OIL makes second gas discovery, boosts Andaman hopes
Second natural gas find strengthens Andaman exploration drive
OIL’s new discovery fuels Andaman energy ambitions
OIL announces second natural gas discovery in Andaman, strengthening India’s energy exploration efforts and boosting future prospects.
Oil India makes second offshore gas discovery, strengthening hopes of Andaman emerging as a major hydrocarbon hub.
State-run Oil India Limited (OIL) has achieved another significant milestone in its offshore exploration programme with a second natural gas discovery in the Andaman Basin, reinforcing hopes that the region could emerge as a major hydrocarbon-producing hub in the years ahead.
The latest discovery was made at the Vijayapuram-3 exploratory well, located around 15 kilometres off the east coast of the Andaman Islands at a water depth of 355 metres. The announcement was made on Friday by Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, who described the find as a positive development for India’s efforts to strengthen domestic energy security.
The Vijayapuram-3 discovery marks the second successful gas-bearing well drilled by OIL in the offshore block. It follows the company’s earlier natural gas discovery at the Vijayapuram-2 well in September 2025, highlighting the growing potential of the relatively underexplored Andaman Basin.
According to OIL, two out of the three exploratory wells drilled under its ongoing Andaman exploration campaign have now confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons. The success rate has significantly improved confidence in the basin’s prospects and strengthened expectations of future discoveries in the region.
Minister Puri said initial production testing carried out at a depth of more than 1,900 metres in the Eocene geological formation confirmed the presence of natural gas through continuous flaring. The results indicate promising reservoir characteristics and support the possibility of commercially viable hydrocarbon resources.
Following perforation, the well recorded a rapid pressure build-up and commenced gas production, further demonstrating the quality of the reservoir. Industry experts view such indicators as encouraging signs for future exploration and development activities.
The discovery also aligns with the government’s broader strategy to increase domestic energy production and reduce dependence on imported hydrocarbons. Puri highlighted the importance of the Samudra Manthan Mission, the National Deep Water Exploration Mission announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2025, which aims to accelerate exploration activities across India’s offshore basins.
Under the mission, a large number of deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploration wells are planned to unlock the country’s untapped hydrocarbon reserves. The minister said the latest discovery would help advance India’s exploration ambitions while encouraging collaboration with global deepwater exploration experts.
Industry observers believe the back-to-back gas discoveries represent a major breakthrough for offshore exploration in the Andaman region. OIL noted that the findings provide evidence of a working petroleum system and could indicate the presence of additional hydrocarbon accumulations within the basin.
Following the Vijayapuram-2 discovery, the company launched an extensive appraisal programme that included reprocessing existing seismic data and acquiring nearly 600 square kilometres of new 3D seismic data. Data processing and interpretation are currently underway and will play a key role in identifying future drilling targets.
With two successful gas discoveries from three exploratory wells, the Andaman offshore region is increasingly being viewed as one of India’s most promising frontiers for oil and gas exploration.
Reaffirming its commitment to the project, OIL stated that it remains focused on advancing exploration through technological excellence and unlocking the nation’s hydrocarbon potential to support a secure and sustainable energy future.