HPCL successfully commissions Residue Upgradation Facility at its Visakh Refinery

Mumbai: Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) has commissioned the Residue Upgradation Facility (RUF) at its Visakh Refinery, marking a major milestone in India’s deep-conversion refining capability and strengthening national energy security.

In line with the Prime Minister’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, several critical equipment for the project were indigenously manufactured, boosting self-reliance in the refining sector.

The first-of-its-kind facility in India represents an unprecedented engineering scale and houses three of the world’s heaviest LC-Max reactors, each weighing around 2,200 tonnes. With a capacity of 3.55 million tonnes per annum, the RUF uses advanced LC-Max-based residue hydrocracking technology to achieve nearly 93 per cent conversion of bottom oils into high-value products.

The commissioning enables the Visakh Refinery to raise its distillate yield by up to 10 per cent from pre-Visakh Refinery Modernisation Project levels. Gross refining margins are expected to improve significantly due to a superior product slate, greater flexibility to process heavier and opportunity crudes, and higher value realisation per barrel. Higher middle-distillate output will help HPCL narrow the gap between diesel marketing and refining volumes, reduce external sourcing and strengthen the supply chain.

Improved heat integration and process efficiency have lowered the refinery’s Energy Intensity Index, cutting operating costs while supporting sustainability goals. The Nelson Complexity Index has risen to 11.6, placing the refinery among India’s most advanced deep-conversion facilities. HPCL has also deployed an industry-first RUF digital suite, integrating real-time monitoring, predictive analytics and AI-driven optimisation to ensure stable and efficient operations.