Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) plans to bring in subject matter experts (SMEs) from BP to support the development of its deepwater fields in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) Basin. The move comes as ONGC looks to deploy advanced technologies and specialised talent to boost recovery from mature fields and accelerate the monetisation of discoveries.
Focus on Deepwater and Complex Geology
ONGC will require around ten specialists with expertise ranging from complex geological interpretation to deepwater drilling and reservoir management. These experts will be engaged on a contractual, fee-based arrangement between the two companies. International oil companies often second such specialists to national oil firms, particularly for projects involving high technical complexity.
Challenges in KG-DWN-98/2 Block
The KG-DWN-98/2 block, situated off India’s eastern coast, has sizeable reserves but has proven difficult to develop due to challenging geology. The block consists of three clusters of discoveries, but currently, only Cluster Two is producing. Output from the KG block presently stands at 33,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil and 2.5 million metric standard cubic meters per day (mmscmd) of gas—well below initial projections.
Exploring Collaboration on Cluster Two
In parallel with the SME engagement, ONGC is also holding discussions with BP on a potential partnership focused on Cluster Two. This reflects ONGC’s strategy of aligning with international expertise to unlock the full potential of its KG Basin discoveries.
