ONGC decides to open up the Bengal Basin for targeted exploration

Discovers new well with 'substantial' volume of gas

India’s largest energy producer ONGC has decided to open up the Bengal Basin for targeted exploration, spurred by the discovery of a gas well two months back.

Speaking on the sidelines of the India Energy Week, ONGC Director (exploration) Sushma Rawat said the well was now classified as Kankpur 1, and the reserves had initially been found to be ‘substantial’.

“We are still in the delineation phase. We are trying to see what will be the extent of the reservoirs, and what will be the total volume eventually,” she said.

ONGC had back in 2020 begun crude oil production from