BPCL to lay 20-inch insulated pipeline to boost capacity in Kochi refinery

Pipeline to help refinery in importing high viscous indigenous crude oil at lower cost

With an objective to enhance the value chain of petroleum products, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) is replacing the old 30-inch crude pipeline with 20-inch insulated pipeline from South Tanker Berth Jetty to Kochi Refinery.

The Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas said the new pipeline would help Kochi Refinery to transport high viscous petroleum products like vacuum residue (HSVR) and vacuum gas oil (VGO) from other refineries in the country and process these products into value-added products of diesel and petrol.

Since most of the other Indian refineries don't have the bottom upgradation capabilities, this business model would help the country produce additional value-added products, the company said in a release.

The release said the Kochi Corporation had given the nod for laying pipeline in areas under its jurisdiction. As part of the agreement, Kochi Refinery had contributed Rs 5 crore for developmental activities in the Corporation.

In this regard, a cheque for Rs 5 crore was handed over to Kochi Mayor Soumini Jain by BPCL Kochi Refinery's Executive Director Prasad K Panicker on Sunday in presence of Ernakulam MP K V Thomas, MLA Hibi Eden and other dignitaries.

BPCL Kochi Refinery had attained the capability of processing high viscous petroleum products and indigenous crudes with the implementation of its Rs16,500 crore Integrated Refinery Expansion Project (IREP).

The project has helped Kochi Refinery to enhance its capacity to15.5 MMTPA and produce eco-friendly products complying to BS-IV norms.

Now that IREP is commissioned, Kochi Refinery is one of the few in India capable of processing heavy high viscous crude oil from Barmer oil fields in Rajasthan, the release said.

The pipeline will help Kochi Refinery in importing this high viscous indigenous crude oil at a much lower cost. Also, it would help increase the production of diesel.

The pipeline will also help in importing diesel or petrol from other locations in case of product shortage due to shutdown of refinery unit for maintenance or any other reason as well as for export of surplus products generated when the plants are running in fully expanded capacity of 15.5 MMPTA, the company said.