Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) on 18 September 2026 struck gas at deepwater well MN-DW18-1-H-D in the Mahanadi Offshore Basin, off the Odisha coast, under the Samudra Manthan initiative. The well drilled to a target depth (TD) of 1,623 metres recorded the gas strike at 1,441–1,452 metre interval.

The well is located approximately 43 km off Konark and is the first well in the Mahanadi Basin under the campaign. Its relative proximity to the coast offers potential for early monetisation, subject to further appraisal, and commercial evaluation.

The well is flowing gas with encouraging flow and reservoir pressure for last three days. The discovery strengthens ONGC’s deepwater exploration programme and India’s efforts to expand its indigenous hydrocarbon resource base. This find, along with other discoveries in the area, can be a candidate for development through shared facilities enabled by the PNG Rules, 2025, bringing deepwater resources onstream.