India has made a significant natural gas discovery in the Mahanadi Basin, around 43 km off the Odisha coast. ONGC discovered gas in the MDW 28 deepwater well on September 18, with gas reportedly flowing at good pressure. The discovery was made at a depth of around 1,450 metres and is now being evaluated further.
The discovery could help India reduce its dependence on imported oil and gas, although the exact quantity of gas and its commercial viability are yet to be determined. Further appraisal will be required before the potential of the discovery can be fully assessed.
The well is part of the government’s ‘Samudra Manthan’ National Offshore Exploration Scheme, approved with an outlay of ₹84,084 crore up to 2030–31. The programme aims to accelerate exploration in India’s deepwater and ultra-deepwater regions and increase domestic oil and gas production.
