Question

Arrange the following oil refineries in West to East direction.
A. Mathura
B. Barauni
C. Panipat
D. Bathinda
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. C, D, A, B
• B. D, C, A, B
• C. B, A, D, C
• D. C, B, D, A

Hint:

State-wise West to East alignment across Northern India:
Punjab (Bathinda) $\rightarrow$ Haryana (Panipat) $\rightarrow$ Western UP (Mathura) $\rightarrow$ Bihar (Barauni) $\rightarrow$ Assam (Bongaigaon, Guwahati, Digboi).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept:
Oil refineries in India are strategically categorized into two spatial types: field-based refineries (located close to crude oil producing fields, e.g., Digboi) and market-based refineries (located near major inland consumption hubs, e.g., Mathura).
Determining the relative longitudinal placement of petroleum refining complexes from West to East requires understanding their exact geographical distribution across northern and eastern India.

Step 1: Longitudinal Coordinates of Given Refineries:
1. Bathinda (D): Guru Gobind Singh Refinery, operated by HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited (HMEL), is located in the southwestern district of Punjab at approximately $74^\circ 57'\text{ E}$ longitude.
2. Panipat (C): Operated by the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), this major refinery is located in Haryana at approximately $76^\circ 58'\text{ E}$ longitude.
3. Mathura (A): Also operated by IOCL, this market-based refinery is situated in western Uttar Pradesh at approximately $77^\circ 41'\text{ E}$ longitude.
4. Barauni (B): Established with Soviet collaboration in Begusarai district of Bihar, this refinery is situated at approximately $85^\circ 58'\text{ E}$ longitude.

Step 2: Sequential Ordering from West to East:
Arranging these refineries in increasing order of eastern longitude:
\[ \text{Bathinda } (74.9^\circ\text{ E}) \rightarrow \text{Panipat } (76.9^\circ\text{ E}) \rightarrow \text{Mathura } (77.7^\circ\text{ E}) \rightarrow \text{Barauni } (86.0^\circ\text{ E}) \] This yields the exact sequence: D, C, A, B.
Final Answer:
Therefore, the correct arrangement from West to East is D, C, A, B.