India has made another natural gas discovery in the Andaman offshore basin, strengthening exploration efforts in the region. The latest find has been made by state-run Oil India Ltd (OIL). Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri described the discovery as another milestone under the government’s “Samudra Manthan” initiative.

Puri Calls Find A Major Milestone

In a post on X, Puri congratulated the state-run company and announced that natural gas has been found in the Sri Vijaya Puram-3 exploratory well, drilled by OIL about 15 km off the east coast of the Andaman Islands at a water depth of around 355 metres. He noted that initial production testing at a depth of over 1,900 metres in the Eocene formation confirmed the presence of natural gas through continuous flaring.

Sri Vijaya Puram-3 Well Confirms Gas Presence

Sharing the video, he added that OIL is currently carrying out gas sampling to determine the composition and calorific value of the gas, along with isotope studies to understand its origin. “Congratulations Oil India Limited. An ocean of energy opportunities reinforced in the Andaman Sea! Very happy to report the presence of natural gas in Sri Vijayapuram-3 an exploratory well drilled by Oil India Ltd. 15 km off the east coast of the Andaman Islands at a water depth of 355 meter,” Puri wrote.

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The recent finding adds to growing evidence that the region could become an important new area for oil and gas exploration in India. Also, the discovery is the second confirmed hydrocarbon find under OIL’s ongoing exploration programme in the Andaman basin. The company has now found signs of hydrocarbons in two out of three exploratory wells drilled so far.

Why Is The Discovery Significant?

Earlier, another well in the region, Sri Vijaya Puram-2, had also confirmed the presence of natural gas with a high methane content of about 87 per cent. The discovery is significant as experts believe the Andaman-Nicobar basin may hold large, untapped reserves. This is because it lies in the same geological belt as hydrocarbon-rich areas in Myanmar, Thailand, and Indonesia.

The findings also strengthen the possibility that the basin could become a major new source of oil and gas for India in coming years. However, the exact size of the reserves is still unknown and can only be confirmed after further drilling and studies.

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