Oil PSUs would invest Rs28,750 crore in order to switch over to Bharat Stage (BS)-VI norms of auto emissions and commensurate quality auto fuels (MS and HSD), directly from BS-IV norms from April 2020 with an aim to mitigate environmental concerns, said IndianOil Director (Refineries) Sanjiv Singh here on Tuesday.
“Keeping in view the environmental impact, rising pollution levels and consequent health hazards due to vehicular pollution, the Union Government has decided to advance the date of implementation of the EURO-VI standards. led by IndianOil, the Indian petroleum industry is gearing up for full compliance on this direction,” Singh told reporters. The BS-IV and BS-VI auto fuels are far lower in Sulphur content compared to BS-III levels, said Singh.
Singh also said the state-of-the-art 15-MMPTA capacity Paradip Refinery would be dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 7.
“IndianOil’s 11th refinery at Paradip will help meet the burgeoning energy demands of the country. For better profitability, the refinery is designed to process 100 per cent high-sulphur, including 40 per cent heavy crude oil of low-cost and will produce various petroleum products like petrol, diesel, kerosene, Aviation Turbine Fuel, propylene, sulphur and petroleum coke,” said Singh.
“With a vision to earn further value-addition to Paradip Refinery, a 700-KTA capacity polypropylene plant based on propylene recovered from Cracked lPG generated from INDMAX Plant is under implementation at an approved cost of Rs3150 crore and is scheduled for completion by 2017-18,” he informed.
“The refinery also has plans to set an Ethylene Recovery Unit /Mono-Ethylene Glycol (MEG) at an estimated cost of Rs3,800 crore. These units are expected to be completed by 2020-21,” said Singh, adding that IndianOil is also evaluating the options of setting-up manufacturing facilities for Para-Xylene, PTA and synthetic ethanol at Paradip in next five to seven years.