Oil India Ltd (OIL), the country’s second-largest state-owned explorer, has enlisted French energy major TotalEnergies to provide technical support in identifying oil and gas reserves in deep and ultra-deepwater zones.

OIL said Wednesday that the firms signed a technology service agreement on November 19, 2025, to “strengthen strategic collaboration” across Indian offshore sedimentary basins, including government-mandated stratigraphic wells.

The partnership allows OIL to draw on TotalEnergies’ deepwater expertise across its current and planned offshore portfolio. It covers the appraisal of a gas discovery in the shallow offshore Andaman Basin and exploration in ultradeep-water blocks in the Mahanadi and Krishna-Godavari Basins.

In September, OIL reported detecting “occurrence of natural gas” in the Vijayapuram-2 exploratory well in the Offshore Andaman Block AN-OSHP-2018/1, though testing is needed to assess its potential. TotalEnergies will now help determine whether the find is commercially viable.

It includes the ongoing appraisal programme of gas find in the shallow offshore blocks in Andaman basin as well as exploration in OIL's ultradeep water blocks in Mahanadi and Krishna Godavari Basins. It also covers evaluation of opportunities under current and future bid rounds and providing support during stratigraphic well drilling initiative in offshore Category-II & III Basins, the firm said.

Oil India Ltd (OIL) and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) have been probing for hydrocarbon reserves in the Andaman Sea in the hope of finding a discovery that could help cut India's 88 per cent dependence on imports for its oil needs and 50 per cent reliance on overseas for gas requirements.

"The strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone in OIL's commitment to pursue exploration in offshore frontiers towards possible hydrocarbon discovery and secure sustainable energy future for India," the company said in the statement Wednesday.