Home › PYQs › Indian Geography › All questions › 1981 · Coastal refineries
UPSC Prelims 1981 · Indian Geography · Industries, Ports and Transport
Why the main oil refineries in India are situated near seaports? (1981)
- (a) Because India needs much crude oil which is mostly imported
- (b) Because most of the crude oil is exported to other countries
- (c) Because sea water is required for refining crude oil
- (d) Because petrol is available near seaports
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (a) Because India needs much crude oil which is mostly imported
India imports most crude oil by tanker, so refineries sit near ports.
The idea
Industry location often follows the cheapest route for a bulky input. An oil refinery separates and processes crude oil; it does not extract oil from the ground. Coastal sites can receive imported crude directly from tankers, reducing the need for long inland transport.
Crude oil arrives by tanker → Port terminal unloads it → Storage tanks hold the crude → Refinery separates and processes it → Pipelines, rail, road or ships carry the products to markets
Why the others are wrong
(b) India does not export most of its crude.
(c) Refining doesn’t need seawater as an input.
(d) Petrol is the product, not the reason.
Also know
A refinery need not be coastal: Mathura, Panipat and Barauni are inland examples supplied through transport networks. Jamnagar, Kochi and Visakhapatnam illustrate coastal refining. Offshore extraction at Mumbai High and refining on land are different stages in the petroleum chain.
🔒 Coastal refineries: Jamnagar (world’s largest complex), Mumbai, Kochi, Visakhapatnam, Paradip.
Solve this chapter interactively →All Indian Geography questions