Cairn Oil & Gas, part of Vedanta Ltd, has announced the discovery of additional natural gas reserves beneath its long-known Ambe gas field in India’s western
offshore region. The find reinforces the field’s long-term promise and could play a meaningful role in boosting domestic gas output. The company confirmed on Wednesday, January 28, that the discovery was made through appraisal well Ambe-2A in the CB/OSDSF/AMBE/2021 block. The development has been formally communicated to the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) as well as the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, marking a key regulatory milestone. New Reserves Identified Below Existing Gas Field According to the company, the newly identified reserves are located beneath the main producing zone of the Ambe field. "The discovery has been made in reservoirs, below the main gas field, within the Miocene-Tarkeshwar formation," the firm said, without disclosing detailed reserve estimates. The presence of hydrocarbons in deeper formations suggests that the block may hold more untapped potential than previously assessed. These deeper reservoirs could support extended production life for the field if successfully developed. Also Read: ‘Extremely Dangerous Times’: Ex-RBI Guv Raghuram Rajan Lays Out What Budget 2026 Should Prioritise Evaluation Underway For Field Development Plan Cairn Oil & Gas noted that further technical studies are currently in progress to determine the commercial viability of the discovery. "Cairn is carrying out evaluations to assess the potential for the field development plan of the block." These evaluations will inform future investment decisions, including infrastructure requirements and production timelines. The results are expected to shape the next phase of development activity in the block. Background Of The Ambe Block And Ownership The Ambe block spans 728.19 square kilometres and was awarded to Cairn under the Discovered Small Field (DSF) Bid Round III in September 2022. The field itself has a longer history, having been originally discovered nearly two decades ago when Cairn was owned by UK-based Cairn Energy Plc. While the original discovery was part of the larger Cambay basin block CB/OS2, a portion of the area was later offered under the DSF-III round, which Cairn Oil & Gas successfully secured. The company currently holds 100 per cent participating interest in the block. Additional Drilling Plans Cairn has outlined plans to intensify drilling activity in the region. "Cairn plans to drill two additional wells in continuity for the ongoing drilling campaign. The field has the potential to enhance domestic gas production and advance the company's contribution to India's energy aatmanirbharta," the firm said. If developed successfully, the new reserves could support India’s broader goal of reducing dependence on energy imports while strengthening domestic production capacity.
