Bhubaneswar: Odisha is rapidly emerging as a strategic frontier in India’s quest for energy security and self-reliance following the commencement of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s (ONGC) deepwater exploratory drilling in the Mahanadi offshore basin.
The milestone drilling campaign represents a crucial move towards unlocking the extensive hydrocarbon reserves off the Odisha coast.
The deepwater exploration initiative, carried out under the national Samudra Manthan mission, aims to strengthen domestic energy production, expand geoscientific understanding of offshore reserves, and significantly reduce India’s reliance on foreign oil and gas imports.
The initiative begins with the drilling of the MN-DWN18-1-HD appraisal well, which builds upon ONGC’s recent encouraging Utkal and Konark discoveries in the region. It is the first of four planned deepwater appraisal wells designed to systematically evaluate the resource capacity of the Mahanadi basin.
Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi expressed immense happiness and pride over the development, describing the launch of the deepwater drilling operations as a landmark moment for the state and the country.
He noted that under the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the project underscores India’s firm determination to achieve long-term energy independence.
Chief Minister Shri Majhi also extended his heartfelt appreciation to Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri and Team ONGC for driving the Samudra Manthan mission forward and positioning Odisha at the center of India’s energy future.