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Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas Class 12 Geography

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GeographyCBSE Class 12 · Mineral and Energy Resources

Conventional Energy Resources of India: Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas (Class 12 Geography, India: People and Economy, Chapter 5)

Updated 16 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Coal, petroleum and natural gas are India's main conventional, exhaustible sources of energy. Over 97 per cent of coal lies in the Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi and Godavari valleys, with Jharia the largest field. Petroleum comes from Assam, Gujarat and Mumbai High; natural gas is found with petroleum and is used as CNG and PNG.

Follow each arrow down: fuel, key source place, main use. All three are conventional, exhaustible energy sources.

Illustration drawn for QuestionBuddy.

Understand Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas

Why this topic matters. The syllabus lists coal, petroleum and natural gas, and the map list asks for Jharia, Bokaro, Raniganj and Neyveli coal, and Mathura, Jamnagar and Barauni refineries. Know the geology, the places, the numbers and the uses.

1. Conventional sources. Mineral fuels (coal, petroleum, natural gas) and nuclear minerals are conventional sources; they are exhaustible. Energy is needed for power in agriculture, industry, transport and other sectors.

2. Coal.

  • Used mainly for thermal power generation and smelting of iron ore.
  • Occurs in rocks of two ages: Gondwana and tertiary.
  • About 80 per cent of India's coal is bituminous and of non-coking grade.
  • Over 97 per cent of reserves occur in the valleys of the Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi and Godavari.
  • Gondwana coal: most important fields in the Damodar Valley (Jharkhand-Bengal coal belt): Raniganj, Jharia, Bokaro, Giridih, Karanpura. Jharia is the largest, followed by Raniganj.
  • Main mining centres: Singrauli (Madhya Pradesh, partly Uttar Pradesh), Korba (Chhattisgarh), Talcher and Rampur (Odisha), Chanda-Wardha, Kamptee, Bander (Maharashtra), Singareni (Telangana), Pandur (Andhra Pradesh).
  • Tertiary coal: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland: Darangiri, Cherrapunji, Mewlong, Langrin (Meghalaya); Makum, Jaipur, Nazira (upper Assam); Namchik-Namphuk (Arunachal Pradesh); Kalakot (Jammu and Kashmir).
  • Brown coal or lignite occurs in coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir (the Neyveli lignite in Tamil Nadu).

3. Petroleum.

  • Crude petroleum is a mixture of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons; essential energy source for all internal combustion engines in automobiles, railways and aircraft. By-products go to petrochemical industries: fertiliser, synthetic rubber, synthetic fibre, medicines, vaseline, lubricants, wax, soap, cosmetics. Called 'liquid gold' for its scarcity and varied uses.
  • Occurs in sedimentary rocks of the tertiary period. Systematic exploration followed the Oil and Natural Gas Commission (1956); before that only Digboi (Assam) produced oil.
  • Assam: Digboi, Naharkatiya, Moran. Gujarat: Ankaleshwar, Kalol, Mehsana, Nawagam, Kosamba, Lunej. Mumbai High: 160 km off Mumbai, discovered 1973, production from 1976. Exploratory wells show oil and gas in the Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basins.
  • Crude oil has impurities and must be refined. Two types of refinery: field-based (Digboi) and market-based (Barauni). Map list refineries: Mathura, Jamnagar, Barauni.

4. Natural gas.

  • Found with petroleum; released when crude oil is brought to the surface.
  • Used as domestic and industrial fuel, in the power sector, for heating in industries, and as raw material in chemical, petrochemical and fertiliser industries. With gas infrastructure and city gas distribution networks it is emerging as a preferred transport fuel (CNG) and cooking fuel (PNG).
  • Major reserves: Mumbai High and allied fields along the west coast, supplemented by the Cambay basin; on the east coast, the Krishna-Godavari basin. GAIL's cross-country pipelines are under 'One Nation One Grid'.

5. Where energy and demand differ. Coal is concentrated in the east (peninsular valleys); oil and gas are in Assam, Gujarat and offshore west; this uneven distribution makes pipelines, rail movement and refineries near markets important.

Graph checklist. Mark Jharia, Raniganj, Bokaro and Neyveli for coal, Digboi, Ankaleshwar and Mumbai High for oil, and Mathura, Jamnagar and Barauni for refineries.

Key quotations

Short lines worth knowing by heart: who says them, when, and why they matter.

  • Petroleum is referred to as liquid gold because of its scarcity and diversified uses.

    NCERT, India: People and Economy, Chapter 5: Section 'Petroleum'.

    A standard line for petroleum answers.

Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas: key facts

Coal facts
  • About 80% bituminous, non-coking
  • Over 97% in Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi, Godavari valleys
  • Jharia largest, then Raniganj
Gondwana and tertiary ages.
Oil and gas timeline
1956ONGC set up
1973Mumbai High discovered, 160 km off Mumbai
1976production starts
Digboi was the only oil-producing region until 1956.
Refineries
Field-basedDigboi
Market-basedBarauni
Map listMathura, Jamnagar, Barauni
Crude oil must be refined.
Natural gas uses
  • Power
  • Industrial heating
  • Fertiliser and petrochemical raw material
  • CNG (transport)
  • PNG (cooking)
Reserves: Mumbai High, Cambay basin, Krishna-Godavari basin.

How to answer Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas questions

Energy answers need three layers: what it is used for, where it occurs, and one numerical fact. Use the exact field and basin names.

  1. 1State the use first (thermal power and smelting for coal; engines and petrochemicals for oil; power and fertiliser for gas).
  2. 2Separate the age or type: Gondwana versus tertiary coal; field-based versus market-based refinery.
  3. 3Name the region and fields in order: Damodar Valley, then other valleys; Assam, Gujarat, Mumbai High.
  4. 4Add one figure: 80 per cent, 97 per cent, 160 km, 1973.
  5. 5For map items, pair each map-list name with its state.

Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

CNG and PNG

Suppose a family cooks on gas delivered by a pipeline to their kitchen, while the auto-rickshaw outside runs on gas stored in a cylinder under the seat.

Which fossil fuel is this, and what are the two uses called?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Natural gas is emerging as a preferred transport fuel (CNG) and cooking fuel (PNG) at homes.
  2. This follows the expansion of gas infrastructure and local city gas distribution networks.

Answer: Natural gas; the vehicle fuel is CNG and the kitchen fuel is PNG.

Memory hook: C for car, P for pipe.

Fuel near the market

Suppose a refinery is built in a state with no oilfield, at the end of pipelines and rail lines, close to big cities that buy petrol and diesel.

Which kind of refinery is this and what is an example?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Two types of refineries: field-based and market-based.
  2. Barauni is an example of a market-based refinery.

Answer: A market-based refinery, such as Barauni.

Memory hook: Market-based sits near buyers.

Tricks to remember Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

  • Damodar five 'R J B G K'

    Raniganj, Jharia, Bokaro, Giridih, Karanpura.

    Use it when: Gondwana coalfields of the Jharkhand-Bengal belt.

  • Tertiary coal states 'A A M N'

    Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland.

    Use it when: Tertiary coal.

  • Gujarat oil 'A K M N K L'

    Ankaleshwar, Kalol, Mehsana, Nawagam, Kosamba, Lunej.

    Use it when: Gujarat oilfields.

  • 56-73-76

    ONGC 1956; Mumbai High found 1973; production 1976.

    Use it when: Petroleum timeline.

Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Grade of Indian coal · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

About 80 per cent of the coal deposits in India is of which type?
(A) Anthracite
(B) Bituminous and non-coking
(C) Bituminous and coking
(D) Peat

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. NCERT: about 80 per cent of the coal deposits in India is of bituminous type and is of non-coking grade (1 mark).

Answer: (B) Bituminous and non-coking

Example 2: Statements on tertiary coal and lignite · 1 mark · MCQHarder board level

Consider the statements:
I. Tertiary coals occur in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland.
II. Brown coal or lignite occurs in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir.
III. The most important Gondwana coalfields lie in the Odisha-West Bengal coastal belt.
Which are correct?
(A) I and II
(B) II and III
(C) I and III
(D) I, II and III

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. I and II are NCERT statements.
  2. III is wrong: the most important Gondwana fields lie in the Damodar Valley, in the Jharkhand-Bengal coal belt (1 mark).

Answer: (A) I and II

Example 3: Assertion and reason on natural gas · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

Assertion (A): Natural gas is emerging as a preferred transport fuel and cooking fuel.
Reason (R): With the expansion of gas infrastructure and local city gas distribution networks, it is available as CNG for vehicles and PNG at homes.
(A) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(B) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(C) (A) is true but (R) is false.
(D) (A) is false but (R) is true.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Both statements are in NCERT.
  2. Expansion of gas infrastructure and city gas networks makes CNG and PNG available, so R explains A (1 mark).

Answer: (A) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

Example 4: Source-based: tertiary coal and lignite · 3 marks · Source-basedHarder board level

Read the passage: "Coal occurs in rock sequences mainly of two geological ages, namely Gondwana and tertiary deposits. About 80 per cent of the coal deposits in India is of bituminous type and is of non-coking grade. Tertiary coals occur in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland. It is extracted from Darangiri, Cherrapunji, Mewlong and Langrin in Meghalaya; Makum, Jaipur and Nazira in upper Assam; Namchik-Namphuk in Arunachal Pradesh and Kalakot in Jammu and Kashmir. Besides, the brown coal or lignite occur in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir."
(i) The two geological ages of Indian coal are: (1)
(A) Gondwana and tertiary (B) Dharwar and Gondwana (C) Tertiary and quaternary (D) Aravalli and Vindhyan
(ii) Which of these is a tertiary coal centre in Meghalaya? (1)
(A) Jharia (B) Cherrapunji (C) Korba (D) Talcher
(iii) Lignite occurs in the coastal areas of: (1)
(A) Tamil Nadu (B) Jharkhand (C) Chhattisgarh (D) Madhya Pradesh

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (i) Gondwana and tertiary, so (A) (1 mark).
  2. (ii) Cherrapunji, so (B) (1 mark).
  3. (iii) Tamil Nadu, so (A) (1 mark).

Answer: (i) A; (ii) B; (iii) A

Example 5: Uses of coal and natural gas · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

State two uses of coal and four uses of natural gas in India. (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Coal: generation of thermal power and smelting of iron ore (1 mark).
  2. Natural gas: fuel in the power sector, heating purposes in industries (1 mark).
  3. Natural gas: raw material in chemical, petrochemical and fertiliser industries; CNG for transport and PNG for cooking (1 mark).

Answer: Coal is mainly used in the generation of thermal power and the smelting of iron ore. Natural gas is used as fuel in the power sector to generate electricity, for heating in industries, as raw material in chemical, petrochemical and fertiliser industries, and, with city gas networks, as a transport fuel (CNG) and cooking fuel (PNG).

Example 6: HOTS: matching fuel to place · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

Over 97 per cent of India's coal lies in the valleys of the Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi and Godavari, whereas oil and gas are found in Assam, Gujarat and offshore at Mumbai High. A planner must choose fuels for (a) a thermal power station in the Damodar Valley, (b) a fertiliser plant on the west coast, and (c) a refinery for the cities of the Ganga plain. Advise on each and justify using NCERT. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (a) Coal: thermal power is a main use; Jharia, Raniganj and Bokaro coalfields are in the Damodar Valley (2 marks).
  2. (b) Natural gas: raw material in fertiliser industries; reserves at Mumbai High and allied fields, Cambay basin on the west coast (2 marks).
  3. (c) A market-based refinery, like Barauni, supplied with crude, since crude must be refined and cannot be used directly (1 mark).

Answer: (a) A thermal power station in the Damodar Valley should use coal, because coal is mainly used for thermal power generation and the most important Gondwana fields (Raniganj, Jharia, Bokaro, Giridih, Karanpura) lie there, so fuel is on the spot.

(b) A fertiliser plant on the west coast should use natural gas, which is a raw material in fertiliser industries; India's major gas reserves are found in Mumbai High and allied fields along the west coast, supplemented by the Cambay basin.

(c) For the cities of the Ganga plain a market-based refinery, like Barauni, is suitable. Crude oil extracted from wells contains impurities and cannot be used directly, so it needs to be refined; a market-based refinery brings refined fuel to where the consumers are rather than to the distant oilfields.

Where students lose marks in Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

  • Mistake: Naming the wrong state for a coalfield

    Jharia, Raniganj, Bokaro are similar in sound and region.

    Wrong working

    Jharia is in West Bengal.

    Right working

    Jharia is in Jharkhand; Raniganj is in West Bengal (the Jharkhand-Bengal belt).

    Do this: Learn the Damodar names with their states.

    Usually costs: 1 mark in map work.

  • Mistake: Calling Neyveli a Gondwana coalfield

    Neyveli appears in the coal list in the map work.

    Wrong working

    Neyveli has Gondwana coal.

    Right working

    Neyveli has lignite (brown coal) of Tamil Nadu.

    Do this: Neyveli = lignite.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Writing that Digboi is a market-based refinery

    Digboi and Barauni are both well known.

    Wrong working

    Digboi is a market-based refinery and Barauni field-based.

    Right working

    Digboi is field-based; Barauni is market-based.

    Do this: Digboi at the field in Assam.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Confusing the two energy dates

    1956, 1973 and 1976 are close.

    Wrong working

    Mumbai High was discovered in 1956.

    Right working

    The ONGC was set up in 1956; Mumbai High was discovered in 1973 and production began in 1976.

    Do this: 56-73-76.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

Exam tips

  • Write the Damodar coalfields in a row with states; Jharia first as the largest.
  • Give the 97 per cent and 80 per cent coal figures and two uses in every coal answer.
  • Keep petroleum, refining and by-products as three separate lines in a 5-mark answer.
  • The questions on this page are our own and are checked by meaning against the chapter page; they are not copies of past board items.

Practice questions on Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

  1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

    The Singareni coal mining centre lies in:
    (A) Andhra Pradesh
    (B) Telangana
    (C) Odisha
    (D) Maharashtra

    Hint

    Pandur is the Andhra Pradesh centre.

    Answer

    (B) Telangana.

  2. Q2 · 2 marks · Very short answerHarder board level

    Name the two east-coast basins where NCERT says oil and natural gas have been found in exploratory wells, and the basin where new natural gas reserves have been discovered. (2 marks)

    Hint

    Two southern river basins.

    Answer

    Oil and natural gas have been found in exploratory wells in the Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basins; new natural gas reserves have been discovered in the Krishna-Godavari basin along the east coast.

  3. Q3 · 1 mark · MCQHarder board level

    Over 97 per cent of India's coal reserves lie in four river valleys. Which one of the following is NOT one of them?
    (A) Damodar
    (B) Sone
    (C) Narmada
    (D) Godavari

    Hint

    Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi, Godavari.

    Answer

    (C) Narmada. The four valleys are the Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi and Godavari.

  4. Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    The Oil and Natural Gas Commission was set up in 1956, Mumbai High was discovered in 1973 and production began in 1976. Find (a) how many years after the Commission's setting up Mumbai High was discovered, and (b) how long after discovery production began. What does this suggest about offshore oil development? (3 marks)

    Hint

    Subtract the years.

    Answer

    (a) 1973 - 1956 = 17 years. (b) 1976 - 1973 = 3 years. Systematic exploration took 17 years to find the offshore field, and a further 3 years to start production, which suggests that offshore oil development is slow and needs sustained exploration (NCERT notes that oil exploration was systematically taken up only after 1956, and Digboi had been the only producing region till then).

  5. Q5 · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

    Distinguish between Gondwana coal and tertiary coal in India, naming the regions and two fields or centres of each. (3 marks)

    Hint

    Peninsular valleys versus the north-east.

    Answer

    Coal occurs in rocks of two ages. Gondwana coal is found in the peninsular river valleys: over 97 per cent of reserves lie in the Damodar, Sone, Mahanadi and Godavari valleys, and the most important fields are in the Damodar Valley (Jharkhand-Bengal coal belt), such as Jharia (the largest) and Raniganj, with Bokaro, Giridih and Karanpura. Tertiary coal occurs in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland, for example at Darangiri and Cherrapunji (Meghalaya), Makum (upper Assam) and Namchik-Namphuk (Arunachal Pradesh), and at Kalakot in Jammu and Kashmir.

  6. Q6 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

    A thermal power plant is to run on coal near Korba, and a petrochemical complex is to be built on the Gujarat coast. Which fuel or raw material does each need, which state supplies it and why is each location sensible? (3 marks)

    Hint

    Korba is in Chhattisgarh; Gujarat has oilfields and gas.

    Answer

    The thermal plant uses coal; Korba in Chhattisgarh is one of the main coal mining centres, so fuel is close. The petrochemical complex needs the by-products of petroleum and natural gas as raw material; Gujarat has oilfields (Ankaleshwar, Kalol, Mehsana and others), and the gas reserves of Mumbai High and the Cambay basin lie along the west coast, so raw materials are close.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

  1. 1.Which oil-producing area was India's only one until 1956?Show answer

    Digboi in Assam.

  2. 2.Which are the two geological ages of Indian coal?Show answer

    Gondwana and tertiary.

  3. 3.Where is Mumbai High located?Show answer

    160 km off Mumbai in the Arabian Sea.

  4. 4.Name the two types of refineries.Show answer

    Field-based and market-based.

  5. 5.What do CNG and PNG stand for in NCERT's use?Show answer

    Natural gas as a transport fuel (CNG) and as a cooking fuel at homes (PNG).

Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas: frequently asked questions

Which coal and refinery places are in the map list, and in which states?

Coal: Jharia (Jharkhand), Raniganj (West Bengal), Neyveli (Tamil Nadu) and Bokaro. Refineries: Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), Jamnagar (Gujarat) and Barauni (Bihar). NCERT places Barauni in Bihar and Neyveli lignite in the south; the other states come from CBSE's own papers (2024 64/1/1 Q30.7 Jharia, answer Jharkhand; 2025 64/4/1 Q30.4 coal mines in West Bengal, answer Raniganj; SQP 2023-24 Q30 coal mine in Tamil Nadu, answer Neyveli; 2024 64/1/1 Q30.6 refinery in Uttar Pradesh, answer Mathura; SQP 2023-24 Q30 refinery in Gujarat, answer Jamnagar). NCERT puts Bokaro among the Damodar Valley fields of the Jharkhand-Bengal coal belt but gives no state for it; it lies in Jharkhand, a location this page adds.

Why must crude oil be refined?

NCERT says oil extracted from the wells is crude oil that contains many impurities, so it cannot be used directly and has to be refined, in field-based or market-based refineries.

Does NCERT describe the Mathura and Jamnagar refineries?

No. The text names Digboi (field-based) and Barauni (market-based) only. Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) and Jamnagar (Gujarat) come from the map list, and CBSE papers have asked for them as the refineries of those two states.

Are coal, petroleum and natural gas renewable?

No. NCERT treats them as conventional, exhaustible sources of energy.