Indian Oil Corporation gets nod for laying pipeline in Odisha

Odisha pollution control board has accorded its consent to Indian Oil Corporation Ltd for laying of the underground cross country pipeline of 1,150-kilometre length from the latter's Paradip refinery to Hyderabad.

The consent is given for the 330-kilometre length of the pipeline passing through Odisha. The pipeline will be used for transportation of petroleum products like high-speed diesel, motor spirit, superior kerosene oil, aviation turbine fuel of 4.5 million tonnes per annum. The cost of the project to lay the stretch of the pipeline in the state is pegged at Rs 983 crore.

"The proponent shall obtain consent to establish from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana pollution control board for laying rest of pipe line segment in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana", the pollution control watchdog said.

The approval for the project is valid for five years. With the approval, the project proponent has to commence construction of the project within five years.

"If the proponent fails to do substantial physical progress of the project within five years then a renewal of the consent to establish shall be sought by the proponent", OSPC said in its order.

The consent to establish is mandatory under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981.

IOCL's 15 mtpa capacity refinery at Paradip is spread over an area of 3,345 acres with an estimated cost of Rs 34,555 crore.

The refinery can process 100 per cent high sulphur and heavy crude oil to produce various petroleum products like Petrol and diesel BS-IV quality, kerosene, aviation turbine fuel, propylene, sulphur and petroleum coke. It is also designed to produce Euro-V premium quality Motor Spirit and other green auto fuel variants for export.

The refinery was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.