The Centenary Oil Museum at the Legendary Oil town of Assam – ‘DIGBOI’, home to ‘Asia’s oldest Oil Refinery’ and the ‘Oldest Operational Oil Well in the World’, Assam, India! – Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve ~ Tour Packages & Safari Bookings Official

Digboi Oil Museum Assam, Oil Industry History of Assam and India, Assam Ecotorism and Homestays, the Singpho Ecolodge Assam, Tea Tour of Assam, Second World War Cemetery, Museum in India

A quaint town located amidst the green hills and the lush tea gardens in the extreme north-eastern corner of the country speaks of a legendary history which in due time has started to lose its grandeur. In our quest to relive these moments of the past, Jungleideas narrates to you this story of the Legendary Oil Town of Assam – Digboi (home to ‘Asia’s oldest Oil Refinery’ and the ‘Oldest Operational Oil Well in the World’).

The history of Oil in India began to unfold in the early 1800’s at the head of the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam. It was a vast area of rain-forest surrounded by a semi-circle of high mountains and inhabited, in its more liveable parts, by the Singphos, Khamtis, Phakials and other tribes. Into this beautiful yet savage region, with all the hidden an overt dangers of the jungle, men of daring ventured. They came with different agenda; soldiers to ensure tranquillity and safety at the outposts of the British Empire, civil servants with the assignments of various nature, explorers looking for coal and timber and the exclusive tea-leaf. It was during this time that many came across oil seepages and fortunately for posterity, recorded such instances in their dairies and memoirs.

As per the books of history it was in 1866 that Mr. Goodenough of McKillop, Stewart and Company was making an attempt to utilize the petroleum of Assam. He was granted certain rights over a large tract of land on both sides of the Dehing river, from Jaipur to the Noa Dehing. Oil was struck in one hole on March 26^th 1867 at 118 feet, as many as eight holes having put down about this time. These results though didn’t allow Mr. Goodenough to establish a petroleum industry.

Attribute of setting up the Oil industry at Digboi goes to the Assam Railways and Trading Company (AR&T). It was under the guidance of Dr. John Barry White that on October 19^th 1889, oil was struck at a depth of 178 feet at Digboi. From here started the journey of Oil Industry in India that speaks of a Legend holding its firm base at Digboi – the Legendary Oil town of Assam!

This Legendary history of the Digboi Oil Story is well preserved at the Digboi Centenary Oil Museum which is built on the fringes of Digboi Well No.1 from which oil is still gently seeping. Inaugurated in January 2002, this museum is a treasure house of memorabilia of the past, tools and equipment of the yesteryear s and elegant wall panels depicting the history of Oil refining in India. While an air raid shelter of the World War II greets visitors at the entrance of the museum, the steel rig of Digboi Well No. 1 stands as a silent sentinel of excellence adjacent to the museum building.

Jungleideas welcomes you to India’s North East to visit the Centenary Oil Museum at the Legendary Oil town of Assam – ‘DIGBOI’, home to ‘Asia’s oldest Oil Refinery’ and the ‘Oldest Operational Oil Well in the World’, the State of Assam, Incredible India!

Recommended Itinerary for your Visit: Memoirs of World War II