Commercial Crude Oil Extraction Begins in West Bengal's Ashoknagar

West Bengal has officially entered India's map as a crude oil-producing region with the start of commercial extraction in Ashoknagar, located within the North 24 Parganas district of India. The milestone project, spearheaded by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), marks a significant industrial development for the region.

During the opening phase of operations, the ONGC project in Ashoknagar successfully extracted approximately 12,000 liters of crude oil. This initial yield was promptly loaded into tankers and dispatched for processing to Haldia Petrochemicals, initiating the commercial utilization of the regional reserves.

Technical operations for the extraction involve drawing crude oil from a depth of about 2,396 meters underground. To facilitate the project, a total of six wells have been drilled initially at the site, comprising four wells dedicated to oil and two wells designated for gas production.

The formal commencement of the extraction activities was inaugurated by high-ranking figures, including ONGC Director Omprakash Sina and local MLA Sumay Hira. Their participation underscored the strategic importance of the venture for both the state and the national energy sector.

Reflecting on the milestone, ONGC Director Omprakash Sina noted that trial extractions were conducted roughly three years ago, during which certain technical problems were identified and subsequently resolved. Sina stated that the oil currently being extracted from Baigachhi is of a better quality compared to previous findings, noting that the country currently imports 85 to 90 percent of its required oil and about 50 percent of its gas from abroad, with the goal being to reduce that foreign dependence and boost domestic production.

Adding to these remarks, MLA Sumay Hira confirmed that the oil extracted by ONGC has already been transported for refining. Hira emphasized that this successful oil extraction will bring about notable development in Ashoknagar and the surrounding areas, while also opening up several pathways for new employment opportunities following the resolution of earlier operational hurdles.