Highlight the importance of petroleum. Explain the occurrence of petroleum in India.

1. Petroleum (or mineral oil) is one of the major energy sources in India after coal. It provides fuel for heat and lighting, lubricants for machinery and raw materials for a wide range of manufacturing industries.

2. Petroleum industries act as a ‘nodal industry’ for synthetic textile, fertilizer and numerous chemical industries.

3. Petroleum occurrences in India are mostly associated with anticlines and fault traps in the rock formations of the tertiary age.

4. In the regions of folding, anticlines or domes, it occurs where the oil is trapped in the crest of the fold. The oil-bearing layer is generally porous limestone or sandstone through which oil can flow.

5. Petroleum is also found in fault traps between porous and non-porous rocks.

NOTE – Petroleum, an essential energy mineral, occurs in variation at different places in India. It is not only an important mineral for the survival of various industries but also plays an important role in the transportation system and its functioning.