ONGC spuds its first deepwater well in Mahanadi basin
State-run ONGC on Saturday, July 25, began drilling its first deepwater exploratory well in the Mahanadi offshore basin, launching one of India's toughest deep and ultra-deepwater exploration campaigns. The well, MN-DW18-1-H-D, was spudded under the government's Samudra Manthan mission. ONGC said the effort aims to raise domestic oil and gas output, cut import reliance and bolster national energy security.