India has recorded a major breakthrough in its energy sector after substantial natural gas reserves were discovered during an offshore exploration campaign in the Andaman Sea. The discovery, made by Oil India Limited (OIL), is expected to strengthen the country’s efforts to increase domestic hydrocarbon production and reduce dependence on imported energy resources.
The reserves were identified at the Sri Vijayapuram-3 exploratory well, located approximately 15 kilometers off the eastern coast of the Andaman Islands in water depths of around 355 meters. The well was drilled to a depth of more than 1,900 meters within the Eocene formation. During preliminary production testing, continuous gas flaring was observed, confirming the presence of natural gas in the block.
అండమాన్ దీవుల సమీపంలోని లోతైన సముద్ర జలాల్లో @OilIndiaLimited సహజ వాయువు నిల్వలను కనుగొంది.
📍 అండమాన్ దీవుల తూర్పు తీరానికి 15 కి.మీ దూరంలో ఉన్న శ్రీ విజయపురం-3 బావిలో ఈ నిల్వలు వెలుగుచూశాయి. ⚡
ఇంధన ఆత్మనిర్భరత వైపు భారత్ మరో ముందడుగు! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/LY46qtYk2L
— Arvind Dharmapuri (@Arvindharmapuri) June 6, 2026
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri hailed the discovery as a significant development for India’s offshore energy ambitions. In a post on X, the minister said the Andaman Sea’s vast energy potential had been further reinforced by the successful drilling of the Sri Vijayapuram-3 well, where sustained flaring confirmed the existence of natural gas at depths exceeding 1,900 meters.
The discovery was made under the Centre’s flagship Samudra Manthan Mission, also known as the National Deepwater Exploration Mission. Announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2025 Independence Day celebrations, the initiative aims to unlock hydrocarbon reserves hidden in India’s offshore regions through extensive deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploration.
According to OIL, hydrocarbons have now been detected in two of the three exploratory wells drilled as part of its ongoing campaign in the Andaman Basin. The company is currently conducting gas sampling to determine the quality, composition, and calorific value of the reserves, while isotope studies are underway to identify the source and characteristics of the gas.
The government is expected to intensify exploration activities in the region with support from global deepwater exploration experts. The latest discovery is being viewed as a significant step toward enhancing India’s energy security and achieving greater self-reliance in the oil and gas sector.