India Shifts to Data-Led Oil Exploration, Moves Beyond 'Blind Drilling'

The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) convened a conference on 'Data Driven Exploration' to engage industry stakeholders on accelerating India's exploration outcomes through a stronger data ecosystem, in line with the country's expanding agenda under the Samudra Manthan-National Offshore Mission, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said.

The conference was chaired by Neeraj Mittal, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and saw participation from over 80 delegates, including officials from the ministry, DGH, national oil companies, global exploration and production (E&P) players such as BP, ExxonMobil and Shell, as well as private operators including Adani Welspun Exploration.

With a renewed focus on offshore and frontier basin development, the conference deliberated on the role of seismic data in enabling exploration outcomes.

"At the Data-Led Exploration Conference, we reaffirmed a simple truth: exploration succeeds when knowledge is shared, not siloed," the minister said in a post on social media platform X.

He added that by promoting a multi-client data ecosystem that allows wider participation in interpretation and innovation, India is changing the way the exploration and production sector has traditionally been viewed as uncertain.

"The more eyes on the data, the greater the possibilities beneath our seas," Puri said.

He further noted that under the Samudra Manthan initiative, India is unlocking its offshore potential through openness, collaboration and advanced technologies, in line with the goal of energy self-reliance.

Participants at the conference highlighted that the availability, quality and accessibility of seismic data are critical determinants of exploration success.

They noted that gaps in data coverage, particularly in frontier and deepwater basins, continue to constrain investment inflows and exploration activity.

The industry also emphasised the need for accelerated and targeted seismic data acquisition aligned with upcoming licensing rounds, noting that early-stage data availability improves investor participation.

Multi-client seismic models were identified as a potential mechanism to enhance cost efficiency and expand participation, especially in less-explored basins, although a calibrated approach was recommended considering India's basin maturity and existing data structures.

The role of the government in strengthening the data ecosystem was also underlined, including policy support, continued investment in data acquisition and improved data access frameworks.

Participants further stressed the need for robust procurement and execution frameworks, including engagement with multiple service providers and adoption of quality-cum-cost-based approaches to ensure timely and high-quality data acquisition, according to the government.

- IANS