ONGC Reports Drilling on Geothermal Project in Ladakh, India

The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has reported drilling to a depth of 1000 meters for a geothermal project at the Puga Valley in Ladakh, India. The company had also received approval for a five-year extension for the project, with a revised plan of establishing a 1-MWe pilot geothermal power plant and preparing recommendations for larger-scale commercial development.

The well drilled by ONGC in Ladakh is now officially the deepest geothermal well in India. Drilling in Ladakh had already started back in 2022, but high-pressure steam was encountered at unexpectedly shallow depths. A 2023 update indicated that temperatures of 130 °C were measured at 40 meters depth. At the time, drilling operations had to be stopped due to the coming winter and to source for more appropriate drilling equipment. The drilling site was located on high-altitude terrain above 4,400 meters, thus seasonal challenges had to be considered.

A short update in mid-2024 indicated that drilling operations had resumed. The new drilling contract was awarded to SEROS Drilling Private Ltd.

According to some officials, geothermal fluids at temperatures exceeding 200 ºC have already been reached at shallow depths. These have not been officially confirmed by ONGC, and the agency has not made any announcement pertaining to the parameters of the drilled well and the thermal fluids.