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India Taps Deep Waters: Offshore Drilling Begins
29 Nov
Summary
- Oil India Limited initiated offshore drilling in Kerala-Konkan Basin.
- The first well drilled is among India's deepest offshore wells.
- India aims to boost domestic energy production amidst high import reliance.
Oil India Limited has initiated a historic offshore drilling campaign in the Kerala-Konkan Basin, a move announced by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Puri. This development signifies a major step in India's energy independence strategy, with the first well being drilled 20 nautical miles offshore Kerala and targeting a depth of 6000 meters, positioning it among the deepest offshore wells in the country's waters.
The frontier Category-III basin is expected to hold substantial energy potential. With extensive 3D seismic surveys already completed, this campaign is designed to probe key Cretaceous plays. This exploration is crucial for India, which currently imports a significant portion of its oil and natural gas needs, underscoring the nation's commitment to ramping up domestic fossil-based energy production.
This effort is further bolstered by strategic collaborations, such as the recent "Technology Service Agreement" between Oil India Limited and TotalEnergies. This pact aims to leverage global expertise in deep and ultra-deepwater exploration across India's sedimentary basins, many of which remain largely unexplored despite vast untapped sea beds.
