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Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas in India | ICSE 10

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GeographyICSE Class 10 · Mineral and Energy Resources

Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas in India (ICSE Class 10 Geography)

Updated 17 October 2026 · Draft, not yet fact-checked

Coal comes in four varieties by carbon content: anthracite (best, limited, Jammu and Kashmir), bituminous (most used, includes coking coal), lignite (brown coal, Neyveli, Gujarat and Rajasthan) and peat. Most coal is Gondwana coal in the Damodar, Mahanadi, Son, Korba and Godavari valleys. Petroleum is produced at Mumbai High, in Gujarat, Assam and Rajasthan; natural gas occurs with it and in the Krishna-Godavari basin and Tripura. Coal is cheap and abundant; oil and gas are easier to transport, and gas is cleaner, but all three are non-renewable.

Carbon content rises from peat to anthracite; bituminous is most used, while anthracite is best but rare, found in Jammu and Kashmir.

Illustration drawn for QuestionBuddy.

Understand Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas in India

1. Varieties of coal (by carbon content).

  • Anthracite: the best quality, with the highest carbon content; very limited in India (Jammu and Kashmir).
  • Bituminous: the most widely mined and used; good-quality bituminous coal is coking coal, used in the iron and steel industry.
  • Lignite (brown coal): low carbon, high moisture; Neyveli in Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat and Rajasthan.
  • Peat: the first stage of coal formation, with low carbon.

2. Distribution of coal. Most of India's coal is Gondwana coal in river valleys of the peninsula: the Damodar valley (Jharia, Bokaro, Raniganj, Karanpura), the Mahanadi valley (Talcher), the Son valley, Korba in Chhattisgarh and the Godavari valley (Singareni). Leading producing states include Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. Younger tertiary coal is found in Assam and Meghalaya.

3. Coal: advantages and disadvantages.

  • *Advantages:* large reserves; the main fuel for thermal power stations; relatively cheap; used directly as fuel and as coking coal in industries.
  • *Disadvantages:* non-renewable; causes air pollution and greenhouse gases; much Indian coal has a high ash content; bulky and costly to transport; mining is dangerous and damages land.
  • *Why coal is preferred in Indian industries:* it is abundant and widely available within the country, comparatively cheap, a dependable source of heat and power, and essential as coking coal for smelting iron.

4. Petroleum (mineral oil).

  • *Distribution:* Mumbai High (an offshore field in the Arabian Sea and India's largest producer); Gujarat (Ankleshwar, Kalol, Cambay region); Assam (Digboi, the oldest field, Naharkatiya, Moran); Rajasthan (Barmer).
  • *Advantages:* high energy content; easily transported by pipelines and tankers; the main fuel for transport; refining gives many by-products (petrochemicals, lubricants, LPG).
  • *Disadvantages:* limited reserves in India, so much is imported at high cost; non-renewable; burning it causes pollution; prices fluctuate.

5. Natural gas.

  • *Distribution:* found with petroleum at Mumbai High and Bassein, in Gujarat and Assam, the Krishna-Godavari basin and Tripura.
  • *Advantages:* a cleaner fuel than coal and oil; easily transported by pipelines; used for power generation, as CNG for vehicles, piped gas for homes, and as a raw material for fertilisers and petrochemicals.
  • *Disadvantages:* non-renewable; needs costly pipelines; leaks can cause fires or explosions; still emits carbon dioxide.

6. Comparing the three fuels. Coal is the cheapest and most abundant but the most polluting and bulky; petroleum is the most convenient for transport but largely imported; natural gas is the cleanest of the three but needs pipelines.

Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas in India: key facts

Varieties of coal
Anthracitebest, Jammu and Kashmir
Bituminousmost used, coking coal
Lignitebrown, Neyveli, Gujarat, Rajasthan
Peatfirst stage
Coalfields
  • Damodar valley: Jharia, Bokaro, Raniganj, Karanpura
  • Mahanadi: Talcher
  • Son valley
  • Korba
  • Godavari: Singareni
  • Tertiary coal: Assam and Meghalaya
Petroleum fields
Mumbai Highlargest, offshore
GujaratAnkleshwar, Kalol, Cambay
AssamDigboi, Naharkatiya, Moran
RajasthanBarmer
Natural gas
  • Mumbai High and Bassein
  • Gujarat and Assam
  • Krishna-Godavari basin
  • Tripura
  • Cleaner than coal and oil
Common disadvantages
  • Non-renewable
  • Pollution
  • Coal bulky and ashy
  • Oil mostly imported
  • Gas needs pipelines

How to answer Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas in India questions

For a fuel, give the type or variety, the main fields and one advantage and one disadvantage.

  1. 1For coal varieties, order them by carbon content: anthracite highest, then bituminous, lignite and peat.
  2. 2Name the valleys and fields: Damodar, Mahanadi, Son, Korba, Godavari; Jharia and Raniganj in the Damodar valley.
  3. 3For petroleum, begin with Mumbai High, then Gujarat, Assam, Rajasthan.
  4. 4State one advantage and one disadvantage in separate sentences.
  5. 5For 'why coal is preferred', give availability, cost, dependable heat and the need for coking coal.

Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas in India 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.

Choosing a fuel for a steel plant

Suppose a company plans a steel plant and must decide which fuel to use for smelting iron ore.

Which variety of coal is needed, and why is coal a good choice in India?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Good-quality bituminous coal, called coking coal, is needed for the iron and steel industry.
  2. Coal is abundant within India, comparatively cheap and a dependable source of heat.

Answer: Coking coal (bituminous); abundant, cheap and dependable.

Memory hook: Steel needs coking coal.

A city shifts its buses to gas

Suppose a city decides to run its buses on CNG and to give homes piped gas.

State two advantages of natural gas that support this decision and one challenge.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Natural gas is a cleaner fuel than coal and oil, and it is easily carried by pipelines.
  2. The challenge is that pipelines are costly and leaks can cause fires or explosions.

Answer: Cleaner and pipeline-friendly; challenge: costly pipelines and leaks.

Memory hook: Clean and piped, but costly to lay.

Tricks to remember Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas in India

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

  • A-B-L-P

    Anthracite, Bituminous, Lignite, Peat: from highest carbon to lowest.

    Use it when: Order of coal varieties.

  • Damodar's four

    Jharia, Bokaro, Raniganj, Karanpura lie in the Damodar valley.

    Use it when: Coalfields.

  • Mumbai High first

    India's largest oil producer is offshore at Mumbai High; Digboi in Assam is the oldest.

    Use it when: Oil fields.

Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas in India: solved examples

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

Example 1: Name the variety · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

Name the variety of coal described: (a) the best quality, with the highest carbon, (b) brown coal found at Neyveli, (c) the first stage in the formation of coal.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (a) Anthracite.
  2. (b) Lignite.
  3. (c) Peat.

Answer: (a) Anthracite (b) Lignite (c) Peat.

Example 2: Where the coal is · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

Name two coalfields of the Damodar valley and the state in which the Korba coalfield lies.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Damodar valley coalfields include Jharia, Bokaro, Raniganj and Karanpura.
  2. Korba lies in Chhattisgarh.

Answer: Jharia and Raniganj (or Bokaro, Karanpura); Korba is in Chhattisgarh.

Example 3: Why coal is preferred · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Give three reasons why coal is preferred as an energy source in Indian industries, and one disadvantage of using it.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. It is abundant and widely available within the country and comparatively cheap.
  2. It is a dependable source of heat and power, and coking coal is essential for smelting iron.
  3. Disadvantage: it is non-renewable and causes air pollution and greenhouse gases.

Answer: Abundant, cheap, dependable and needed as coking coal; but polluting and non-renewable.

Example 4: Petroleum against natural gas · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Compare petroleum and natural gas on (a) fields where found, (b) main uses, (c) one disadvantage of each.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (a) Petroleum: Mumbai High, Gujarat, Assam, Rajasthan. Natural gas: Mumbai High and Bassein, Gujarat, Assam, Krishna-Godavari basin, Tripura.
  2. (b) Petroleum is the main fuel for transport and gives petrochemicals, lubricants and LPG; natural gas is used for power, as CNG and piped gas, and as a raw material for fertilisers.
  3. (c) Petroleum: limited reserves, so much is imported at high cost. Natural gas: needs costly pipelines and leaks can cause fires.

Answer: Oil: transport fuel, imported; gas: cleaner, piped but pipelines are costly.

Example 5: Case study: an energy plan · 5 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

A state in the Damodar valley plans a thermal power station while a western coastal state plans a gas-based station. (a) Name the main fuel and a coalfield for the first. (b) Name a source of gas for the second. (c) State one environmental advantage of the second plan and one drawback of the first.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (a) Coal, for example from Jharia, Bokaro, Raniganj or Karanpura.
  2. (b) Natural gas from Mumbai High or Bassein.
  3. (c) Natural gas is a cleaner fuel than coal; coal causes air pollution and greenhouse gases and has high ash content.

Answer: (a) Coal; Jharia (b) Mumbai High or Bassein gas (c) Gas is cleaner; coal pollutes.

Where students lose marks in Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas in India

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

  • Mistake: Reversing the carbon order of coal varieties

    Peat and anthracite are swapped.

    Do this: Anthracite highest; peat is the first stage and lowest.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Naming Mumbai High as an inland field

    The student forgets it is offshore.

    Do this: Mumbai High lies in the Arabian Sea off Mumbai.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Listing only states for coal distribution

    Valleys and fields are expected.

    Do this: Write valley and fields: Damodar: Jharia, Raniganj, and so on.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Writing 'pollution' as the only disadvantage

    Other points (non-renewable, ash, transport) are missed.

    Do this: Give two specific disadvantages for each fuel.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

Exam tips

  • Learn coal varieties in order of carbon content.
  • Pair each field with its state or sea.
  • Mention both advantages and disadvantages, one sentence each.
  • For comparisons, use the same headings for both fuels.

Practice questions on Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas in India

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 best quality coal with the highest carbon content is:
    (a) peat
    (b) lignite
    (c) bituminous
    (d) anthracite

    Hint

    Highest carbon.

    Answer

    (d) anthracite.

  2. Q2 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

    Which of these is India's largest petroleum producer?
    (a) Digboi
    (b) Ankleshwar
    (c) Mumbai High
    (d) Barmer

    Hint

    Offshore.

    Answer

    (c) Mumbai High.

  3. Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Name two oil-producing areas of Assam and one of Gujarat.

    Hint

    Oldest field.

    Answer

    Assam: Digboi (the oldest) and Naharkatiya (or Moran). Gujarat: Ankleshwar (or Kalol, Cambay region).

  4. Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    State two reasons why natural gas is considered a cleaner fuel than coal, and two of its uses.

    Hint

    Cleaner; CNG.

    Answer

    Reasons: (1) It burns almost completely and leaves little or no ash, unlike coal, which has a high ash content. (2) It produces less carbon dioxide and far less sulphur dioxide and smoke (particulates) than coal. Uses: power generation, CNG for vehicles, piped gas for homes, and as a raw material for fertilisers and petrochemicals (any two).

  5. Q5 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

    Assertion (A): Coal from the Damodar valley is called Gondwana coal.
    Reason (R): Most of India's coal is found in river valleys of the peninsula.
    (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.

    Hint

    Is the reason why the coal is named so?

    Answer

    (b). Most Gondwana coal is in peninsular river valleys and the Damodar valley is one, but the location of the valleys does not explain the name.

  6. Q6 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Explain two problems for India in depending heavily on imported petroleum, and one way the country could reduce it.

    Hint

    Limited reserves; price changes.

    Answer

    India has limited reserves, so much oil is imported at high cost, and prices fluctuate. Dependence can be reduced by using natural gas where possible and by developing non-conventional sources.

  7. Q7 · 4 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

    A student writes 'Coal is found only in Jharkhand.' Correct the statement using four coal-bearing regions and explain why the Damodar valley is important.

    Hint

    Think of valleys and states.

    Answer

    Coal is also found in the Mahanadi valley (Talcher), the Son valley, Korba in Chhattisgarh, the Godavari valley (Singareni), lignite at Neyveli, and tertiary coal in Assam and Meghalaya. The Damodar valley is important because it holds Jharia, Bokaro, Raniganj and Karanpura coalfields, a large part of India's Gondwana coal.

  8. Q8 · 5 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

    A coastal city proposes a power station using coal brought from a distant mine. (a) Give two disadvantages of using coal. (b) Suggest an alternative fuel from the same region and justify it. (c) Name one by-product of petroleum refining.

    Hint

    Bulky; clean gas; LPG.

    Answer

    (a) Coal is bulky and costly to transport, and burning it causes pollution and greenhouse gases. (b) Natural gas (from Mumbai High or Bassein), which is cleaner and moved by pipeline. (c) LPG (or petrochemicals or lubricants).

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 coal is used as coking coal?Show answer

    Good-quality bituminous coal.

  2. 2.Where is Neyveli?Show answer

    In Tamil Nadu, known for lignite.

  3. 3.Which is India's oldest oil field?Show answer

    Digboi in Assam.

  4. 4.Where is Singareni?Show answer

    In the Godavari valley.

  5. 5.Name a use of natural gas for vehicles.Show answer

    CNG.

Coal, Petroleum and Natural Gas in India: frequently asked questions

What is Gondwana coal?

The coal of the peninsular river valleys that forms most of India's coal.

What is lignite?

Brown coal with low carbon and high moisture.

Where is natural gas found in India?

With petroleum at Mumbai High and Bassein, in Gujarat and Assam, the Krishna-Godavari basin and Tripura.

Why is coal not renewable?

It is a fossil fuel with limited stocks, and the stock falls as it is used.