Essar Oil to defer the shutdown of its refinery in Gujarat

Vadodara: Essar Oil has decided to defer the planned shutdown of its refinery in Vadinar, Gujarat till after the monsoon following requests from the public sector oil companies.

The refinery shutdown was planned for May-June, but will now be deferred until September-October. The oil PSU customers - Bharat Petroleum Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Indian Oil Corporation - wanted the company to continue production due to tightness in Asian markets for petroleum products, particularly gasoil, following recent events in West Asia and the earthquake/tsunami in Japan.

The planned 35-day shutdown is being undertaken to integrate and synchronise the existing refinery with the new units associated with the Vadinar phase I refinery expansion.