India’s Forgotten Twin Refineries

 

Source: Internet

Abdul Karim Abdul Shakur Jamal was born in 1862 in the vibrant State of Jamnagar, Gujarat. His upbringing was rooted in the enterprising spirit, so characteristic of Gujaratis. His family, driven by ambition and opportunity, migrated to Burma, where young Karim grew up and pursued studies at Rangoon College. Though his father was a modest shopkeeper, Karim’s sharp mind and adventurous spirit propelled him onto a path of remarkable entrepreneurship. From these humble beginnings, he built a commercial empire that spanned Burma and India, both under British rule, trading in essential commodities like tea, rice, sugar, cotton, rubber, and timber. Seeing big opportunities in petroleum business, Abdul Karim Abdul Shakur Jamal (popularly known as Jamal Bhai of Jamnagar) established Jamal’s Oil Company Limited. 

The defining moment came on February 4, 1909, when an agreement was signed between A.S. Jamal Brothers & Company and Steel Brothers & Company of Great Britain. Just a few days later, on February 8, 1909, the Indo-Burma Petroleum Company was officially registered under the Indian Companies Act of 1882 in Yangoon. This bold venture grew out of Jamal’s Oil Company, which by then already operated two oil wells in the fabled region of Yenangyaung, named after the water-smelly creeks that gave it a unique identity.

Source: Internet

Recognizing the demand and potential, Jamal established a refinery at Seikkyi, perched on the banks of the Rangoon River, with a capacity of 2,000 barrels per day. The refinery produced kerosene oil and paraffin wax, lighting the homes and fueling the industries across the region. As the second oil well began producing more crude, the company expanded further, erecting another refinery to meet growing demand.

In 1910, Jamal's vision extended when the company procured 48,000 square yards of land at Budge Budge, in Kolkata. By 1912, a storage terminal was operational there, and the company embarked on an ambitious expansion of its marketing infrastructure, establishing new terminals in Bombay (now Mumbai) and Chittagong (now in Bangladesh). Kerosene was packaged in tins and loaded aboard ships, linking Seikkyi, Budge Budge, Bombay, and Chittagong in a seamless distribution network.

The acquisition of the ship S.S. Shwedagon in 1912 further cemented the company's logistical capabilities, providing vital riverine transport. By 1919, Indo-Burma Petroleum Company stood as a fully vertically integrated enterprise, owning oil wells, refineries, ship, storage terminals, and an extensive distribution network. This impressive feat was a testament to Jamal’s entrepreneurial foresight and unyielding spirit.

Source: Internet

However, the years ahead were not without challenge. The company faced stiff competition from multinational giants such as Burmah Shell, Standard Oil, and Caltex, navigating the complex dynamics of a rapidly changing global oil market.

Then came the dark clouds of war. On December 7, 1941, the shocking attack on Pearl Harbor marked the dawn of a new, brutal chapter in World War II. Barely a week later, Japan invaded Burma, sweeping through the region with relentless force, capturing territories one after another.

Amidst this turmoil, Field Marshal Sir William Slim of British Army faced a painful decision on April 15, 1942. To prevent the powerful Japanese military from capturing vital petroleum assets, he ordered the complete destruction of the oilfields and refinery at Seikkyi. His words capture the magnitude of that moment:

"After visiting Yenangyaung at 1300 hours on the 15th April (1942) I gave orders for the demolition of oilfield and refinery. It was essential that they should not fall intact into Japanese hands... A million gallons of crude oil burned with flames rising five hundred feet; the flash and crash of explosions came as machinery, communications and buildings disintegrated; overhead hung a vast, sinister canopy of dense black smoke. It was a fantastic and horrible sight."

W. Braund, tasked with documenting this devastating scene, wrote with haunting clarity:

"Sickly fascinated, I watched the inverted mountains of solid black smoke writhing and billowing upward and outward from each pyre until, with an imagined gesture of familiarity, they linked arms with each other and swung and surged hither and yon to wherever unsullied, open sky still afforded accommodation. Sometimes, at the base, could still see the eruption and glow of fresh sacrifices to this awful god of total destruction, but gradually the darkness of the pit took over."

When World War II ended and Burma was liberated from Japanese occupation, the employees of the Indo-Burma Petroleum Company returned to Seikkyi. What greeted them was a landscape scarred beyond recognition: twisted steel, crumbled buildings, burnt remnants of equipment and a silence so profound that even the birds had ceased their songs. The once-thriving heart of the company was now a charred ghost, with only the soft murmur of the Rangoon River waltzing past, bearing witness to both destruction and the fading echoes of a dream.

Following the end of World War II (September 1, 1939 – September 2, 1945), and with changing political and economic realities in the region, the company shifted its headquarters from Yangon to Kolkata (then Calcutta), West Bengal, India. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in company’s chequered history.  In 1963, the Government of Myanmar undertook a sweeping nationalization of industries, permanently ending IBP’s association with Burma.  

A decade later, in 1970, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOC) acquired a majority stake in company from its British owners. By 1972, the Government of India assumed complete control from IOC, transforming it into a public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.  

In March 1983, the Indo-Burma Petroleum Company Limited officially adopted the new name IBP Co. Ltd. In 2002, IOC acquired full ownership of IBP, and by 2007, the company was formally merged into its parent organization, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.  

Over the course of nearly a century, IBP had played a pioneering role in shaping India’s petroleum business. However, with its merger, the once-iconic brand quietly faded from the industrial landscape. A company that had once stood at the forefront of South Asia’s oil trade became part of history. It is a reminder that not all stories, even in the high-octane petroleum world, end on a triumphant note.

Acknowledgement: 'A Phoenix Revived: The IBP Story (1909-1992)’ by Chamapaka Basu

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The noble objective of this blog, is to promote the hobby of philately through images of stamps, a few pictures and related narration. The scans, featured in this blogpost are mine while others (sourced from internet) are properties of their respective owners. No intention to infringe any type of copyright. 

The information provided in the article is for general informational purposes only. All information is provided in good faith. This is only for sharing of knowledge of philately with philatelist fraternity of the world. No commercial or political angle, whatsoever, is involved. This is not a historical document. Apologies in advance, should there be any inadvertent error. Under no circumstances, I shall have any liability for reliance on any information provided in the story.

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The story has been published by Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural gas, Government of India in PPAC Journal (4th edition), August 2025 issue, on the theme 'Advanced Refining and Future Fuels: India 2047'.