Exploration block KGB-6 in the Krishna Godavari basin, 150km off the coast of Andhra Pradesh, is estimated will produce about 40 to 50 million cubic metres per day when developed.

India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, one of the largest such companies in India, has an entire gas production at present of about 55 million cu.m per day. This means the country's gas production will double once the newly discovered well moves into production.

Reliance has informed the director general of hydrocarbons, and the ministry of petroleum of the discovery.

Reliance holds interest in 23 exploration blocks in a consortium with other exploration and production companies. These exploration areas cover a wide range of geological settings, spanning onshore, shallow and deepwater blocks on the country's east and west coasts. Reliance is the operator in 14 of these blocks.

The company's total oil and gas exploration acreage exceeds 130,000sq.km.

The government has awarded four exploration blocks to a consortium of Reliance Industries with Hardy Exploration & Production (India) under NELP-III.