ONGC Discovers Natural Gas in Mahanadi Offshore Basin

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) discovered natural gas in the deep waters of the Mahanadi Basin off India’s east coast on 18 September 2026. The find was made at the MDW-28 (MN-DW18-1-H-D) exploration well, about 43 km off Konark in Odisha, and it is the first well under ONGC’s current deepwater exploration campaign in the basin.

Mahanadi Offshore Basin

The Mahanadi Basin is an offshore sedimentary basin along India’s eastern continental margin. Offshore basins are geological depressions that can contain petroleum systems, including source rocks, reservoirs, seals, and traps. The basin lies in the Bay of Bengal region and is part of India’s eastern offshore hydrocarbon frontier.

MDW-28 Exploration Well

MDW-28 was drilled to a target depth of 1,623 metres. Gas was encountered between 1,441 metres and 1,452 metres, and the well showed flow rates and reservoir pressure during testing. The drilling campaign for the well began on 25 July 2026.

Samudra Manthan Initiative

Samudra Manthan is a Government of India initiative approved in July 2026 for deepwater and ultra-deepwater hydrocarbon exploration. The initiative has an outlay of ₹84,084 crore for implementation up to FY 2030-31, and ONGC has planned an investment of ₹1 lakh crore over five years to drill 87 wells by FY31.

Important Facts for Exams

• ONGC is India’s largest state-owned oil and gas exploration and production company.
• The Mahanadi Basin is one of India’s important offshore sedimentary basins on the eastern coast.
• Deepwater exploration generally refers to drilling in offshore waters at greater depths than conventional shelf areas.
• The Petroleum and Natural Gas (PNG) Rules, 2025 provide a framework for hydrocarbon-related operations and shared facilities.

Commercial Evaluation and Energy Security

ONGC plans further appraisal, resource assessment, and commercial evaluation for the discovery. The basin has earlier finds such as Utkal and Konark in 2024, and these fields may be developed through shared facilities under the Petroleum and Natural Gas (PNG) Rules, 2025.