**ONGC, OIL Eye ₹3,200 Crore Stratigraphic Drilling Campaign: What Is It?**
*By Dwaipayan Roy | Sep 21, 2025, 06:23 PM*
State-run oil explorers Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Oil India Limited (OIL) are preparing to launch a major stratigraphic drilling campaign. Valued at ₹3,200 crore, the project is slated to begin early next year, focusing on drilling in untapped offshore areas.
### First Phase: Targeting Key Sedimentary Basins
The initial phase of the campaign will involve drilling four wells across strategic sedimentary basins, including the Andaman, Mahanadi, Saurashtra, and Bengal basins. These locations have been selected for their potential in uncovering new hydrocarbon resources.
### What Is Stratigraphic Drilling?
Stratigraphic drilling, also known as a stratigraphic test well, is an exploratory technique used to study underground geological formations. Unlike conventional drilling aimed at immediate resource extraction, this method focuses on building a detailed geological profile. This information is crucial for future hydrocarbon exploration efforts.
Global energy major BP will provide technical expertise for the campaign, assisting in identifying optimal drilling locations and execution strategies.
### Funding and Support
The Indian government has committed to fully funding the ₹3,200 crore stratigraphic drilling campaign for ONGC and OIL. This budget also includes payments for BP’s technical services, ensuring the highest standards of exploration conduct.
### Importance for India’s Energy Security
India currently imports approximately 88% of its oil and nearly half of its natural gas requirements. With an import bill surpassing $150 billion, the government is determined to reduce dependence on foreign energy sources by boosting domestic production.
Stratigraphic drilling is a vital tool in discovering new oil and gas reserves. In line with this, the government has taken significant steps to encourage exploration, including reducing “no-go” zones by 99%. This policy change has unlocked over one million square kilometers of India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) for oil and gas exploration.
### Recent Developments and Industry Confidence
In 2022, India inaugurated a Data Center at the University of Houston to showcase its sedimentary basin data. Additionally, the National Data Repository (NDR) was upgraded to a cloud-based platform, enhancing accessibility and data analysis capabilities.
Global energy giants such as ExxonMobil and Chevron have acquired Indian basin data, signaling renewed confidence in India’s exploration potential.
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This stratigraphic drilling campaign represents a significant step toward strengthening India’s energy self-reliance and unlocking new hydrocarbon resources within the country’s offshore territories.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/business/ongongc-oil-to-begin-deep-sea-stratigraphic-drilling-in-early-2026c/story