ONGC, a leading E&P Company and a major operator in Indian deepwaters, has spudded a well in 10411 feet (3174 m) of water depth on 18th June 2013. The well 1-D-1 in Exploratory Block KG-DWN-2005/1, off East Coast of India, is being drilled by rig DDKG1. This enabled ONGCBSE -0.86 % to surpass its own earlier world record set in January 2013, for drilling a well in deepest water depth.
Over the years, ONGC has developed a formidable capability in ultra-deepwater drilling. Since 2004, ONGC has drilled over 100 deepwater wells. A large number of these wells are in daunting water depths beyond 5000 feet in environmentally and logistically difficult areas of Indian East Coast and West Coast, ranging from Gujarat offshore to Mahanadi offshore including 6 wells in Andaman offshore.
Out of these, around 25 wells have been drilled in water depths of 5000 feet to 7500 feet and 16 wells in water depths of 7500 feet to 10000 feet. The current world record well # 1-D-1, which is under drilling, is the 3rd well in beyond 10000 feet water depth.
