New Delhi, Nov 20 (PTI) State-owned Oil India Ltd (OIL) on Friday launched a Rs 220 crore seismic campaign to locate oil and gas in the Mahanadi basin in Odisha, as it is boosting the country's hydrocarbon resource base.

Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the seismic survey campaign at Kakatpur in Puri District (Odisha), the company said in a statement.

Also Read | KTM 250 Adventure Motorcycle Launched in India; Check Prices & Specifications.

OIL had won five blocks for hydrocarbon exploration in Odisha in two bid rounds under Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP).

"OIL plans to acquire, process and interpret 1,502 line-kilometres of 2D seismic data and 1670 square kilometres of 3D seismic data in the five blocks," it said. "Interpretation of the data is envisaged to lead to an extensive exploratory drilling campaign, in quest of establishing hydrocarbon reserves."

Also Read | Facebook Reveals 10 to 11 Views of Hate Speech for Every 10,000 Views of Content Globally in Q3.

The total envisaged expenditure on the entire exploration campaign in the five blocks in Mahanadi Basin (Onshore) is Rs 1,248.00 crore of which Rs 220.00 crore is for seismic survey.

The blocks are spread in eleven districts of Odisha namely Puri, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsingpur, Kendrapara, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Baleshore, Maurbhanj and Keonjhar.

The company has been actively participating in the OALP rounds in an endeavour to intensify exploration.

OIL has been awarded a total of 25 blocks, making it the second-largest winner of exploration blocks under OALP.

A total of 8,215 line-km 2D and 5,884 sq km 3D seismic survey and 73 exploratory wells are planned in these 25 blocks.

"The envisaged investment is to the tune of Rs 5,400 crores over the next three to four years," the statement said. "Apart from consolidating its position in northeast and Rajasthan, OIL has made conscious efforts to carry out exploration in Category II & III sedimentary basins in line with Government of India's thrust for exploration."

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)