Manali refinery's upgradation is 88% complete: B Ashok

The Rs 3,110 crore Resid Upgradation Project at Manali Refinery, undertaken by Indian Oil Group company Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd, has made 88 per cent progress, a top official said on Wednesday.

"Your company is implementing a Resid Upgradation Project at its Manali Refinery at an estimated investment of Rs 3,110 crore. As part of the project, new units such as Delayed Coker Unit and Sulphur Recovery Unit are being set up", Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd Chairman B Ashok, said while addressing the shareholders at the 50th AGM here.

The project has achieved physical progress of 88 per cent as of August 2016, he said, adding that all efforts were taken up to achieve mechanical completion during the current financial year. He said the delayed coker unit with revamped hydro-cracker is expected to be commissioned by the end of this financial year. 

On the crude oil pipeline project, he said, "It was replacing the existing 30-inch diameter crude oil pipeline between Chennai Port and Manali Refiner with a new 42-inch pipeline with enhanced safety at a cost of Rs 258 crore." "The project has achieved progress of 43 per cent as of August 2016 and is expected to achieve mechanical completion this year", he said. On the steps taken up to revamp the Diesel Hydrotreater (DHDT) unit in line with Centre's plan to introduce BS-VI quality norms for petrol and diesel, he said, "Your company will revamp the existing DHDT unit and increase capacity from the existing 1.8 million tonnes to 2.4 millon tonnes per annum at a cost of Rs 455 crore." 

For setting up the Gasoline Desulphurisation Unit to reduce sulphur content in petrol, he said the selection of the licensor for the Rs 497 crore project has been completed. "Both the BS-VI quality upgradation projects are expected to be mechanically completed by September 2019", he said.