Oil India Limited has launched a major offshore drilling campaign in the Kerala-Konkan Basin, beginning with the spudding of its first well, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Puri announced on Saturday.
Minister Puri described the initiative as a landmark step in India’s energy journey, reflecting the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Kerala-Konkan Basin, classified as a Category-III frontier, holds significant potential. The planned well will reach a depth of 6,000 meters, located about 20 nautical miles offshore, making it one of the deepest offshore wells in Indian waters, Puri noted on X.
Over 1,028 sq. km of 3D seismic survey has already been completed, and the campaign will target key Cretaceous formations, advancing India’s exploration of new energy frontiers.
Currently, India imports around 80% of its oil and 50% of its natural gas, sourcing from multiple countries to meet growing demand. The government is actively seeking to increase domestic fossil fuel production, with deepwater exploration in the Andaman region as a key focus.
Earlier this year, Minister Puri suggested that exploration in the Andamans could deliver a breakthrough comparable to India’s “Guyana moment,” pointing to vast untapped and unexplored seabeds.
Recently, Oil India and TotalEnergies signed a Technology Service Agreement in New Delhi to enhance collaboration on deep and ultra-deepwater exploration, including stratigraphic wells as mandated by the government. This partnership allows India to leverage TotalEnergies’ expertise across OIL’s current and future offshore projects.
Despite India having about 3.5 million sq. km of sedimentary basins, less than 8% has been explored so far, leaving large areas of the seabed untouched.
