Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday announced the finding of natural gas in the Andaman Sea, a development that could strengthen India’s efforts to increase domestic energy production and reduce dependence on imported fuel.
The discovery was made at the Sri Vijayapuram-3 exploratory well drilled by Oil India Ltd around 15 kilometres off the east coast of the Andaman Islands. According to the minister, the well was drilled in waters about 355 metres deep, and initial testing confirmed the presence of natural gas.
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
In a post on X, Puri described the find as a major step forward for India’s offshore exploration programme. “Very happy to report the presence of natural gas in Sri Vijayapuram-3, an exploratory well drilled by Oil India Ltd,” Puri said.
He added that testing at a depth of more than 1,900 metres in the Eocene formation established the presence of natural gas through continuous flaring.
Importance of the discovery
The latest finding marks the second hydrocarbon find from three exploratory wells drilled by Oil India in the Andaman Basin during its current exploration campaign. Puri said hydrocarbon presence has now been confirmed in two of the three wells drilled so far in the basin. The result strengthens hopes that the Andaman region may hold significant oil and gas resources.
The discovery follows the earlier Sri Vijayapuram-2 find announced in 2025. Tests at that well confirmed natural gas with around 87% methane content.
That earlier success encouraged further exploration in the region. Industry experts believe the Andaman Basin shares geological characteristics with hydrocarbon-rich areas stretching from Myanmar to Indonesia. The latest discovery adds to evidence that the basin contains an active petroleum system capable of holding commercial energy reserves.
For India, the discovery is important because the country imports a large share of its oil and gas needs. New domestic discoveries can help improve energy security and support long-term economic growth.
What may happen next
Oil India will now conduct detailed studies to better understand the newly discovered gas. The company is collecting gas samples to determine its composition and calorific value. It will also carry out isotope studies to understand how the gas was formed.
The government plans to intensify exploration efforts in the Andaman region. Several additional exploratory wells were scheduled by the end of 2025 as authorities seek to identify more oil and gas reserves.
Puri linked the finding to the Samudra Manthan Mission, the National Deep Water Exploration Mission announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Independence Day celebrations in 2025.
Under the mission, India plans to drill a large number of deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploration wells across offshore basins to unlock the country’s hydrocarbon potential.
“This presence of natural gas will help us in taking forward our exploration ambitions in coordination with global deepwater exploration experts like Petrobras, TotalEnergies, BP, Shell and ExxonMobil and will be a significant milestone in our journey through Amrit Kaal,” Puri said.
The back-to-back gas discoveries are being viewed as an important development for India’s offshore exploration efforts, particularly in the relatively underexplored Andaman Basin. Industry observers believe the findings could encourage further exploration and appraisal work aimed at assessing the region’s hydrocarbon potential.
According to Oil India, the latest discovery provides further evidence of a working petroleum system in the basin and could indicate the presence of additional hydrocarbon accumulations, reported PTI.
Following the earlier Sri Vijayapuram-2 discovery, the company launched an extensive appraisal programme. The effort includes reprocessing existing seismic data and acquiring nearly 600 square kilometres of additional 3D seismic data, reported PTI. Oil India said data processing and interpretation are underway and will help determine future appraisal drilling plans.
With two gas discoveries from three exploratory wells, the Andaman offshore region is increasingly being seen as one of India’s most promising areas for future oil and gas exploration.
