Ashoknagar oil field, oil field in West Bengal, India
Ashoknagar oil field is an extraction facility in West Bengal, about 48 kilometers from Kolkata, where oil is brought up from depths around 2,300 meters (7,500 feet). The site contains several wells near the villages of Baigachi, Daulatpur, and Bhurkunda, with storage tanks, drilling equipment, and pumping stations spread across about 50 acres (20 hectares).
The oil field was discovered in 2018 and production began in December 2020, after the oil company had searched for oil in West Bengal for 60 years. This discovery was historically important because it was the first oil field in West Bengal and East India, showing that the region had its own oil resources.
The oil field shapes daily life in surrounding communities, where generations have been connected to the oil industry. The rhythm of industrial work and regular truck traffic are part of the normal routine for people living nearby.
Visits are usually guided tours that need to be arranged in advance, as safety rules are important due to machinery and ongoing operations. Wear comfortable clothing and be prepared for industrial work conditions, as trucks and work vehicles move regularly around the site.
The oil from this field has exceptionally high quality and is compared to famous crude varieties like Brent and West Texas Intermediate. Its high API gravity makes it lighter and less viscous, which refineries prefer and is a rare quality for Indian oil.
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