ONGC signed an agreement with the Norwegian deepwater export to develop deepwater oil and gas blocks on Monday evening.
The offer was made during the ongoing high level visit of the Norwegian crown price to India.
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation ONGC will tie-up with Norway's state-owned oil firm Norsk Hydro to jointly explore for oil and gas in the Gulf region.
The Norwegian company, which has already taken a 10 per cent stake in the KG-DWN-98/2 block, has the right to double its interests before the gas discoveries are put to production but it is now keen on operatorship and a higher stake in the block, company sources said. ONGC is in dire need of deep water production technology and is likely to agree for a joint operatorship of the block but is not willing to give 30 per cent stake in Norsk Hydro.
ONGC Videsh Ltd, the overseas arm of state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corp, has acquired a 30 per cent stake in seven oil and gas blocks in Cuba, which hold more than 4 billion barrels of oil reserves.
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation had in 2007 farmed out 15 per cent stake in the KG-DWN-98/2 block, which sits next to Reliance Industries' KG-D6 block, to Brazil's state-controlled oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro SA or Petrobras.