1867, ASSAM. ASIAS FIRST MECHANICALLY DRILLED OIL WELL STRUCK OIL.
118 feet deep. Approximately 300 gallons recovered. Then the continuous flow stopped.
A year later, another Makum well faced the opposite problem: too much oil, too little storage.
Before Digboi became Indias commercial petroleum landmark, Makum had already revealed a much harder engineering truth.
Striking oil and producing it reliably are two different achievements.
On 26 March 1867, Mr Goodenoughs team struck oil at just 118 feet (36 metres) in Upper Assam.
The historical records reveal something remarkable:
- Oil rose 74 feet inside the borehole, stopping 44 feet below ground.
- Approximately 300 gallons were recovered.
- Continuous flow could not be sustained.
But the story gets stranger.
Not continuously.Water flowed for 3–4 hours, followed by almost pure oil for just 15–30 minutes. Then the flow stopped before resuming.
And production wasnt the only challenge.
Wooden storage tanks failed to contain the oil. With insufficient storage capacity, operators fitted a valve to restrict discharge.
The Geological Survey of Indias historical account also identified transportation as a major obstacle to establishing a viable petroleum industry.
ONE AREA. TWO VERY DIFFERENT ENGINEERING PROBLEMS.
One well couldnt sustain output.
Another couldnt be allowed to discharge freely.
Well deliverability. Produced water. Flow control. Storage. Transportation.
These werent simply drilling challenges. They were early lessons in the engineering of an entire production system.
Commercial success eventually followed at Digboi in 1889–90, with the Digboi Refinery established in 1901.
FINDING OIL WAS THE BREAKTHROUGH.MAKING IT PRODUCIBLE WAS THE ENGINEERING CHALLENGE.
More than 150 years later, that distinction continues to shape oilfield development, operations and modernisation.
📌 From the first oil seepages in 1825 to enhanced oil recovery studies and digitalisation initiatives in 2026, explore the complete Makum timeline in our pinned comment below.
For todays drilling and production engineers: Which of Makums original challenges would you investigate first, well behaviour or surface infrastructure?
