ONGC squeezes brownfields while scouting new offshore pools
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) reported an 18% rise in consolidated profit in Q1 FY26, despite a 20% fall in realised crude prices to $66 per barrel. The story is one of disciplined engineering: smaller exploration finds in Mumbai Offshore, restart of the PY-3 field in the Cauvery Basin, and enhanced oil recovery projects at mature fields in Ahmedabad.
Gas is becoming the strategic cushion. ONGC has brought coal-bed methane from North Karanpura to market and commenced supplies from Tripura into GAIL’s city-gas network. These incremental additions mirror international practices—Equinor in Norway and Petrobras in Brazil have likewise prioritised brownfields and small pools when prices soften.
Safety remains under scrutiny after a recent fatal incident at subsidiary MRPL. Manage...