New Delhi, August 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday said ONGC’s first commercial hydrocarbon discovery in the Bengal Basin at Ashoknagar has moved a significant step closer to production, marking progress in India’s efforts to strengthen energy security and increase domestic hydrocarbon output.
Puri said the development well AS-1Z, spudded on May 30, 2026, successfully established the flow potential of light, high-quality crude oil in less than three months.
“In a significant step towards further strengthening India’s unprecedented journey towards energy security and boosting domestic production of hydrocarbons under the dynamic leadership of PM Modi, the first commercial hydrocarbon discovery by ONGC in the Bengal Basin at Ashoknagar has moved a decisive step closer to monetisation,” the minister said in a post on X.
He added that the achievement demonstrated the progress made since the development well was initiated.
Puri said the maiden consignment of crude oil from the Ashoknagar field had also been flagged off for transportation to Indian Oil Corporation’s Haldia Refinery. The event was attended by Ashoknagar MLA Dr Sumay Hira and ONGC’s Director of Exploration.
The minister described the development as an important transition from years of exploration and sustained efforts to production potential, bringing West Bengal more firmly onto India’s hydrocarbon map.
The Ashoknagar discovery is expected to provide further impetus to exploration and production activities in the Bengal Basin as India seeks to expand domestic hydrocarbon resources and reduce its dependence on imports.
Puri also highlighted the progress of West Bengal’s hydrocarbon sector, saying the development reflects growing efforts to unlock the state’s energy potential.
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