ONGC, BP to Drill Stratigraphic Wells Boosting Energy Security

• ONGC and BP signed an MoU to drill stratigraphic wells in India.
• The project aims to enhance geological understanding and find untapped hydrocarbons.
• ONGC will fund the work, while BP offers technical expertise.

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), a state-owned enterprise, has entered a partnership with BP, a global energy major, to drill stratigraphic wells in various areas across India.

The purpose of this partnership is for ONGC and BP to develop geological knowledge, create new hydrocarbons which have yet to be discovered here in India, and ultimately to contribute to India’s energy security in the long term. ONGC also described the MoU as a fruitful venture in the announcement to the press.

The Oil Major said, "#ONGC has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with @bp_plc on 17 July 2025, to collaborate on drilling stratigraphic wells in India's Category II & III offshore sedimentary basins: Andaman, Mahanadi, Saurashtra, and Bengal".

The MoU was signed at the Urja Varta 2025 event in New Delhi before Hardeep Singh Puri, India's Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Pankaj Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said this is an important initiative in India's continued exploration of stratigraphic wells, developing deeper geological knowledge.

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This is the first in a series of similar initiatives, Jain said, adding that ONGC has made a big step in collaborating with BP on well design, site selection and geological context. ONGC will fund the project, while BP will provide technical expertise.

"We believe drilling of new stratigraphic wells will be very valuable and can lead to a new understanding and potential. bp's experience in deep water exploration supported by new seismic technologies would be of great assistance during the evaluation and subsequent drilling of stratigraphic wells", said Kartikeya Dube, Head of Country, bp India, and Senior Vice President, bp group.

Stratigraphic wells are typically drilled for the purpose of obtaining detailed subsurface geological data that can inform future oil and gas exploration efforts.