Lenin
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The history of Assam since the last century is closely linked with the discovery of oil and its subsequent and continuing exploitation by firstly, the British, and later in the post-Independence period by the Govt. of India. This phase of Assam's history began in November 1866. In that fateful yearone Mr. Good Enafe of the Calcutta Machineryattempted a manual digging of an oil well in the Naharpung area in Upper Assam. After finding no oil at a depth of 120feet he gave up. In March 1867 the first oil well in the Asian continent to be dug using mechanical means was started in the Makum Namdang area also in Upper Assam. They hit oil at 118 feet and over a tone of crude oil was extracted. In 1889 the Assam Railway & Trading Company began massive oil exploration and production in Digboi. 1893 saw the formation of Assam Oil Syndicate to handle oil production in Assam and a complex sprung up in north of Digboi. This fructified in 1901 with the establishing of the Assam Oil Company that started producing 500 barrels of crude oil per day and established a refinery to refine this crude in Digboi itself. In 1911 the Burma Oil Company came to Assam with the intention of oil exploration and production and soon they discovered massive oil reserves in Surma Valley.
TODAY IN UPPER ASSAM ALONE THE ANNUAL OIL PRODUCTION IS 5 MILLION TONNES.
Later the Oil India Ltd. was set up to exploit the natural crude oil and natural gas of Assam. The company set up the oil and gas based Namrup Fertilizer plant, a petrochemical plant in the same area and also a power complex using gas for production of electricity. Further in Duliajan aplant was set up to manufacture Liquid Petroleum Gas or LPG and market the same as cooking gas all over India.
The British as a colonial power with a history of looting and exploitaion of underdeveloped countries all over the world,did the same in Assam. The Indian govt. has been perhaps the most ardent students of the British and continued this exploitation of all of Assam's natural resources, however in a more subtle and secretive manner. Special clauses inserted in Indian constitution such as the Articles 246 to 248 ensured that Assam did not gain much from the oil production. The people of Assam have never benefited from the oil revenue. On the other hand they have been kept completely in the dark and not informed about the factual reality of the oil reserves, its production, refinement, sales, revenue accrued etc.
In 1948 Delhi and its appointed oil companies sold a metric tonne (MT) of Assam's crude oil at Rs. 1382. Assam received Rs. 61 per MT as royalty. As taxes the central government received Rs. 532 andgave Assam Rs. 131 out of this. In subsequent years the price of oil increased substantially but the minimal royalty did not, in equal ratio.
In 1991-92 the natural gas in Assam was stillnot utilized fruitfully. 56% was flared off. Theofficial figures in 1992-93 were Rs. 30 lakh per day of natural gas wasted.
ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF CRUDE OIL IN ASSAM
Oil well/field Production in million tons Refinery:-
Naharkatia 0.26 million tones
Digboi " 0.75 " "
Noonmati " 1.40 " "
Barauni (Bihar)
Moran 0.60 " " Barauni
From the above table we can see that two-third of Assam's crude oil is refined outside the state. As a result the peoples of Assam are deprived of crores of rupees in revenue and employment opportunities.
Apart from this the Indian State machinery has not given a thought to the future of the peoples of Assam but are systematically draining off all of Assam's oil reserves. The table below gives the official figures on oil reserves in Assam and the projections on production etc.:-
Year Oil Reserves Annual Production Projected Production total depletion In million tones yield (years) of reserves
1971 62.90 MT 3.542 MT 17.7 Years 1989 AD1981 89.00 MT 4.373 MT 20.4 years 2002 AD1990 144.95 MT 5.000 MT 29.1 years 2019 AD
We can see from the above table that Assam's oil reserves are expected to be completely drained off and depleted by the year 2019 AD. But the figures also reveal thatevery decade more and more oil reserves arebeing discovered. It is worth mentioning that the Shell Company recently discovered an oil reserve having 14000 metric tonnes ofoil. The pertinent fact is that the central government has kept all findings about the oil and mineral resources, and facts and figures secret. In the name of maintaining official secrets and national security the factsof Assam's oil reserves are classified and never disclosed to the peoples of Assam , as the reality of the sustained economic exploitation of the natural wealth of Assam would make the people revolt against the ruthless Indian State machinery.Assam contains important oil-fields and produces about 15% of India's crude oil....Assam till now should had been a developed and prosperous state with the amount oil it produces.
TODAY IN UPPER ASSAM ALONE THE ANNUAL OIL PRODUCTION IS 5 MILLION TONNES.
Later the Oil India Ltd. was set up to exploit the natural crude oil and natural gas of Assam. The company set up the oil and gas based Namrup Fertilizer plant, a petrochemical plant in the same area and also a power complex using gas for production of electricity. Further in Duliajan aplant was set up to manufacture Liquid Petroleum Gas or LPG and market the same as cooking gas all over India.
The British as a colonial power with a history of looting and exploitaion of underdeveloped countries all over the world,did the same in Assam. The Indian govt. has been perhaps the most ardent students of the British and continued this exploitation of all of Assam's natural resources, however in a more subtle and secretive manner. Special clauses inserted in Indian constitution such as the Articles 246 to 248 ensured that Assam did not gain much from the oil production. The people of Assam have never benefited from the oil revenue. On the other hand they have been kept completely in the dark and not informed about the factual reality of the oil reserves, its production, refinement, sales, revenue accrued etc.
In 1948 Delhi and its appointed oil companies sold a metric tonne (MT) of Assam's crude oil at Rs. 1382. Assam received Rs. 61 per MT as royalty. As taxes the central government received Rs. 532 andgave Assam Rs. 131 out of this. In subsequent years the price of oil increased substantially but the minimal royalty did not, in equal ratio.
In 1991-92 the natural gas in Assam was stillnot utilized fruitfully. 56% was flared off. Theofficial figures in 1992-93 were Rs. 30 lakh per day of natural gas wasted.
ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF CRUDE OIL IN ASSAM
Oil well/field Production in million tons Refinery:-
Naharkatia 0.26 million tones
Digboi " 0.75 " "
Noonmati " 1.40 " "
Barauni (Bihar)
Moran 0.60 " " Barauni
From the above table we can see that two-third of Assam's crude oil is refined outside the state. As a result the peoples of Assam are deprived of crores of rupees in revenue and employment opportunities.
Apart from this the Indian State machinery has not given a thought to the future of the peoples of Assam but are systematically draining off all of Assam's oil reserves. The table below gives the official figures on oil reserves in Assam and the projections on production etc.:-
Year Oil Reserves Annual Production Projected Production total depletion In million tones yield (years) of reserves
1971 62.90 MT 3.542 MT 17.7 Years 1989 AD1981 89.00 MT 4.373 MT 20.4 years 2002 AD1990 144.95 MT 5.000 MT 29.1 years 2019 AD
We can see from the above table that Assam's oil reserves are expected to be completely drained off and depleted by the year 2019 AD. But the figures also reveal thatevery decade more and more oil reserves arebeing discovered. It is worth mentioning that the Shell Company recently discovered an oil reserve having 14000 metric tonnes ofoil. The pertinent fact is that the central government has kept all findings about the oil and mineral resources, and facts and figures secret. In the name of maintaining official secrets and national security the factsof Assam's oil reserves are classified and never disclosed to the peoples of Assam , as the reality of the sustained economic exploitation of the natural wealth of Assam would make the people revolt against the ruthless Indian State machinery.Assam contains important oil-fields and produces about 15% of India's crude oil....Assam till now should had been a developed and prosperous state with the amount oil it produces.
