Engineers India (EIL) has set a new global benchmark by completing the world’s longest horizontal directional drilling (HDD) crossing for a 26-inch crude oil pipeline beneath the Brahmaputra River.

The 4,058-mtrs. pullback, achieved on 17 January, 2026, surpasses EIL’s own earlier record of 4,027 mtrs. at the Ganga, established under the same project. Executed as part of the Paradip–Numaligarh Crude Oil Pipeline project, the feat highlights EIL’s engineering innovation and ability to deliver in challenging terrain. The 1,635-km PNCPL is a strategic energy corridor designed to transport imported crude from Paradip Port to Assam, passing through Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and the Northeast.

The project will strengthen India’s energy security, support the expansion of Numaligarh Refinery and spur regional economic growth and employment. The company credited support from NRL, contractors and stakeholders for the achievement.