The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is planning to expand its Gujarat refinery to 18 million tpa from its current capacity of 13.7 million tpa at the cost of Rs 22,210 crore.
The expansion project also aims at substitution of existing smaller capacity atmospheric unit and vacuum units with a large atmospheric vacuum unit (AVU) to enhance efficiency of operation. Engineers India (EIL) had in 2013 prepared a configuration study and prepared a feasibility report for capacity expansion of Gujarat refinery to 18 million tpa.
However, in light of the Auto Fuel Policy 2025, the company updated the study carried out in 2013 with additional facilities required for meeting 100 percent BS-VI auto fuel production. The expansion will include revamp of the existing hydrogen generation unit for production of syngas and hydrogen, a new n-butanol processing unit and a revamp of liner alkyl benzamine (LAB) unit.
The expanded 18 million tpa refinery located in Koyali, Vadodara, is expected to process crude grades from Kuwait, Basrah light (Iraq), Mangla in Rajasthan and oil produced from north and south of Gujarat.
The feasibility study of the expansion project has been carried out for processing additional 4.3 million tpa Basrah light crude.
The refinery plans to spend close to Rs two lakh crore in the next five to seven years across its operations and has targeted to expand its refining capacity to 150 tpa by 2030 from 69.2 tpa currently as well as increase its petrochemical production capacity to 13 tpa. IOC accounts for 32 percent of the country’s 250 tpa refining capacity.
