PURI: ONGC has discovered natural gas in a deepwater well in the Mahanadi Basin, around 43 km off the Odisha coast. The discovery was made on September 18 at a depth of approximately 1,450 metres and could help India reduce its dependence on energy imports.
BIG BREAKING 🚨 MASSIVE natural gas reserves discovered in Mahanadi Basin off Odisha coast. pic.twitter.com/Bp0E0n1Fos
— News Algebra (@NewsAlgebraIND) September 21, 2026
The state-owned oil and gas explorer said gas flowed from the well for three days at encouraging rates and sustained pressure. However, ONGC has not yet disclosed the flow rate or estimated reserves.
Further testing will assess the recoverable gas reserves and determine whether the discovery is commercially viable. “ONGC will continue to explore deep and ultra-deepwater frontiers in its search for hydrocarbons,” the company said in a post on X.
Building on earlier discoveries
The latest discovery comes two years after ONGC made the Utkal and Konark gas discoveries in the Mahanadi Basin in 2024. The MDW-28 well is located around 23 nautical miles from Konark, in waters approximately 770 metres deep. It is the first of four wells planned as part of ONGC’s ongoing exploration campaign in the basin.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri described the discovery as a major milestone for India’s offshore exploration programme.
“The discovery, along with other finds in the area, opens up the potential for cluster development through shared facilities under the PNG Rules, 2025,” Puri said. Such an approach could help reduce development costs and shorten the time required to bring the discoveries into production. ONGC has not disclosed the estimated reserves or commercial viability of the Utkal and Konark discoveries.
Samudra Manthan Campaign
Drilling at the MDW-28 well began on July 25, marking the launch of ONGC’s exploration campaign in the largely untapped deepwater areas of the Mahanadi Basin under the Samudra Manthan initiative.
According to the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, the basin has estimated potential resources of around 45 million tonnes onshore and 100 million tonnes in shallow waters. However, the potential of the larger deepwater region has not yet been assessed.
The Union Cabinet approved the Samudra Manthan programme in July with an outlay of Rs 84,084 crore up to 2030–31. The initiative includes offshore surveys, deepwater drilling and the development of shared production infrastructure.
The government expects the nationwide programme to add more than 600 million tonnes of oil equivalent to India’s hydrocarbon reserves. The initiative is part of India’s wider effort to boost domestic oil and gas production and reduce its exposure to fluctuations in global prices and supply disruptions.
