Urja Bharat Pte Ltd, a 50:50 joint venture between Indian Oil Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation’s exploration arm Bharat PetroResources Ltd, discovered oil in two exploratory wells in Abu Dhabi’s Onshore Block 1. The first discovery was in early 2024 at well XN-76 in the unconventional Shilaif play, where the well flowed light crude oil at the surface after hydro-fracturing. A second discovery was recorded during drilling and testing of well XN-79 02S, which flowed crude oil from the Habshan reservoir and marked the first oil discovery in that reservoir within the concession area. The partners invested close to $166 million in the exploration phase, which has been completed, and both discoveries are set for appraisal to assess economic viability and potential commercial development.