Amid escalating geopolitical tensions and uncertainty in global oil markets, Oil India Ltd has significantly increased crude oil production from Rajasthan’s Thar Desert, achieving a record production of 1,202 barrels per day from the Jodhpur sandstone formation, officials said.
The state-run company increased its production by about 70 percent compared to 705 barrels per day last year, marking a major milestone in efforts to boost domestic production and enhance energy security.
The officials said that the crude oil produced at the Baghewala field in Jaisalmer is being transported by tankers to the facilities of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) in Mehsana, Gujarat, from where it is sent through a pipeline to the Koyali refinery operated by the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL).
In FY 2025-26, Oil India’s Rajasthan field recorded an annual production of 43,773 metric tons of crude oil, up from 32,787 metric tons in the previous year, reflecting strong growth driven by technological advancement and efficient operations.
Company officials said the success was largely due to the deployment of advanced extraction technologies, including cyclic steam stimulation (CSS), an enhanced thermal oil recovery method used to extract high-viscosity crude oil.
“This is a major achievement, especially considering the challenging geological conditions in the Thar region. It highlights the potential of unconventional resources in contributing to India’s energy needs,” an official said.
The Bajiwala oil field, located in the Bikaner-Nagaur sub-basin of the Rajasthan Basin, is among the few onshore heavy oil fields in India. Oil India completed CSS operations on 19 wells, nearly 72 per cent higher than last year, and drilled 13 new wells during the year, up from nine previous wells.
The company has also deployed advanced drilling and production technologies such as fishbone drilling and barefoot completions, which are being used for the first time in heavy oil reserves in India, along with electric downhole heaters, hydraulic sucker pumps and high temperature thermal wellheads to enhance production efficiency.
Officials said that due to the high viscosity of the ore in the region, traditional extraction methods were not viable, prompting the adoption of innovative methods such as diluent injection and artificial lift systems.
Oil India has been producing heavy crude from the Bajewala field since 2017. The field, which was discovered in 1991 and extends over an area of 200.26 square kilometers, includes 52 wells, of which 33 are operational.
The successful implementation of CSS technology, which was first piloted in 2018, has been a game-changer, enabling large-scale extraction and setting new standards in thermal enhanced oil recovery in India.
Officials said this achievement will play a key role in reducing India’s dependence on imported crude and enhancing energy resilience in the long term.
