RAS question
Which district of Rajasthan has significant crude oil reserves?
Correct answer: (A) Barmer.
Barmer is the Rajasthan district associated with significant crude-oil reserves, especially the Mangla, Bhagyam and Aishwariya oil fields in the Barmer-Sanchore Basin.
Explanation
Barmer is the right answer because its Mangla, Bhagyam and Aishwariya oil fields have significant crude-oil reserves discovered by Cairn India, now Vedanta. The Directorate of Petroleum, Government of Rajasthan, lists 38 oil and gas fields in the Barmer-Sanchore Basin, including Mangla, Bhagyam and Aishwariya. The Mangla discovery in this basin was rated as one of India's biggest onshore oil discoveries in more than three decades. Therefore, when Rajasthan's crude-oil reserves are asked at the district level in RAS, Barmer is the expected answer.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Udaipur is wrong because the Directorate of Petroleum, Government of Rajasthan, does not identify it as a district associated with significant crude-oil reserves; the relevant fields are in the Barmer-Sanchore Basin.
- (C) Kota lies in a basin area considered prospective for oil and gas, but the major crude-oil discoveries are in the Barmer-Sanchore Basin.
- (D) Jaipur is wrong because Rajasthan's major crude-oil discoveries are associated with the Barmer-Sanchore Basin, not Jaipur.
Concept
This question belongs to Rajasthan Economy under mineral and energy resources and tests the location of petroleum reserves. RAS often uses district-resource matching to test Rajasthan-specific economic geography.