Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Drills Second Geothermal Well in Ladakh

Key facts

• Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) completed drilling its second geothermal well in the Puga Valley of Ladakh.
• The drilling was conducted by the ONGC Energy Centre, reaching a depth of 1,000 metres at an altitude exceeding 14,000 feet.
• The project is a significant step towards establishing India's first 1-megawatt electric (MWe) pilot geothermal power plant.
• The Puga geothermal field in eastern Ladakh is considered the most promising geothermal resource in the country.
• The first well in the region demonstrated potential by producing steam at temperatures above the boiling point of water.
• Geothermal energy provides a round-the-clock, low-carbon baseload power source, unlike weather-dependent solar and wind energy.
• This initiative aligns with India's target of installing 500 GW of non-fossil-fuel electricity capacity by 2030.