The move follows ONGC’s lack of success in its high-cost, low-yielding deepwater exploration program. Millions of dollars and seven wells drilled later, ONGC has only a small gas find to show for its efforts.

The newspaper reported Indian petroleum secretary SC Tripathi as saying the committee would be made up of “experts” from India’s directorate general of hydrocarbons and the planning commission.

Tripathi said the committee would assess if the state-run firm was following “global best practices” in its exploration drive. He hoped the analysis of offshore operations could generate helpful new ideas.