Vedanta Gets Two Offshore Blocks To Explore Deepwater Reserves

Vedanta has secured two offshore oil and gas blocks under the Government of India’s fourth Discovered Small Field (DSF) bidding round, expanding its exploration portfolio in the Krishna Godavari basin off the country’s east coast.

The awards comprise a shallow-water block, KG/OSDSF/G1/2025, and a deepwater block, KG/DWDSF/GD10/2025, the company said in a statement on Saturday.

The blocks were awarded at a contract-signing ceremony in New Delhi attended by Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, it added.

The awards come as the government seeks to increase domestic hydrocarbon production and reduce India’s dependence on imported oil and gas.

The latest awards are also aligned with the government’s Samudra Manthan National Deepwater Exploration Mission, which aims to accelerate offshore exploration, develop discovered resources and encourage investment in deepwater and frontier basins.

Vedanta’s Offshore Exploration Plans

According to the company, it has already begun deepwater exploration activities in the Krishna Godavari basin. These include three-dimensional controlled-source electromagnetic (3D CSEM) surveys to assess subsurface prospects and reduce exploration risks ahead of drilling.

Jim Johnny Gast, Interim CEO and Whole Time Director of Vedanta Oil and Gas Limited, said that the company is committed to increasing production to meet the growing energy demands of the country.

"Offshore basins hold significant resource potential and will play a key role in reducing import dependency for oil & gas. The new blocks will augment our portfolio in the East Coast, and we look forward to leveraging our technical expertise, operational capabilities and partnerships to responsibly explore and develop these assets as part of our future growth roadmap," Gast said in a statement.

Vedanta Oil and Gas, which operates under the Cairn brand, holds interests in 43 blocks covering more than 44,000 sq km of acreage across India, the company said.

It reported gross proved and probable (2P) reserves and resources, alongside contingent (2C) resources, of 1.3 billion barrels of oil equivalent. Its producing assets are spread across Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Assam.

The addition of the two blocks expands its presence in offshore exploration as India seeks to develop domestic resources to meet rising energy demand and strengthen energy security.