Oil India Discovers Natural Gas in Andaman
NEW DELHI: Oil India Limited (OIL), a state-owned company, announced on Friday that it has found natural gas in its third exploratory well located in the shallow offshore area of the Andaman Islands. This discovery suggests that the region may have significant hydrocarbon resources.
In a statement to the stock exchanges, OIL reported that the well, named Vijayapuram-3, was drilled about 15 kilometers off the east coast of the Andaman Islands, reaching a depth of 355 meters beneath the ocean surface. This drilling was conducted under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP).
The company explained that initial tests at a depth of over 1900 meters in the Eocene formation confirmed the presence of natural gas, as evidenced by continuous flaring. Shortly after the well was perforated, there was a noticeable increase in pressure, and production commenced.
OIL is currently collecting gas samples to analyze its composition and heating value, as well as conducting isotope studies to better understand the gas’s origins.
With this latest find, OIL has now confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons in two out of three wells in the Andaman offshore block. The first sign of natural gas was detected in the second exploratory well, Vijayapuram-2, back in September 2025.
