ONGC starts drilling first deepwater well in Mahanadi basin under Samudra Manthan mission

📌 Summary:

• State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on July 25, 2026 commenced drilling its first deepwater exploratory well in the Mahanadi offshore basin
• The well, MN-DW18-1-H-D, was "spudded" (drilling commenced) under the government's Samudra Manthan mission
• It marks the start of an ambitious campaign to tap India's deep- and ultra-deepwater hydrocarbon resources
• Aim: raise domestic oil-and-gas output and cut India's heavy import dependence for energy

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 (Indian Economy — energy/infrastructure, energy security); domestic exploration to reduce the import bill and advance self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in hydrocarbons.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• ONGC = Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (a Maharatna PSU under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas)
• Well name: MN-DW18-1-H-D; located in the Mahanadi offshore (deepwater) basin, off the eastern (Bay of Bengal) coast
• "Spudding" = the act of beginning to drill a well
• Mission: Samudra Manthan (deep/ultra-deepwater exploration)

🔑 Key Term: Deepwater exploration — hydrocarbon prospecting in offshore areas at large sea depths, technologically demanding but key to unlocking untapped domestic oil and gas reserves.