NTPC Ltd and IIT Bombay have successfully drilled India’s first underground CO₂ storage evaluation well, advancing the country’s CCS efforts. The initiative aims to assess the feasibility of long-term carbon dioxide storage to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project began in November 2022 under NITI Aayog’s supervision and focuses on assessing coal seams and sandstone reservoirs for CO₂ storage as part of India’s climate strategy.
Research partnership drives geological assessment
The project brought together NTPC’s research arm, NETRA, and IIT Bombay’s Department of Earth Sciences in a collaborative research effort. As part of this work, the teams developed India’s first geological storage atlas for methane-rich coalfields, providing a scientific foundation for future CCS deployment.
Drilling operations completed in Jharkhand
The drilling operations took place at Pakri Barwadih in Jharkhand. The first well, drilled in September 2025, reached a depth of 1,200 metres to study subsurface geological characteristics. The team drilled a second well on December 21, 2025.
Milestone supports India’s net-zero ambitions
As reported by manufacturingtodayindia.com, the successful drilling marks a key milestone in India’s indigenous CCS efforts, paving the way for scalable carbon mitigation in power and industry.
