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26 July 2026

ONGC deepwater drilling in Mahanadi basin

This development serves as a relevant example of India's efforts toward energy security and technological indigenization in deepwater exploration, providing useful context for questions on natural resource management.

1 min read Day 1 of 4 1 questions 1 prelims

Notes

  • ONGC has commenced drilling its first deepwater exploratory well, designated MN-DW18-1-H-D, in the Mahanadi offshore basin.
  • The drilling activity is located approximately 23 nautical miles from the Konark discovery off the Odisha coast.
  • The project is part of the government's 'Samudra Manthan' mission, aimed at exploring deep and ultra-deepwater hydrocarbon resources.
  • This initiative builds upon ONGC's recent findings in the Utkal and Konark fields.

Part of a longer story

This is day 1 of 4 in Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration Initiatives, which has been running since 26 July 2026. Reading it whole is usually worth more than reading today alone — the exam asks how something developed.

Questions

  1. Discuss the significance of the 'Samudra Manthan' mission in enhancing India's energy security through the exploration of deepwater hydrocarbon resources. 150 words
    Attempt this — 150 words in 8 min
    0 / 150 words 8:00

Prelims

  1. The 'Samudra Manthan' mission, recently in the news, is primarily associated with which of the following sectors?

Syllabus

Topics

Sources

250words.in · https://250words.in/daily/2026-07-26/ongc-deepwater-drilling-in-mahanadi-basin