Indian Oil (IOCL) has opened the 15 million metric tonnes per annum (MMPTA) Paradip refinery in the Indian state of Odisha.
The then Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee had laid the foundation stone in May 2000 of the company’s ninth plant, which was built 16 years ago.
IOCL announced in January 2016 its plan to invest Rs40bn ($597m) to upgrade the refinery.
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the refinery, which is located 140km from the state capital Bhubaneswar and can process high sulphur heavy crude oils.
It has the capacity to produce 5.6mt of diesel per year, in addition to 3.79mt of petrol and 1.96mt of kerosene/ATF.
Company officials said that 790,000t of LPG and 1.21mt of Petroleum coke would also be produced at the refinery.
Paradip is spread over a total area of 3344 acres and will help to meet the increasing energy demands of India.
Designed to process 100% high-sulphur, including 40% low-cost heavy crude oil, the refinery will produce various petroleum products such as petrol, diesel, kerosene, aviation turbine fuel, propylene, sulphur and petroleum coke.
IOCL plans to install an alkylation unit at the refinery in February 2016.
