Gas discovered at the Sri Vijayapuram-3 exploratory well under the Samudra Manthan Mission; hydrocarbon presence was confirmed in two of three wells drilled in the Andaman Basin
New Delhi: India’s offshore energy exploration programme received a significant boost after Oil India Limited (OIL) confirmed the presence of natural gas in an exploratory well in the Andaman Sea, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri, announced.
The discovery was made at the Sri Vijayapuram-3 well, located around 15 km off the eastern coast of the Andaman Islands at a water depth of 355 metres. Initial production testing conducted at a depth of over 1,900 metres in the Eocene formation revealed continuous gas flaring, confirming the presence of natural gas.
Sharing the development, Puri said, “Very happy to report the presence of natural gas in Sri Vijayapuram-3, an exploratory well drilled by Oil India Ltd. Initial production testing has established the presence of natural gas through continuous flaring.”
The find forms part of the Centre’s Samudra Manthan Mission, a national initiative aimed at accelerating deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploration to unlock India’s hydrocarbon potential.
According to the minister, hydrocarbon presence has now been confirmed in two of the three exploratory wells drilled by OIL in the ongoing Andaman Basin campaign.
Meanwhile, the company has begun gas sampling and isotope studies to determine the gas composition, calorific value and geological origin.
Puri added that the government would continue advancing offshore exploration efforts in partnership with global deepwater experts, reinforcing India’s long-term energy security ambitions.
Also Read: India Dominates Inaugural World Yogasana Championships with Five Gold Medals
