84,084 Crore Rupees ‘Samudra Manthan’ Offshore Hydrocarbon Exploration Scheme

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has operationalized the implementation framework for ‘Samudra Manthan’—the National Offshore Exploration Scheme—with an approved financial outlay of ₹84,084 crore through FY 2030–31, according to the Press Information Bureau.

The Central Sector Scheme represents a strategic shift in India’s upstream energy policy, transitioning from passive private acreage licensing to direct, state-funded geological mapping and exploratory drilling across deepwater and ultra-deepwater frontier basins.

Deepwater De-Risking and Data Acquisition

Offshore exploration is capital-intensive and technologically complex, with single deepwater exploratory wells frequently costing between $125 million and $150 million. Under Samudra Manthan, the central government will directly finance extensive 2D and 3D seismic surveys, geophysical mapping, and stratigraphic exploratory drilling within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

By generating verified sub-surface data, the scheme aims to de-risk unappraised sedimentary basins before offering blocks to domestic and international energy companies under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP).

Long-Term Energy Security

The initiative is designed to counter natural annual production declines in mature domestic fields and reduce the country’s high dependence on imported hydrocarbons. The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) will oversee the program’s technical execution, making high-resolution geological data accessible to global upstream operators to accelerate commercial discoveries over the coming decade.