West Bengal Oil Discoveries Await Crucial State Approval

The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has identified four new oil fields in West Bengal, yet production remains stalled. Since the initial discovery in Asokenagar, the company has awaited a petroleum mining lease from the state government, hindering potential development and monetization efforts.

The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has made significant oil discoveries in West Bengal, yet it faces delays due to pending approvals. Despite identifying four new sites around the Asokenagar oil field over the past six years, the company still awaits the state government's consent for a petroleum mining lease.

The Minister of Petroleum, Hardeep Singh Puri, highlighted in the Lok Sabha that ONGC's Asokenagar discovery was a remarkable result of five decades of exploration in the Bengal sedimentary basin. Initial analyses showed the crude oil was of a light variety akin to Bombay High. ONGC promptly applied for a Petroleum Mining Lease in 2020, but the approval is still pending.

The delay has curbed the Early Development Plan for these sites, although ONGC continues its exploratory efforts. The newly discovered fields encapsulate a 99.06 square kilometer area, approved for development by the Indian Government in 2024. ONGC and the central government remain engaged with the West Bengal state officials to expedite the lease approval for economic advancement.

(With inputs from agencies.)