Natural Gas in Andaman Sea: Hardeep Singh Puri Applauds Oil India's Major Gas Discovery off Andaman Coast (Watch Video)
Oil India Limited has discovered natural gas at its third exploratory well, Sri Vijayapuram-3, located 15 kilometres off the Andaman Islands coast. This marks the basin's second confirmed find out of three wells. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri highlighted the success as a major boost to India’s domestic deepwater energy output.
State-owned Maharatna energy company Oil India Limited (OIL) announced a fresh discovery of natural gas on Friday, June 5, in its third exploratory well within the Andaman shallow offshore block. The success marks the second confirmed hydrocarbon encounter in the basin out of three wells drilled during the current exploratory campaign. Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, confirmed the development on social media, describing it as an expansion of India’s offshore domestic energy capabilities.
Technical Details of the Natural Gas Discovery in Andaman Sea
The natural gas presence was established at the Sri Vijayapuram-3 (Loc. OAEB) well, situated in the Offshore Andaman Block AN-OSHP-2018/1. The drilling operation was executed under the Central Government's Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP). India’s First E85 Fuel Dispenser Inaugurated in Delhi; Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri Announces Price at INR 82.12 Per Litre.
According to a regulatory filing submitted by the company to the stock exchanges, the well is located approximately 15 kilometres off the east coast of the Andaman Islands at a water depth of 355 meters. The drill penetrated to a depth of over 1,900 meters into the geological Eocene formation before striking the gas reservoir. Initial production testing confirmed the presence of the reserve, with engineers observing a swift, immediate pressure build-up and continuous gas flaring post-perforation.
An Ocean of Energy Opportunities Reinforced in the Andaman Sea, Says Hardeep Singh Puri
Congratulations @OilIndiaLimited !
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… pic.twitter.com/j6QvWqZkFx
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) June 5, 2026
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri Applauds the Progress
Following the technical verification, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri shared details of the breakthrough on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, framing it as a milestone for national resource exploitation. "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 meters. Initial production testing of the well at the depth of 1,900 plus meters in the Eocene formation has established the presence of natural gas through continuous flaring," Puri said.
The Minister further stated that the active exploration forms a core element of the "Samudra Manthan Mission" (National Deep Water Exploration Mission), a policy framework engineered to optimise India’s deepwater and ultra-deepwater domestic hydrocarbon output. 1% Shift to Ethanol Vehicles Can Save India INR 195 Crore in Foreign Exchange, Says Hardeep Singh Puri.
Strategic Significance and Next Steps
Oil India Limited noted that scientific gas sampling operations are currently underway at the site. These technical assessments will evaluate the exact chemical composition and calorific value of the gas, alongside isotope studies designed to map the structural genesis and origin of the hydrocarbons. The Sri Vijayapuram-3 success follows a prior gas discovery logged at the secondary exploratory well, Vijayapuram-2 (Loc. OAEA), in September 2025. The company described the compounding data as a "leading indicator" pointing to established accumulation zones and migration pathways in the area.
The ongoing data interpretation will be utilised to refine the company's prospective drilling strategies and evaluate the long-term commercial viability of the Andaman offshore basin.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 05, 2026 08:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
