Green nod for HPCL’s Rs 8 billion storage tank project in Mumbai
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) has received environment clearance for construction of storage tanks in the existing complex of its Mumbai refinery, entailing an investment of Rs 8 billion. HPCL’s Mumbai refinery has a total installed capacity of 7.5 million tons per annum. The company intends to decongest the refinery through relocation of storage tanks to newly acquired 57 acres of Calico plot at Chembur. “Based on the recommendations of the Expert Appraisal Committee, the Environment Ministry has granted environment clearance and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance to the HPCL’s project,” a senior government official said. The clearance has been given subject to general and specific conditions, the official added. As per the proposal, HPCL will construct storage tanks and associated facilities for white oil products at the Calico plot. The project includes construction of storage tanks for six different types of white oils apart from storage for Naphtha and Slop. Six different types of white oils are MS-I, MS-II, HSD-I, HSD-II, SKO and ATF. The project also involves laying of new pipelines (to and fro) from Calico plot to HPCL Mumbai Refinery and connecting to existing pipelines for distribution of products with the cost of the project estimated to be Rs 8 billion.
IOC to spend Rs 200 billion to expand Gujarat refinery
IOC’s Gujarat Refinery has been asked to move to the more stringent BS VI norms from the current BS IV. Indian Oil Corporation is going to spend Rs 200 billion for the brownfield expansion of its refinery in Gujarat, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said. “IOC’s Gujarat Refinery here has been asked to jump directly from BS IV to the more stringent BS VI norms for petrol and diesel, so that cleaner transport fuels become available sooner to bring down vehicular emissions,” the Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas said after visiting the refinery. He told PTI that the Gujarat Refinery was expanding capacity to 18 million tons per annum (MTPA) from the existing 13.7 MTPA. The expansion is expected to be commissioned in 2020. “After the expansion, it will become the refinery with the largest capacity for the company,” the Union Minister said. Pradhan also said he would be visiting Iran on April 9, and was looking to expand energy ties with that country. The agenda of the visit includes ONGC’s participation in developing the Farzad-b gas field, buying additional crude oil and settling pending payments for earlier oil purchased from Iran, he said. “I will also discuss projects including petrochemicals and fertiliser plants in the special economic zone at Chabahar port in Iran,” he said. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will visit Iran later this month, he said. With changes in the geopolitical situation, India is in a better position to source natural gas and LPG from Iran and oil and gas from Russia, he said. “Post-sanctions Iran provides a huge opportunity for India for sourcing natural gas which would increase the availability of CNG and cooking gas in the country,” he added.
TAPI Pipeline to Bring Sustainable, Cleaner Energy to India
Shareholders of the TAPI Pipeline Company Limited (TPCL) signed an Investment Agreement on April 7 in a ceremony witnessed by petroleum ministers and senior government officials of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India and senior Asian Development Bank (ADB) officials. The TAPI pipeline will pave the way for the delivery of sustainable natural gas supplies to India. The Investment Agreement provides an initial budget of over $200 million to fund the next phase of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline. This includes funding for detailed engineering and route surveys, environmental and social safeguard studies, and procurement and financing activities, to enable a final investment decision, after which construction can begin. Construction is estimated to take up to 3 years, according to ADB. “TAPI is a partnership that will bring about economic integration and prosperity in the region. It will not only provide a long-term and sustainable gas supply to India but also allow the country to improve its energy supply mix,” said K.D. Tripathi, Secretary of India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. TPCL will build, own, and operate the TAPI pipeline, which once completed, will transport up to 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from Turkmenistan for the next 30 years. The pipeline stretches about 1,600 kilometers from the Afghan/Turkmen border to the Pakistan/Indian border “TAPI exemplifies ADB’s key role in promoting regional cooperation and integration over the past 20 years. It will unlock economic opportunities, transform infrastructure, diversify the energy market for Turkmenistan, and enhance energy security for the region,” said Sean O’Sullivan, Director General of ADB’s Central and West Asia Department. Acting as TAPI secretariat since 2003 and as transaction advisor since 2013, ADB has been instrumental in the progress of the TAPI pipeline to date. In the latter role, ADB helped establish TPCL, select Turkmengaz as consortium leader, and finalize the Shareholders and Investment Agreements.