ONGC discovers gas at 1,450 metres in Mahanadi offshore well near Odisha

On September 18, ONGC’s MN-DW18-1-H-D well in the Mahanadi Offshore Basin, roughly 43 km from Konark in Odisha, recorded gas flow at depths between 1,441 metres and 1,452 metres. The well, part of the Samudra Manthan deepwater exploration drive, was drilled to 1,623 metres using the drillship Platinum Explorer. The company stresses that the discovery is still exploratory and requires additional appraisal and commercial evaluation to determine recoverable volumes.

If deemed viable, the close distance to the Odisha shoreline may facilitate faster development, possibly through shared infrastructure under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 2025. ONGC views the find as part of a broader push into India's frontier offshore basins, aiming to boost domestic hydrocarbon supplies. Ongoing assessments will decide whether the reservoir can move toward production.