RAS question
Oil India Limited discovered natural gas in which well off the Andaman Islands, marking the first hydrocarbon find in the region?
Correct answer: (B) Sri Vijayapuram-2 well.
Oil India Limited reported natural gas in the Sri Vijayapuram-2 well off the Andaman Islands, marking the first reported hydrocarbon occurrence in its Andaman shallow offshore exploration campaign.
Explanation
Oil India Limited's official release identifies the find as natural gas reported in its second exploratory well, Vijayapuram-2, drilled in the Offshore Andaman Block AN-OSHP-2018/1. The well was 17 km from the shoreline, at a water depth of 295 metres, with a target depth of 2,650 metres, and gas samples tested at 87% methane. This matters because the release says preliminary testing confirmed natural gas and that this was the first reported occurrence of hydrocarbon during the ongoing exploration campaign in the Andaman Shallow Offshore Block. The well name is therefore the key fact: the discovery was tied to Sri Vijayapuram-2, not to a generic Andaman location.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Port Blair-1 is not the well named in Oil India Limited's release; the release identifies Vijayapuram-2 as the exploratory well where natural gas was reported.
- (C) Car Nicobar-3 is not supported by Oil India Limited's official release; the reported natural gas occurrence is tied to Vijayapuram-2.
- (D) Havelock-1 is a distractor because Oil India Limited names Vijayapuram-2, drilled in the Offshore Andaman Block, as the relevant well.
Concept
This tests Science and Technology coverage of energy resources and hydrocarbon exploration, where RAS questions often ask candidates to connect a recent discovery with its exact project, location or technical identifier. The recurring exam skill is precision: the well name, not just the company or region, decides the answer.