Cabinet Clears Rs 84,084-Crore ‘Samudra Manthan’ Scheme
National Offshore Exploration Scheme aims to unlock India’s offshore energy potential and boost domestic oil and gas production
- Union Cabinet approves ‘Samudra Manthan’ with an outlay of Rs 84,084 crore.
- Scheme will be implemented up to FY 2030-31 to accelerate offshore exploration.
- Government expects reserve accretion of over 600 MMTOE under the initiative.
- Deepwater drilling, seismic surveys and offshore infrastructure will be key focus areas.
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 31st July: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday approved ‘Samudra Manthan’ — the National Offshore Exploration Scheme with an outlay of Rs 84,084 crore, aimed at accelerating exploration and unlocking India’s offshore oil and gas potential.
The Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas will be implemented up to FY 2030-31 and is expected to strengthen India’s energy security while boosting domestic exploration and production.
The initiative takes forward Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a modern-day “Samudra Manthan”, articulated from the Red Fort on Independence Day 2025, to tap India’s offshore energy resources.
The scheme will cover interventions across the offshore exploration value chain, including large-scale acquisition, processing and interpretation of high-quality seismic data.
It will also support accelerated deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploratory drilling, scientific drilling in frontier basins and development of common offshore production and evacuation infrastructure.
An integrated Oil & Gas Manufacturing and Services Zone will also be established as part of the programme.
The scheme includes provisions for digital programme management, capacity building, adoption of new technologies, stakeholder engagement and international outreach.
According to the government, Samudra Manthan is expected to catalyse reserve accretion of more than 600 Million Metric Tons of Oil Equivalent (MMTOE).
The programme is also expected to substantially increase offshore exploration activity and support higher domestic production of oil and natural gas.
The government said the initiative would attract investments across the exploration and production value chain while generating large-scale employment opportunities.
Samudra Manthan is also aimed at strengthening indigenous manufacturing capabilities under the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.
The government expects the programme to help create a globally competitive ecosystem for offshore technologies and services while strengthening domestic technological capabilities.
Common offshore production and evacuation infrastructure envisaged under the scheme is expected to support exploration projects and facilitate development of discovered resources.
The government said the scheme builds on reforms undertaken in India’s upstream energy sector over the past decade.
These include opening almost the entire offshore acreage for exploration, modernising the legislative and contractual framework and strengthening the National Data Repository.
With strategic public investment, advanced technologies and new infrastructure, the Centre said Samudra Manthan is intended to usher in a new phase of accelerated offshore exploration and contribute to India’s long-term energy security and economic growth.
