Introduction

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) commenced its ‘first oil production’ from the deep-water block in the Krishna Godavari (KG) basin off the Bay of Bengal on the Kakinada coast.

First Crude Oil Production: Significance

Location: The oil extraction is taking place 30 kilometres off the coast of Kakinada, in the Krishna Godavari basin.
Initial Production Phase: Currently, four out of 26 wells are operational.
Production Forecast: By May or June, the production is expected to reach 45,000 barrels per day, accounting for 7% of India’s total crude oil production.
Gas Production Outlook: Alongside oil, the project also anticipates contributing significantly to India’s gas output.

	Details
Location	Eastern coast of India
Geological Setting	Rift basin formed during the Mesozoic era
Sedimentary Fill	Primarily composed of sedimentary rocks
Tectonic Evolution	Went through phases of rifting, subsidence, and sedimentation
Stratigraphy	Includes Krishna Formation, Godavari Formation, Cauvery Formation, and more
Source Rocks	Organic-rich shales and mudstones
Reservoir Rocks	Typically sandstones and limestone formations
Trap Structures	Anticlines, fault traps, stratigraphic pinch-outs, and more
Major Discoveries	KG-D6 Block (Dhirubhai-1 and Dhirubhai-3 fields)
Exploration and Production	Companies like Reliance Industries, ONGC, GAIL, and others are active
Land Size	Approximately 15,000 square kilometers
Geomorphological Units	Upland plains, coastal plains, recent flood plains, and delta plains
Notable Gas Discovery	ONGC made the first gas finding in 1983 in the D-6 block, noted for India’s largest natural gas reserves