New Delhi, August 29: Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri announced that ONGC’s first commercial hydrocarbon discovery in the Ashoknagar area of West Bengal has reached a significant milestone towards production and commercialization. He described this achievement as a major step in strengthening India’s energy security and increasing domestic oil and gas production.
In a post shared on the social media platform X, Minister Puri noted that within less than three months of starting the drilling of development well AS-1Z on May 30, 2026, ONGC successfully established the capability to flow light and high-quality crude oil from the region.
He stated, “Under the unprecedented journey to strengthen India’s energy security and enhance domestic hydrocarbon production, ONGC’s first commercial hydrocarbon discovery in Ashoknagar is now nearing a decisive phase of commercialization.”
Puri also mentioned that the first batch of crude oil extracted from Ashoknagar has been dispatched to Indian Oil Corporation’s Haldia refinery. This event was attended by Ashoknagar MLA Dr. Sumay Hira and ONGC’s Exploration Director.
According to the Union Minister, this achievement symbolizes a significant shift in converting long-standing exploration efforts into actual production capabilities. It will further solidify West Bengal’s position on India’s hydrocarbon map.
He emphasized that this discovery in Ashoknagar is not only crucial for West Bengal’s energy sector but is also expected to invigorate oil and gas exploration and production activities throughout the Bengal Basin.
India currently meets a substantial portion of its energy needs through imported crude oil and gas. Discoveries like Ashoknagar can play a vital role in reducing the country’s import dependency and enhancing energy self-sufficiency.
Puri also highlighted that this achievement reflects the growing potential of the energy sector in West Bengal. He commended the efforts being made to develop hydrocarbon resources in the state, indicating that further investments and exploration activities are likely to increase in the coming years.
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