Oil India Ltd. has identified natural gas at the Sri Vijayapuram-3 exploratory well located in the Andaman Sea [1, 2].
The discovery is a key step in the Indian government's effort to increase domestic energy production. By finding internal sources of fuel, the country aims to lower its long-term dependence on expensive imported hydrocarbons [2, 5].
This find represents the second discovery in the Andaman basin [3]. According to reports, hydrocarbons have been confirmed at two of the three exploratory wells in the region [4]. The drilling for this specific well took place at a depth of more than 1,900 meters within the Eocene formation [2].
"Oil India has confirmed the presence of natural gas at its third exploratory well off the east coast of the Andaman Islands," the company said [1].
The project is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Samudra Manthan" mission. This initiative focuses on exploring the ocean floor to unlock energy reserves, and secure national energy independence [2, 5].
Industry experts suggest the results validate the region's potential for future finds. One analyst said, "This find strengthens the belief in the Andaman Basin's hydrocarbon potential" [3].
Oil India continues to operate in the offshore block on the east coast of the Andaman Islands to determine the full scale of the reserves [1, 2].
“Oil India has confirmed the presence of natural gas at its third exploratory well off the east coast of the Andaman Islands.”
The identification of gas in the Andaman basin signals a shift toward diversifying India's energy portfolio. By successfully targeting the Eocene formation, Oil India is proving the viability of deep-water exploration in the region, which may attract further investment and accelerate the 'Samudra Manthan' mission's goal of reducing the trade deficit caused by energy imports.
