Oil India Limited (OIL), the state-owned upstream explorer, has entered into a strategic Technology Service Agreement with French energy major TotalEnergies to deepen its exploration efforts in India’s deep and ultra-deepwater offshore basins. The pact, signed on November 19, 2025, aims to leverage TotalEnergies’ global technical expertise to support OIL’s offshore frontier ambitions.
Under the agreement, TotalEnergies will help OIL in several key areas. These include appraisal of a gas discovery in the Andaman Basin, exploration in ultra-deepwater blocks in the Mahanadi and Krishna-Godavari (KG) basins, and stratigraphic well drilling in offshore Category II and Category III basins. The deal also opens up opportunities for collaboration in future licensing rounds, including the ongoing Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP-X).
For OIL, this collaboration represents a major step in strengthening its offshore exploration portfolio. In recent years, the company has significantly scaled up its exploration activities, backed by more than 230 wells drilled, new rig deployments, and robust digital and subsurface modeling capabilities, all part of its long-term strategy to boost production. The partnership with TotalEnergies is expected to accelerate that plan, particularly in technically challenging deepwater settings.
TotalEnergies brings to the table decades of experience in complex offshore exploration, including deep and ultra-deep basins around the world. By combining this knowledge with OIL’s local presence and licensing rights, the companies aim to generate more reliable data about subsurface geology, assess hydrocarbon potential more accurately, and identify viable production opportunities.
The agreement also has a broader strategic importance for India’s energy security. With growing demand for hydrocarbons and a national focus on reducing import dependence, unlocking offshore gas or oil resources could help shore up domestic supply. For OIL, the agreement is a clear signal of its ambition to expand beyond its conventional onshore footprint.
Moreover, the collaboration dovetails with India’s push to modernise its upstream sector through international partnerships and advanced technologies. By working with a global player like TotalEnergies, OIL can accelerate its learning curve and reduce exploration risks, especially in frontier areas where drilling costs are high and subsurface uncertainty is significant.
Oil India’s leadership expressed optimism about the partnership. In its investor-analyst meet earlier in 2025, OIL said that deepwater collaborations, backed by technology-driven exploration, will be central to its growth roadmap. TotalEnergies, for its part, views the deal as a way to strengthen its presence in a high-potential market and tap into India’s evolving upstream landscape.
The agreement was signed in New Delhi in the presence of senior officials from both companies, underlining its strategic weight. Both parties are expected to mobilise quickly, with well-planning, seismic studies, and technical evaluations already in motion.
In sum, the OIL–TotalEnergies deal marks a significant milestone in India’s offshore exploration journey. By combining global expertise with domestic ambition, the partnership has the potential to accelerate discovery, reduce import vulnerability, and build long-term hydrocarbon value a critical piece in the country’s broader energy security puzzle.
