Digboi in Assam and the beginnings of India's petroleum industry

Background

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas records that the roots of India's petroleum industry trace back to 1867, when the first oil well was drilled in Digboi, Assam, and that this discovery marked the inception of the country's exploration and production activities. The establishment of the Indian Oil Corporation in 1959 heralded a structured approach to refining and distribution. At present India has nineteen Public-Sector Undertaking (PSU) refineries, three Private-Sector refineries, and one Joint Venture refinery. The country's refining capacity increased from 215.066 Million Metric Tons per annum (MMTPA) in April 2014 to 256.816 MMTPA in April 2024. India's recoverable reserves are given as 651.8 million metric tons of crude oil and 1,138.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas within its sedimentary basins.