Natural Gas Discovery in the Andaman Offshore Block

Natural Gas Discovery in the Andaman Offshore Block

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Why in News

  • On June 5, 2026, the state-owned Oil India Limited (OIL) announced a major natural gas discovery in the Andaman shallow offshore block.
  • This successful find came from the third exploratory well in the region, which is officially named Vijayapuram-3.

About the Discovery

  • This major marine offshore hydrocarbon discovery happened during deep earth drilling operations under the seabed.
  • Initial production testing showed a steady and pressurized flow of natural gas from the underground source.
  • This continuous flow proves that an active petroleum system and a viable hydrocarbon accumulation pathway exist beneath the Andaman microplate.

Location and Drilling Baseline

  • The exploration well is officially known as Vijayapuram-3 (Location: OAEB).
  • Geographically, the site lies roughly 15 kilometers away from the eastern coast of the Andaman Islands.
  • Engineers drilled the well at a marine water depth of 355 meters beneath the sea surface.
  • The drill bit reached a total sub-seabed exploration depth of over 1,900 meters into the Eocene geological formation.

Older Natural Gas Centers in the Andaman Block

  • This new find is not an isolated event and directly follows an earlier breakthrough by Oil India Limited in the same block.
  • The company first discovered natural gas at Vijayapuram-2 (Location: OAEA) on September 26, 2025.
  • Out of the three exploratory wells drilled in this block so far, two wells have now officially confirmed commercial-grade hydrocarbon reserves.

Key Features of the Discovery Operation

  • Right after completing the perforation process, scientists recorded an instant and strong pressure build-up in the reservoir.
  • This natural pressure pushed the gas to the surface smoothly without needing any mechanical pumps.
  • Scientists started detailed gas sampling work to study the organic origins of the gas and calculate its exact heating value.
  • The company successfully collected 600 square kilometers of high-resolution 3D seismic data to map the underground structure.
  • Engineers are now combining this new 3D seismic map with older 2D data to build a detailed digital model of the underground reserves.