Oil India Eyes Nation's Next Offshore Energy Frontier; New Deepwater Targets Off East Coast Set For 2027 | Exclusive

Published 11 June 2026 · india

Oil India Eyes Nation's Next Offshore Energy Frontier; New Deepwater Targets Off East Coast Set For 2027 | Exclusive Reported By, Last Updated: June 11

Oil India Eyes Nation's Next Offshore Energy Frontier; New Deepwater Targets Off East Coast Set For 2027 | Exclusive Reported By, Last Updated: June 11, 2026, 08:00 IST As per documents, OIL is preparing for exploratory drilling operations starting February 2027 in 4 offshore blocks awarded under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP)-IX round Crude oil touches $95 per barrel mark once again amid escalation tensions between Tehran and Washington After making fresh inroads into one of India’s least explored hydrocarbon frontiers in the Andaman Sea, state-run Oil India Limited (OIL) is now preparing to expand its offshore footprint into the ultra-deep waters of the Krishna-Godavari and Mahanadi basins. The Maharatna oil explorer has initiated plans to put in place critical logistics infrastructure for its upcoming drilling campaign, signalling that some of India’s most ambitious offshore exploration efforts are moving from the drawing board to execution. According to official documents reviewed by CNN-News18, OIL is preparing for exploratory drilling operations starting February 2027 in four offshore blocks awarded under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP)-IX round—MN-UDWHP-2023/2, MN-UDWHP-2023/3, KG-UDWHP-2023/1, and KG-UDWHP-2023/2.

Exploration activity in these ultra-deepwater acreages will commence by February 2027, as per the documents. The company is currently exploring two awarded blocks—AN-OSHP-2018/1 and AN-OSHP-2018/2—in the Andaman and Nicobar region. Documents indicate that OIL has already drilled three exploratory wells in these blocks, while two additional exploratory wells are in the pipeline. The move comes close on the heels of OIL’s exploration push in the Andaman offshore basin, an area increasingly being viewed as India’s next major hydrocarbon province. The Andaman basin has attracted growing attention from policymakers and energy experts because of its geological similarities with hydrocarbon-rich regions in Southeast Asia. Any commercial success in the basin could potentially reshape India’s upstream energy landscape. The development assumes significance as India intensifies efforts to reduce its dependence on imported crude oil and natural gas by unlocking domestic reserves in frontier basins. Focus shifts to ultra-deepwater East Coast blocks While the Andaman campaign continues, OIL’s next major target lies off India’s eastern seaboard.

The company plans to deploy drillships in ultra-deepwater locations within the Krishna-Godavari and Mahanadi basins, beginning with a Mahanadi stratigraphic well targeted around April 2027. Unlike development wells drilled in proven fields, exploratory and stratigraphic wells are designed to improve geological understanding and assess the hydrocarbon potential of relatively untested formations. Industry experts note that the Krishna-Godavari basin has historically delivered some of India’s most significant offshore gas discoveries. The adjoining Mahanadi basin, however, remains comparatively underexplored, making the upcoming drilling programme particularly important from an energy security perspective. As part of preparations for the deepwater campaign, OIL has floated plans to hire dedicated helicopter services to support offshore operations. The helicopters will be used for transporting personnel and essential supplies between shore bases and drilling units operating hundreds of nautical miles offshore. The twin-track exploration strategy—advancing frontier drilling in the Andaman Sea while simultaneously targeting ultra-deepwater prospects off the East Coast—marks one of the most significant expansion phases undertaken by Oil India in recent years.