Question

Give a brief account of petroleum refineries in India. Illustrate your answer with the help of map.

Answer 1

India has a well-distributed network of petroleum refineries to process crude oil into useful petroleum products such as petrol, diesel, LPG, and aviation fuel. These refineries play a critical role in meeting the country’s energy demands. The first oil refinery in India was set up at Digboi (Assam) in 1901. Since then, the number has grown significantly. Today, India has both public sector (IOC, BPCL, HPCL) and private sector (Reliance, Nayara Energy) refineries. The largest refinery in the world is located at Jamnagar, Gujarat, operated by Reliance Industries. The refineries are located both on the coast and inland to facilitate the import of crude oil, easy distribution of petroleum products, and coverage of domestic market demand.

The given map shows the location of oil (petroleum) refineries across India. It uses dots (●) to represent existing refineries and triangles (▲) for those under construction or proposed.

The refineries are well distributed in coastal areas like Jamnagar, Mumbai, Kochi, Chennai, and Vishakhapatnam supporting easy import of crude oil and in inland areas such as Panipat, Mathura, Bina, and Barauni, which supply fuel to interior regions. Northeast India includes refineries at Digboi, Numaligarh, and Bongaigaon.

This strategic placement ensures an efficient supply of petroleum products across the country and highlights India’s self-reliance in energy production.