The Paradip refinery complex of IndianOil will soon be fully operational and will produce Euro-IV/Euro-V quality transportation fuels
IndianOil has started the process of commissioning its 15 MMTPA state-of-the-art Paradip Refinery. Crude processing has begun in atmospheric and vacuum unit (AVU) and products like lPG, Naphtha, Kerosene, Gas Oil, RCO et al are being produced at the unit. Some of these products will require further processing in secondary units, which are also gearing up for commissioning. The whole complex is likely to take about six to eight months time to become fully operational in an integrated manner. This was disclosed by Sanjiv Singh, director (refineries) of IndianOil, one of the largest refiner of the country.
To meet burgeoning energy demands of the future, IndianOil is further augmenting its refining capacity by setting up a 15 MMTPA grassroots refinery at Paradip in Odisha. IndianOil’s latest refinery at Paradip, with an overall Nelson complexity factor of 12.2, will make it capable of processing broad basket of crude including cheaper high sulphur heavy crudes. It is already configured to produce lPG, propylene, motor spirit, ATF and HSD (6.9 MMTPA). The refinery will produce Euro-IV/Euro-V quality transportation fuels. The distillate yield from the refinery is expected to be best in class with 81.1 per cent with no black oil production. Energy intensity index of Paradip refinery is expected to be 78.6, which is in first quartile.
The products will be dispatched by all modes like pipeline (20-25 per cent), rail (20-25 per cent), road (15-20 per cent) and coastal (40-50 per cent). Coastal movement of products, including exports, will be through south oil jetty of PDRP.
Many first-time technological features like flue gas desulphurisation facilities, vapour recovery system from jetty loading et al, have been the hallmark of Paradip refinery. These features will ensure environment friendly operation of the refinery with minimum impact to nature. The INDMAX unit (4.17 MMTPA), under construction at Paradip refinery is based on the indigenous technology developed by IOC (R&D). Once successful at Paradip, IOCl would establish itself in the international market for commercial use of this technology.