MoPNG organizes Data Driven Exploration Conference under Samudra Manthan to strengthen India’s exploration ecosystem

A conference on “Data Driven Exploration” was convened by the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) in the context of India’s expanding exploration agenda under the Samudra Manthan – National Offshore Mission, to engage industry on accelerating India’s exploration outcomes through a stronger data ecosystem.

The conference was chaired by the Secretary, M/o Petroleum & Natural Gas, and witnessed participation by over 80 participants including M/o PNG, DGH, national oil companies, global Exploration & Production(E&P) players (BP, ExxonMobil, Shell, etc.), private operators (Reliance Industries, Cairn India, Invenire Energy, Adani Welspun Exploration) , and leading seismic service providers and technology players (TGS, Viridien, Shearwater GeoServices, SLB, Wave Geo Services). With a renewed focus on offshore and frontier basin development, the conference aimed to engage industry stakeholders on the role of seismic data in enabling exploration outcomes.

In his posts on social media platform X,  the Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri highlighted that the India is moving beyond blind exploration and is embracing a bold multi-client model that allows more minds to interpret, innovate, and discover, thereby decisively changing how E&P has been considered a sector of uncertainty.

He further added that with SamudraManthan, India’s vast offshore potential is being unlocked with openness, collaboration, and cutting-edge science to fulfil our quest towards energy Aatmanirbharta.

Key takeaways from the conference:

Data as the Primary Enabler:

• There was clear industry consensus that availability, quality, and accessibility of seismic data directly determine exploration outcomes.
• Participants highlighted that gaps in data coverage, particularly in frontier and deepwater basins, continue to constrain basin prospectivity, investment inflow, and exploration intensity.

• Significant value can be unlocked through reprocessing and reinterpretation of legacy datasets, leveraging advancements in imaging technologies and AI-driven interpretation.

Need to Accelerate Data Acquisition:

• Participants emphasized the need for targeted and accelerated seismic acquisition, aligned with upcoming licensing rounds. Global experience indicates that early-stage data densification materially improves participation and investment outcomes.

Multi-Client Seismic Models (MCM) as Accelerators:

• Multi-client seismic models were identified as a potential mechanism to improve cost efficiency and broaden participation, particularly in frontier basins.
• Global experience suggests that MCM enables faster data availability and supports increased licensing participation.
• At the same time, a phased and calibrated approach is required for India, considering basin maturity and existing data ownership structures.

Government as a Key Enabler:

• The role of the Government in enabling the data ecosystem was emphasized, including policy support, continued investment in data acquisition, and strengthening of data access frameworks (NDR). Policy clarity and predictability were highlighted as critical to unlocking industry participation.

Procurement and Execution Frameworks:

• Given the scale of anticipated activity, participants highlighted the need for robust procurement frameworks, including engagement with multiple service providers and adoption of quality-cum-cost-based approaches to ensure high-quality data acquisition and timely execution.

Based on the discussions, it was proposed to

• Finalize a prioritized seismic data acquisition roadmap, focusing on frontier and deepwater basins and aligned with upcoming bid rounds

• Initiate a structured programme for reprocessing and integration of existing datasets to unlock near-term exploration value
• Define commercial frameworks for data acquisition, including selective application of multi-client and hybrid models
• Design procurement and execution frameworks aligned to scale, incorporating quality-based evaluation and enabling participation from multiple service providersBottom of Form

The Data Driven Exploration conference reaffirmed that seismic data is the foundational lever for accelerating exploration participation and investment, particularly in frontier and deepwater basins. There was strong industry alignment on the need to improve data quality, accessibility, and commercial viability through a targeted and time-bound approach.

The conference points towards the need to translate consensus into execution, with immediate focus on operationalizing key action areas, including finalization of a prioritized data acquisition roadmap, development of appropriate commercial models, and design of procurement frameworks aligned to scale and quality requirements.