BPCL Makes Oil Discovery in Abu Dhabi Onshore Block

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited announced two oil discoveries in Abu Dhabi on 13 January 2026. Bharat PetroResources Limited, a subsidiary of BPCL, made the findings through a 50:50 partnership called Urja Bharat Pte Limited.

The discoveries were made in Onshore Block 1, covering an area of 6,162 square kilometres. The exploration phase took place after the block was awarded in March 2019. BPCL invested nearly USD 166 million during the exploration work.

The first discovery was made in the XN-76 well. The well flowed oil from the Shilaif formation after hydrofracking operations. The testing results showed the presence of oil resources in the Unconventional Shilaif play. The company plans to conduct an appraisal phase to establish how much oil can be produced from the wells.

A second discovery was announced at exploration well XN-79 02S. The well flowed crude oil from the Habshan reservoir. This was the first oil find in the Habshan reservoir within the concession area.

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Urja Bharat Pte Limited holds 100 per cent concession rights for the block. The concession agreement outlines the terms for oil exploration and production in the region.

BPCL said the discoveries would help India's energy security. The company is an operator in the Abu Dhabi block and manages the exploration and production activities there. The discoveries come after an exploration phase that covered drilling and testing of wells.

The company stated it would move forward with the appraisal phase to determine the financial viability of the wells. This phase involves further testing and assessment of the oil resources found.