The Andaman Awakening: ONGC’s High-Stakes Offshore Gamble

ONGC is intensifying its focus on frontier exploration and offshore redevelopment as it seeks to counter declining output from ageing oil fields and strengthen India’s long-term energy security.

A key milestone was achieved on 27 January 2026, when ONGC spudded the stratigraphic well AND-P-1 in the deepwater Andaman offshore basin, located 267 nautical miles from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The drilling activity is part of the Samudra Manthan initiative, which aims to unlock untapped offshore hydrocarbon resources and reduce India’s dependence on energy imports.

The Andaman basin is considered geologically complex, characterised by steep water depths and limited supporting infrastructure. Despite these challenges, ONGC has drilled three wells in the basin, which have indicated the presence of hydrocarbons.

According to Pankaj Kumar, Director (Production), ONGC, while hydrocarbon presence has been confirmed, commercial viability will depend on further seismic analysis and additional drilling results. The company is also exploring partnerships with global technical experts to enhance production from its offshore assets and accelerate redevelopment efforts.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.