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*[http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/INDIA/2010-02/1265881336 Rootsweb India mailing list] This thread is about oil companies and their workers.
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/bengalassambehar00playuoft#page/414/mode/2up ''Bengal and Assam, Behar and Orissa : their history, people, commerce and industrial resources''] by Somerset Playne and J W Bond 1917 on the Archive.org website has a chapter on "The Assam Oil Company , Ltd"
→Burma: 'Burmah Oil Company' history and link added
==Burma and Assam==
Oil wells in Burma began to be developed on an extensive scale after Upper Burma was annexed into British India in 1886.
<br>''A history of the Burmah Oil Company, Volume 1, 1886-1924'' and ''Volume 2 1924-1966'' by Thomas A B Corley published in 1983 and 1988 respectively, are available at the [[British Library]]
The '[[Burmah Oil Company, Railways|Burmah Oil Company]]' was founded as the 'Rangoon Oil Company' in Glasgow in 1886 by John and David Cargill to develop oil fields in the Indian subcontinent with '[[Finlay, Fleming & Co]]' of Rangoon as [[Managing_Agencies|Managing Agent]]. Drilling began at Khodaung in 1887 and by the end of 1888 two wells had been drilled. A second field at Twingon was started in 1888. These were known collectively as the 'Magwe Oilfields' and the total production from them was 155 barrels a day from 281 wells by the end of the century. Refineries were built at Syriam and Dunnedaw, across the Pegu River from [[Rangoon]], from April 1893 and completed by 1897 <ref name =YA03>“Industrial Railways and Locomotives of India and South Asia” compiled by Simon Darvill. Published by ‘The Industrial Railway Society’ 2013. ISBN 978 1 901556 82-7. Available at http://irsshop.co.uk/India. Reference: Entry YA03 page ....</ref>.
==Assam==
Oil had been discovered in 1866 by a Mr Goodenough of McKillop, Stewart & Co and a concession was granted November 1866, at Nahorpung about 30 miles (48 km) south east of [[Digboi]]. The [[Assam Railways and Trading Company]] (AR&TC) had found oil coming to the surface while constructing the [[Dibru-Sadiya Railway]] between [[Dibrugarh]] and [[Margherita]] in 1867 <ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digboi Wikipedia "Digboi")]; Retrieved 5 Feb 2017</ref> and were granted a concession. At this time the AR&TC was more interested in the building of the railway and developing its collieries <ref name =darvill>“Industrial Railways and Locomotives of India and South Asia” compliled by Simon Darvill. Published by ‘The Industrial Railway Society’ 2013. ISBN 978 1 901556 82-7. Available at http://irsshop.co.uk/India. Reference: Entry AS90 pages 103-104</ref>.
In 1889 oil was struck at [[Digboi]] by the AR&TC and they constructed the [[Digboi]] station on their [[Dibru-Sadiya Railway]], in 1892 another strike was made and by 1893 the boundry of the company's land was agreed with the Government. A small refinery was built at [[Margherita]]. By 1893 there were six wells producing oil. In 1899 AR&TC promoted a new company Assam Oil Company, which was sold to [[Burmah Oil Company, Railways|Burmah Oil Company]] <ref name =darvill/>.
The [[Digboi Oil Refinery Railway|Digboi Oil Refinery Railway]] was established in 1901 and is still in operation today.
==Punjab now Pakistan==
Immediately prior to World War I, various investment syndicates (mainly British financed) were formed to explore in the Punjab and it is from these origins that the first significant company was established on 1 December 1913 to acquire extensive exploration rights, the Attock Oil Company <ref>Abstract of the article [http://sp.lyellcollection.org/cgi/content/abstract/50/1/503 "Pakistan: a history of petroleum exploration and future potential"] by P Dolan 1990</ref>
Oil was discovered in 1915 at the Khaur oil-field which is 54 miles south-west of [[Rawalpindi]] in Campbellpur (now [[Attock District|Attock]]) District. Production commenced in 1922 . Refining operations started at Morgah near Rawalpindi in 1922 also. The Attock Oil Company Limited (AOC) was incorporated in the UK.<ref>[http://www.nazariapak.info/pakPakistan-essentialsEssential/naturalNatural-Gas.asp php Pakistan Essentials; Natural Gas and Oil] nazariapak.info and [http://www.pacraarl.com.pk/pdfdownloads/ARLPACRA_Rating.pdf Attock Refinery Limited (ARL)] pacra.com</ref>
C 1926 there was ...”the European colony of the Attock Oil Company, eleven miles away [from Pindigheb]. There were about a dozen of them, including two American drillers. They had a pleasant little club...”<ref>
==External links==
*[http://www.slb.com/~/media/Files/resources/mearr/num1/exploration.ashx "Elephants, exploration and Engineering"] Schlumbergers’ ''Middle East & Asia Reservoir Review'' Volume 1, 2000.
*[http://www.nazariapak.info/pakPakistan-essentialsEssential/naturalNatural-Gas.asp php Pakistan Essentials; Natural Gas and Oil] nazariapak.info *[http://tourismassam.blogspot.com/2008/02/assam-oil-history-and-march-so-far.html Assam oil - History and march so far] tourismassam.blogspot.com *[http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20131222/spectrum/main6.htm "Relics of the colonial past:
Digboi in Assam presents a glimpse of the bygone era"] by Kavita Kanan Chandra December 22, 2013 ''The Tribune'' India
=== Historical books online ===
*[http://www.archive.org/stream/bengalassambehar00playuoft#page/414/mode/2up ''Bengal and Assam, Behar and Orissa : their history, people, commerce and industrial resources''] by Somerset Playne and J W Bond 1917 on the Archive.org website has a chapter on "The Assam Oil Company , Ltd"
== References ==
<references />
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[[Category:Commerce and trade]]
