intensifies efforts to reduce energy import dependence. Samudra Manthan, a major government initiative to accelerate deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploration, aims to unlock the country’s largely untapped offshore potential. ONGC has committed substantial investment to drill multiple wells across frontier basins in the coming years.
While the initial results are promising, ONGC officials have cautioned that detailed reservoir assessment and resource estimation will determine commercial viability. The current flow test represents an important first step in evaluating the quality of the accumulation.
For now, the gas flare burning off the Odisha coast stands as a visible symbol of progress in one of India’s most challenging exploration frontiers. ONGC has reiterated its commitment to pushing further into deep and ultra-deepwater areas in pursuit of energy security.
