Key Points

In a post on X, the Prime Minister's Office wrote, "Lieutenant Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Admiral D K Joshi, (Retd.) met Prime Minister @narendramodi."

https://x.com/PMOIndia/status/1973414538625040740

It is worth noting that the Central Government is taking sustained measures to explore and identify crude oil and hydrocarbon reserves in the Andaman-Nicobar Basin, aiming to contribute to the country's long-term energy security and reduce import dependence.

Following the introduction of the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP), the Government has allocated four blocks for oil and gas exploration in the Andaman-Nicobar Basin, covering approximately 23,261 square kilometres (SKM).

Exploratory efforts have resulted in the acquisition of 8,501-line kilometres of 2-Dimensional (2D) seismic data and 3,270 SKM of 3D seismic data in these blocks, and three wells have been drilled in these blocks so far. Furthermore, under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) - X, four blocks with a total area of 47,058 sq. km have been offered in the Andaman Basin.

India's Hydrocarbon Resource Assessment Study (HRAS) estimates hydrocarbon resources of 371 million Metric Tons of Oil Equivalent (MMTOE) in the AN Basin. Subsequent to HRAS 2017, a 2D broadband seismic survey was completed in 2024 covering approximately 80,000 line kilometres of India's Exclusive Economic Zone (including in Andaman offshore). This has helped acquire the essential sub-surface data required for identifying prospective hydrocarbon reserves. Government through Oil India Limited (OIL) has also acquired a total of 22,555 Line Kilometer (LKM) of 2D seismic data in Deep Andaman Offshore Survey during 2021-22.

Geologically, the AN basin lies at the intersection of the Andaman and Nicobar Basins, part of the Bengal-Arakan sedimentary system. The tectonic setting at the boundary of the Indian and Burmese plates has created numerous stratigraphic traps conducive to hydrocarbon accumulation. The basin's geological promise is further amplified by its proximity to proven petroleum systems in Myanmar and North Sumatra. Global interest in the AN basin has been rekindled following significant gas discoveries in the South Andaman offshore in Indonesia, highlighting geological continuity across this region.

Each sedimentary basin possesses distinct geological characteristics, hydrocarbon system dynamics, prospectivity, and development challenges, making direct comparison across basins inherently limited. Consequently, economic and strategic assessments are undertaken in the context of basin-specific parameters, rather than on a like-for-like comparative basis, to ensure realistic evaluation and policy decision-making.

- ANI