Expansion project in final phase.

The Integrated Refinery Expansion Project (IREP) to raise the capacity of the BPCL-Kochi refinery from the present 9.5 million tonnes to 15.5 million tonnes a year is in the last phase of completion and the staggered commissioning of various units is under way.

The completion of the commissioning process will take six to seven months, Prasad K. Panicker, chief executive officer, said.

The work on the project has progressed as scheduled after the foundation for it was laid by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in January 2013.

The Rs.16,504-crore expansion work has so far achieved more than 95 per cent physical progress. The crude and vacuum distillation units are among the key units achieving physical completion early this year. The raw water treatment plant, cooling tower and gas turbine generator-III are in advanced stages of completion.

The total expenditure on the IREP during the last financial year stood at Rs.11,259 crore.

The steady progress on the project and scheduled commissioning of the facility later this year caps a period of consistent performance by the BPCL refinery, said Mr. Panicker.


THE HINDU