India Launches Deep-Sea Oil and Gas Extraction Mission with ONGC and BP Partnership
New Delhi (Uttam Hindu News) : State-owned oil company ONGC, in collaboration with global energy giant BP, will begin deep-sea oil and gas exploration in India starting next year. This is part of the government's mission to enhance the country's energy security and reduce energy imports, a senior official said.
BP will play a supporting role in this drilling. It will focus on the Andaman, Mahanadi, Saurashtra, and Bengal offshore sedimentary basins. The entire operation will be carried out with an investment of ₹3,200 crore. ONGC signed an agreement with BP in July this year to establish a partnership that will enhance geological understanding and uncover untapped hydrocarbon potential, strengthening India's long-term energy security. BP's experience in deepwater exploration, supported by new seismic technologies, will be very helpful in designing and locating wells for stratigraphic drilling. Under the agreement, ONGC will invest, while BP will provide expertise.
Stratigraphic drilling will focus on understanding the geology of offshore basins and identifying potential hydrocarbon resources that could be exploited for future oil and gas exploration.
The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri during the Energy Dialogue 2025 event in Delhi. The Union Minister recently highlighted the geological significance of the Andaman and Nicobar Basin. Located at the boundary of the Indian and Burmese plates, this tectonic structure has created numerous stratigraphic traps conducive to hydrocarbon accumulation. The basin's proximity to proven petroleum systems in Myanmar and northern Sumatra further enhances its geological potential.
Further, outlining the exploration results so far, the Union Minister said ONGC has made hydrocarbon discoveries in 20 blocks, with estimated reserves of 75 million metric tonnes of oil equivalent. Oil India Limited has made seven oil and gas discoveries in the last four years, with estimated reserves of 9.8 million barrels of oil and 2,706.3 million standard cubic metres of gas.