Why in the news?

  • The Prime Minister of India announced the National Deep Water Exploration Mission on the 79th Independence Day.

National Deep Water Exploration Mission

  • What is it?
    • A flagship energy security initiative to explore untapped oil and gas reserves beneath India’s seabed.
    • Operates in mission mode for accelerated offshore exploration.
  • Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
    • Supported by Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) and allied R&D institutions.
  • Aim: To boost offshore oil and gas discovery, targeting areas like the Andaman Sea and deep waters off the Andhra coast to achieve energy self-reliance.
  • Objectives
    • Reduce dependence on crude oil (88%) and natural gas (50%) imports.
    • Enhance domestic hydrocarbon production capacity.
    • Strengthen long-term energy security.
    • Promote Aatmanirbhar Bharat in the energy sector.
  • Features
    • Deep-Water Focus: Target unexplored offshore zones (Andaman-Nicobar basin, Andhra coast).
    • Policy Reforms Backing: Linked with Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) and pro-exploration legislative changes.
    • Large-Scale Bidding: Over 1 million sq km of ‘No-Go’ areas opened for exploration.
    • Advanced Technology: Use of 3D seismic surveys, AI-enabled data analytics, modern drilling techniques.
    • Public-Private Collaboration: Encourages domestic + global investors in offshore exploration.
  • Significance
    • Energy Independence: Reduces import dependency, improves self-reliance.
    • Economic Gains: Saves billions in foreign exchange; funds can be redirected to infrastructure and welfare.
    • Strategic Security: Ensures greater control over energy resources amid volatile global oil markets.
    • Technological Edge: Builds domestic capability in deep-sea exploration technologies.