Kolkata, Sep 20: West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya on Sunday said the commencement of crude oil production at ONGC's Ashoknagar field in North 24 Parganas district was a significant moment for the state, asserting that the project would boost investment and create employment opportunities.
Bhattacharya, a Rajya Sabha MP, said he had pursued the project for the past four years by raising the issue in Parliament and following it up with the Petroleum Ministry and ONGC.
He said he visited the ONGC oilfield at Baigachhi in Ashoknagar, around 48 km from Kolkata, and witnessed crude oil being extracted from the ground.
"Today is a day I will remember for a long time," he said in a social media post, adding that the development was not merely about oil but also about investment, employment opportunities for local youth and new business opportunities in the Ashoknagar area.
Bhattacharya said the project would contribute to India's energy security and was in line with the vision of "Atmanirbhar Bharat".
He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and ONGC officials, including engineers and workers, for the development.
"This is only the beginning. The fight for Bengal's development will continue with the same determination," he said.
According to ONGC, the first commercial hydrocarbon discovery in the Bengal Basin at Ashoknagar has moved closer to monetisation.
In a social media post on August 28, the state-owned oil major said that less than three months after the development well AS-1Z was spudded on May 30, it had successfully established the flow potential of light, high-quality crude oil.
"On 28 August 2026, the maiden consignment of crude oil from the field was flagged off in the presence of Hon'ble MLA, Ashoknagar, Dr. Sumay Hira, by ONGC Director (Exploration) @opsinhaONGC, for transportation to @IndianOilcl's Haldia Refinery," it said.
ONGC said years of exploration and perseverance were now
