Data Driven Exploration Conference on Offshore Energy

India has placed seismic data at the centre of its expanded exploration strategy under the Samudra Manthan – National Offshore Mission. A conference on Data Driven Exploration was convened by the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons to engage industry on improving exploration outcomes through a stronger data ecosystem. The meeting brought together government officials, national oil companies, global exploration and production firms, private operators, and seismic technology providers.

Focus on Seismic Data

The conference underlined that data quality, coverage, and accessibility are decisive for exploration success. Participants noted that gaps in frontier and deepwater basin data continue to limit prospectivity, investment, and exploration intensity. Reprocessing and reinterpretation of legacy datasets, supported by advanced imaging tools and artificial intelligence, were identified as immediate value creators.

Multi-Client Seismic Model

A major theme was the role of multi-client seismic models in improving cost efficiency and widening participation. Such models can speed up data availability and support licensing rounds, especially in frontier basins. However, the discussions also stressed that India needs a calibrated approach, keeping in view basin maturity and existing data ownership structures.

Government and Procurement Role

The Government was seen as a key enabler through policy support, investment in data acquisition, and stronger access frameworks under the National Data Repository. Participants also called for robust procurement systems, including engagement with multiple service providers and quality-cum-cost-based evaluation, to ensure timely and high-quality execution at scale.

Proposed Next Steps

The conference proposed a prioritised seismic data acquisition roadmap for frontier and deepwater basins, aligned with upcoming bid rounds. It also called for a structured programme to reprocess and integrate existing datasets, define commercial models for selective use of multi-client and hybrid approaches, and design procurement frameworks suited to large-scale exploration activity.