Question

Major oil finds in India have been reported in

• A. Krishna Godavari Basin
• B. Cauvery Basin
• C. Rajasthan Desert
• D. Lower Assam Valley

Hint:

Think of the offshore basin linked to Reliance's landmark natural gas discovery in the early 2000s.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Question.
The question asks which region became known for major recent oil and gas discoveries in India, in the period leading up to 2007.

Step 2: Key Formula or Approach.
We need to think about which offshore or onshore basin was dominating headlines for large hydrocarbon finds in the mid-2000s.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation.
The Krishna Godavari (KG) Basin, off the coast of Andhra Pradesh, became the centre of India's biggest hydrocarbon story of the 2000s after Reliance Industries discovered a massive natural gas field there, known as KG-D6, in 2002. ONGC also reported significant finds in the same basin. This made KG Basin the answer most strongly associated with "major recent oil finds" in that period.
The Cauvery Basin does hold some petroleum potential, but its finds were far smaller and less newsworthy compared to the KG Basin.
The Rajasthan Desert, particularly the Barmer fields explored by Cairn India, did yield oil, but this discovery, while notable, did not carry the same scale or prominence as the KG Basin gas find during this period.
The Lower Assam Valley has old, well-established oilfields like Digboi and Naharkatiya, but these are historic fields from decades earlier, not part of the "major" recent finds the question is pointing to.

Step 4: Final Answer.
The region most associated with major oil and gas finds in India around this period is the Krishna Godavari Basin, so option (A) is correct.