Cairn Installs India’s First-Ever Sub-Sea Template to Kickstart Ambe Block Drilling.

Cairn Oil & Gas, a subsidiary of the Vedanta Group, announced on Monday a major technological breakthrough for the Indian energy sector. The company has successfully installed India’s first-ever Sub-Sea Template (SST) off the country's West Coast, clearing the path for advanced offshore exploration in the Ambe block.

The installation was completed as part of a Conductor Supported Platform (CSP) setup. In a regional first, the operation was executed using a Jack-up Rig, an engineering feat never before seen in Indian offshore waters.

Fast-Tracking the Ambe Block

The Ambe field, located in the Gulf of Cambay, is a critical asset within the Discovered Small Field (DSF) framework. With the SST now in place, Cairn—India’s largest private oil and gas producer—is set to begin cluster drilling imminently.

The sub-sea template acts as a structural foundation on the seabed, allowing for the precise alignment of multiple wells. This technology is expected to:

Accelerate Development: Streamline the transition from exploration to production.

Optimize Monetization: Enable faster extraction of resources from the West Coast.

Enhance Efficiency: Support complex drilling patterns from a centralized offshore location.

Strengthening India’s Energy Security

The move is part of Vedanta’s broader strategy to boost domestic production and reduce the country's reliance on energy imports. By deploying "first-in-India" technology, Cairn aims to demonstrate that even smaller offshore fields can be developed profitably and at scale.

"This development marks a significant breakthrough for offshore exploration," the company stated, noting that the focus now shifts to the rapid commercialization of the Ambe field.