ONGC starts Mahanadi drilling
Discoverer Seven Seas has begun appraisal drilling for ONGC at MN-OSN-2000/2 in the Mahanadi Basin offshore Orissa – one of ONGC’s most promising exploration blocks.
PETROWATCH learns Discoverer â€کspud’ its first appraisal well at the NELP-II block on June 17 in water depths of 1048 metres. “Lots of preparation is required, including casing,†confirms a source.
“Drilling will take anything between 45-60 days. Testing is conditional and this could take longer.
†ONGC is planning a single appraisal well to TD of 2340 metres at the 4061-sq km block, before diverting Discoverer to the KG Basin. DK Pande, ONGC exploration director, told Frontline magazine in March 2008 that estimated in-place reserves at discoveries MDW-2A and MDW-4A at MN-OSN-2000/2 are between 0.362 and 1.03-tcf and that appraisal could add 1.89-tcf to reserves.
ONGC (40% and operator) shares this block with IOC, GAIL and Oil India (each with 20%). A PSC was signed on July 17, 2001.
