Dharmendra Pradhan said crude oil discovered at the Ashoknagar reserve is of high quality.
West Bengal found a place in the oil map of India as Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday dedicated an oil and gas producing field in North 24 Parganas district to the nation.
He said production from the petroleum reserve here, about 47 km from Kolkata, has started with the extracted oil being sent to Haldia refinery of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC).
"With the commencement of production from the Ashoknagar oil and gas reserve, West Bengal finds a place in the oil map," he said after inaugurating the project.
The first proven reserve of oil and gas in the state was discovered in 2018.
The Ashoknagar field, which falls under the Mahanadi- Bengal-Andaman (MBA) basin, has been proved to be commercially viable, he said.
PSU major ONGC had spent Rs 3,381 crore for discovery of the Ashoknagar oilfield, he said, adding that two more wells will be explored by the company under Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OLAP).
The minister said crude oil discovered at the Ashoknagar reserve is of high quality.
He said commercial production from the oilfield will increase West Bengal's revenue and create job opportunities in the state.
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