Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) and bp have signed a contract under which bp will serve as the Technical Services Provider (TSP) for the Mumbai High field, India’s largest and most prolific offshore oil field.

Mumbai High is located about 160 km west of the Mumbai coast, in the Arabian Sea. The water depth is approximately 75m, and the reservoir depth is about 1,200-1,500 m below the seabed. The oil API gravity ranges between 28°–30° API.

ONGC will retain ownership and operational control of the field. Under the terms of the contract, bp will receive a fixed fee for a period of two years for its deployed personnel, followed by a service fee linked to incremental oil and gas production. bp will work in close collaboration with ONGC to stabilize the field’s current production decline and restore it to a robust growth trajectory.

In 2024, the Mumbai High oil field was producing approximately 134,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), down from a peak of 471,000 bpd in 1985., ONGC has engaged BP as a technical service provider. bp aims to increase oil production by 44%.

Leveraging its extensive experience in managing some of the world’s largest oil fields, bp will optimize oil recovery at Mumbai High by conducting comprehensive reviews of sub-surface models, implementing system optimizations, and enhancing reservoir management practices. This partnership is anticipated to significantly boost domestic oil and gas production, thereby increasing revenue for ONGC and benefiting the people of India, while also yielding higher service fee returns for bp.

bp will assemble a team of technical experts to commence work by March 2025. In support of this initiative, both companies have already established a Senior Management Team and a Joint Management Team to ensure seamless project execution.

India’s quest towards energy self-sufficiency under the dynamic leadership of Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi Ji gets a massive boost as ONGC onboards its energy partner bp as Technical Service Provider for the Mumbai High Field, landmark field which has been providing energy security to us since 1974. While ONGC continues to retain the ownership of the field, this unique technology collaboration with BP’s expertise in managing complex mature reservoirs and implementing advanced recovery technologies and best operational practices will help in enhancing the production from this iconic field.<

—Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) Shri Hardeep Puri

Having discovered seven out of the eight producing basins of India, ONGC has the largest exploration acreage in the country and is the holder of the largest mining license in India. ONGC has steadfastly maintained a Reserve Replenishment Ratio (RRR) of more than one (2P reserves) for the last ten years.

In 2023, India was the third-highest consumer of petroleum and other liquids, behind the United States and China, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). India has one of the fastest-growing economies and the fourth-largest economy in the world.