Indian deepwater explorer Hardy Oil and Gas is looking to restart exploration drilling in the Krishna Godavari Basin during the second quarter with one of two drillships operated by partner Reliance Industries.

Hardy said drilling is due to recommence in block KG DWN 2003/1 – known as D3 – with either the Dhirubhai Deepwater KG2 or the Dhirubhai Deepwater KG1 drillship, already located offshore India. Hardy has a 10% stake in the block.

“Correspondence with the operator indicates that drilling on D3 is to commence in the second quarter of 2014,” Hardy confirmed in its fourth quarter and 2013 results.

Last December Hardy signalled drilling was due to restart in D3 this year. But the program has been held up by a designation by India’s Ministry of Defence of the south-west portion of the block as a Defence Research and Development Organisation impact zone.

Hardy chairman Alasdair Locke stated: “As a result access to this portion of the D3 block may be restricted from time to time. The D3 joint venture continued to progress a number of geotechnical studies focused on assessing the potential of the eastern area and the high grading of identified prospects. In accordance with GOI [Government of India] policy, an application to extend the exploration phase of the block to the end of 2014 was submitted to the GOI.”

After acquiring seismic data over the block and carrying out interpretation of post-stack depth migration data, Reliance and Hardy are to proceed by assessing hydrocarbon potential in the eastern area of the block and high grading prospects, including the testing of deeper plays.

Meanwhile a Declaration of Commerciality has been submitted to the Government of India for two gas discoveries, Dhirubhai 39 and 41 in block D3.

D3 encompasses an area of 3,288 sq km, (1,270 miles) in water depths of 400-2,200 m (1,300-7,216 ft) approximately 45 km (28 miles) off the east coast of India. Reliance operates the block with 60%, BP holds 30% and Hardy 10%.

Four consecutive gas discoveries have been made there with the Dhirubhai 39, 41, 44 and 52 (KGV-D3-A1, B1, R1 and W1) exploration wells, and a total of 3,250 sq km (1,254 sq miles) of 3-D seismic data has been acquired.