The licence encompasses 11,605 km² in the Bay of Bengal where water depths vary from 2,300 m to 3,100 m. The joint venture has acquired over 4,188 km2 of 3D seismic data.

In August 2002, Reliance and HEPI bid for 15 licences in the NELP-III licence bidding round. The consortium was successful in being awarded 9 exploration licences. HEPI has retained an interest in the D9 licence, a deepwater lock in the Krishna Godavari Basin, and has reassigned the remainder to Reliance. The retained licence is considered as having high potential as it is situated adjacent to the prolific Dhirubhai field discovered and operated by Reliance.

Regarding the status of the D9 block, the operator submitted a proposal requesting the grant of a drilling moratorium for three years from January 2008 to December 2010 on the basis that the operator has not been able to complete the minimum work obligations of exploratory drilling in view of non-availability of suitable deep water rigs in the international market. Similar proposals were also submitted by other operators including the national oil company ONGC and AOGO. The proposal is under active consideration by the GOI. Should the Drilling Moratorium not be granted, there are provisions for availing extension of the phase one period based on statutory delays and the other allowable extensions as per a DGH extension policy.

The joint venture has acquired over 4,188 km2 of 3D seismic data including infill, and subsequently leads at Upper Miocene, Middle Miocene, Oligocene and Cretaceous have been identified. These leads are aerially large structural closures located toward the relatively shallow north western corner of the concession, for which GIIP of multi TCF has been computed by the operator. A fourth lead is a Pleistocene channel in the south eastern part of the block, which is in ultra deep water with a prognosticated GIIP of a similar order of magnitude to the other leads.

Initial exploration will be focused upon amplitude anomalies within structural closure in the Miocene and Pliocene. There are many seismic anomalies within the block and, given its proximity to D6, exploration potential of this large block is regarded with considerable optimism.

The participating interests (per cent.) for this licence are as follows:

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