Mumbai High Field

Bombay High is an offshore oilfield 160 km off the coast of Mumbai (Bombay). As of 2004, it supplies 14% of India's oil requirement and accounts for about 38% of all domestic production. Note: Despite the name of Bombay being changed to Mumbai, the name of the rigs remains Bombay High.

The oil operations are run by India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).

Bombay High field was discovered by a Russian and Indian oil exploration team operating from the seismic exploration vessel Academic Arkhangelsky during mapping of the Gulf of Khambat (earlier Cambay) in 1964-67. The naming of the field is attributed to a team including Mr. M. Krishnamurthy, from a survey run in 1965 analysed in the Rashmi building in Peddar Road, Cumballa Hill, Mumbai.

The first offshore well was sunk in 1974.

On July 27, 2005, a major fire destroyed the production platform, leaving at least 11 people dead despite rescue measures taken by the Coast Guard. The platform accounted for 110,000 barrels per day, or 15%, of India's oil production. Rebuilding this is expected to take upwards of 4 months and estimated to cost around Rs. 1200 crore or US$300 million.

(source:ONGC Special Report on URL: http://www.ongc.net checked Jan 2005)