Project Overview
Elemental Energies was engaged to deliver comprehensive project management and engineering services for ONGC’s offshore drilling campaign in Block KG-DWN-98/2, off India’s east coast. The multi-year programme supported planning, drilling, completion, and testing across development and exploration activities, advancing one of India’s most significant deepwater energy projects.
Operating in water depths from ~300 to 1,400 metres, the campaign successfully managed a total of 52 deepwater wells, comprising:
- 18 exploration, appraisal and testing wells (approx. 290 m – 2,800 m)
- 32 development wells drilled / 26 completed
- 2 intervention wells
To optimise performance, safety and efficiency, five offshore rigs – including anchor-moored and dynamically positioned semi-submersibles and drillships – were deployed at peak activity.
Scope of Work
We provided full-lifecycle project management and engineering, including:
- Review and integration of G&G and reservoir data provided by ONGC.
- Well planning and drilling/completion programme preparation across development and exploration wells.
- Execution support for drilling and completion operations in conjunction with ONGC, rig contractors and service providers.
- Advisory support to ONGC on sourcing, contracting and scheduling of materials, equipment, personnel and services.
- Offshore operations and logistics supervision, coordinating interfaces with ONGC and key service partners.
- End-of-Well Reporting (EOWR), data quality control and lessons-learned capture for continuous improvement.
Safety & Performance
- Barrier-based well design and verification aligned to deepwater risk profiles.
- Structured MoC, permit-to-work and real-time operations reviews to sustain safe performance.
- KPIs tracked for schedule adherence, logistics efficiency and quality of deliverables.
Collaboration Model
- Integrated delivery with ONGC leadership, drilling contractors and service partners.
- Clear interface definitions, RASCI and weekly look-ahead planning across all rigs.
- Centralised reporting and EOWR discipline to accelerate decision making.
Technologies & Methods
- DP and anchor-moored semi-subs and drillships to match location and well objectives.
- Advanced completion designs tailored to reservoir characteristics and production targets.
- Digital reporting and structured lessons-learned to drive continual improvement.
“The contribution of Elemental Energies in every step of 98/2 wells drilling and completion is immense. Your meticulous planning and execution, with the utmost regard for safety, are well appreciated. We look forward to working together on future projects.”
Key Highlights
- Five-rig peak operations safely coordinated to maximise progress and minimise non-productive time.
- 41 wells successfully designed and constructed during the drilling phase, with robust well delivery assurance processes.
- Upper and lower completion designs engineered and implemented for 28 production wells.
- Consistent HSE leadership and risk management, with rigorous barrier philosophy and management of change.
- Strong multi-party interface management, aligning ONGC, rig contractors and specialist service providers.
- Data-driven performance benchmarking and lessons-learned embedded to improve well sequence efficiency.
Conclusion
Elemental Energies provided an integrated management and engineering solution that enabled ONGC to progress a complex, multi-rig deepwater campaign safely and efficiently. Through disciplined planning, robust well engineering, coordinated execution and continuous learning, we supported reliable delivery across exploration, appraisal, development and intervention activities – building a strong foundation for future project phases in the 98/2 field.
This programme demonstrates our capability to manage complex offshore operations, deliver engineering excellence, and drive reliable outcomes in challenging deepwater environments.
