He shared on a social media post that natural gas has been discovered in the Sri Vijayapuram-2 well, located 9.20 nautical miles (17 km) off the east coast of the Andaman Islands, at a water depth of 295 meters and a target depth of 2,650 meters.
File Photo: IANS
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday announced “an ocean of energy opportunities” in the Andaman Sea, while sharing information on the discovery of natural gas in the Sri Vijayapuram-2 well.
He shared on a social media post that natural gas has been discovered in the Sri Vijayapuram-2 well, located 9.20 nautical miles (17 km) off the east coast of the Andaman Islands, at a water depth of 295 meters and a target depth of 2,650 meters.
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“Very happy to report the occurrence of natural gas in Sri Vijayapuram-2 well,” the minister posted on social media platform X.
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He added that initial production testing between 2,212 and 2,250 meters has established the presence of natural gas with intermittent flaring. The gas samples, brought to Kakinada by ship, were tested and found to contain 87 percent methane.
“The size of the gas pool and its commercial viability of the discovery will be verified in the coming months but establishing the presence of hydrocarbons in the Andaman basin is a major step in confirming our long held belief that Andaman basin is rich in natural gas, in line with discoveries in the entire area from Myanmar in North to Indonesia in the south in this belt.”
The Minister emphasized that this milestone strengthens India’s energy security and exploration ambitions under the Deepwater Exploration Mission as announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address. “Under the deepwater mission announced by Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi Ji on Independence Day, a large number of deepwater exploration wells are planned in our offshore basins in order to find new discoveries and fully exploit our hydrocarbon reserves”.
“This find will boost our exploration ambitions in collaboration with global deepwater experts like Petrobras, ExxonMobil, and Shell, and marks a significant step in our journey through Amrit Kaal,” he said.
As transition is underway in India for embracing clean energy, Minister Puri declared on a social media post, “India’s Hydrogen Era has begun — and industry experts agree.”
Speaking at the World Hydrogen India Summit, he highlighted how Bharat is poised to power the global hydrogen transition.
He posted key highlights from his address, stating “target of 5 million metric tonnes (MMT) of green hydrogen production annually by 2030.Cost Reduction: From USD 3.5/kg to below USD 3/kg, unlocking USD 150 billion in import savings. Public Sector Push: PSUs are planning 1 MMT capacity by 2030.Tenders Rising: From 42 KTPA to 170 KTPA. Infrastructure Rollout: 37 hydrogen-powered buses and trucks, and 9 refueling stations across 10 routes. Industry Participation: 900 KTPA capacity already awarded to 19 companies.
“India is gearing up to capture 10 percent of the global hydrogen market under PM Modi ji’s leadership,” Puri stated.
He highlighted India’s goal to produce 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030, supported by a strong policy framework and Rs19,700 crore under the PLI scheme. He noted global interest, saying, “Every electrolyser manufacturer in the world is coming here because they see potential.”
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