State-run Oil India Ltd (OIL) has announced its second natural gas discovery in the Andaman offshore region, according to a company statement on June 6, 2026. The discovery was made in the MB-OSN-2009/2 block, located in the Andaman offshore basin.
The discovery well, named 'A-1', was drilled to a depth of 3,200 meters and encountered gas-bearing sands in the Miocene age formation. OIL said the discovery has the potential to open up a new hydrocarbon province in the frontier basin.
This follows OIL's first discovery in the same block in 2024, which had already raised hopes for the region's hydrocarbon potential. The company plans to conduct further appraisal drilling to assess the commercial viability of the find.
The Andaman offshore basin is considered a frontier area with limited exploration so far. The government has been promoting exploration in such basins to reduce India's dependence on energy imports.
