Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited has announced a significant overseas upstream milestone after its wholly owned subsidiary, Bharat PetroResources Limited, reported a fresh oil discovery in Abu Dhabi. The discovery was made through Urja Bharat Pte Limited, a 50:50 special purpose vehicle operating the Onshore Block 1 concession, and was officially announced on January 13, 2026.
The oil discovery comes after the exploration concession for Onshore Block 1 was awarded to Urja Bharat Pte Limited in March 2019. Since then, the exploration phase has been successfully completed, with cumulative investments of nearly USD 166 million. The concession spans a large area of up to 6,162 square kilometres and grants 100% concession rights to the operating entity, underscoring the strategic importance of the block.
The first discovery has been made in the unconventional Shilaif play at the XN-76 exploration well. Following successful hydrofracking operations, the well flowed oil at the surface from the Shilaif formation. Testing results have confirmed the presence of unconventional oil resources within Onshore Block 1, marking a major technical and operational success for the project.
In another key development, oil was also discovered during testing at the XN-79 02S exploration well in the same block. This well flowed crude oil from the Habshan reservoir, making it the first oil find from this reservoir within the concession area. The dual discoveries significantly enhance the resource potential of the block and open up further appraisal opportunities.