Significant Progress in Oil Exploration on North Bank of Brahmaputra: OIL CMD Ranjit Rath

He outlined the ongoing technical and scientific work being carried out to confirm commercial viability.

Oil India Limited (OIL) has made significant strides in oil exploration on the North Bank of the Brahmaputra River, with early indicators confirming the presence of hydrocarbons in the area.

Responding to a question from Northeast Live Editor-in-Chief Wasbir Hussain about the progress of oil exploration in the North Bank of the Brahmaputra River, Ranjit Rath, Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of OIL, revealed that the company has made significant progress, including confirmation of hydrocarbon presence and plans for further drilling to establish commercial viability.

Ranjit Rath called it a significant step toward unlocking the area’s untapped energy potential.

“Based on a concentrated, strategy-driven exploration effort, we have established the presence of hydrocarbons in the North Bank under the Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP). Although it’s too early to call it a discovery, the indications are encouraging,” Rath stated.

Speaking on the broader strategy, Rath highlighted that while drilling and production activities have historically been concentrated on the Southern Bank of the Brahmaputra, the North Bank is now emerging as a promising frontier for India’s energy ambitions.

He outlined the ongoing technical and scientific work being carried out to confirm commercial viability.

He said that to build on the momentum, OIL is now undertaking supplementary seismic surveys, evaluating technologies to enhance production potential, and planning the drilling of additional wells to establish commercial viability.

“We are conducting supplementary seismic surveys to better understand the geological structure, and planning to drill additional wells to assess the true potential. We have also acquired seismic data over a wide stretch across the North Bank including areas like Biswanath Chariali and Mangaldoi and the data processing is underway with support from international consultants. The prospects of this basin are under detailed evaluation, and we are preparing for further drilling operations,” he added.

The OIL CMD said that beyond Assam, Oil India has secured exploration blocks in Meghalaya, Tripura, the Mahanadi basin (offshore), and the Kambay basin, reflecting a diversified and concentrated, strategy-driven exploration approach.

Highlighting the country’s growing energy demands, Rath emphasized the urgency for increasing domestic production.

Rath said, “India is literally energy-hungry. Today, we are processing about 258 million metric tons of oil, with a target of over 400 million metric tons by 2040. Currently, nearly 88% of this demand is met through imports. As per Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarion call, there is a focused effort to reduce import dependence by 10%, which means domestic crude production needs to rise to around 90 million metric tons. At present, we produce about 30 million metric tons domestically, with Oil India contributing around 10 to 11% of that.”

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