Indian Oil expects its Gujarat Refinery in Vadodara to begin operating at an expanded capacity of 18 million metric tonnes per year (MTPA) by the end of the current financial year.
Biplob Biswas, Executive Director and Head of Gujarat Refinery, said on Wednesday that the refinery is being expanded from its existing capacity of 13.7 MTPA.
The expansion is being carried out under Indian Oil’s Petrochemicals and Lube Integration Project (LuPech).
Gujarat Refinery Expansion to Boost Capacity
The Gujarat Refinery currently has a crude-processing capacity of 13.7 MTPA.
Under the ongoing expansion programme, Indian Oil is targeting an increase to 18 MTPA by the end of the financial year.
The capacity expansion is part of a broader strategy to integrate refining operations with downstream products, including petrochemicals and lube oil base stocks.
LuPech Project Integrates Refining and Petrochemicals
The Petrochemicals and Lube Integration Project, or LuPech, is designed to strengthen integration between Indian Oil’s refining operations and downstream production.
The project aims to link crude refining with the production of petrochemical products and lube oil base stocks.
Such integration can allow refiners to extract greater value from crude oil while expanding their downstream product portfolio.
Gujarat Refinery Uses Domestic and Imported Crude
The Gujarat Refinery processes a combination of domestic and imported crude oil.
According to Biswas, the refinery currently sources domestic crude from northern and southern Gujarat.
It also processes both high-sulphur and low-sulphur imported crude.
Around 30% of the refinery’s crude requirement is currently met through domestic sources, while approximately 70% comes from imports.
Indian Oil Refinery Expansion Supports Growth
The Gujarat Refinery expansion comes as Indian Oil continues to strengthen its refining and petrochemical capabilities.
Increasing capacity to 18 MTPA would give the Vadodara refinery greater crude-processing capability and support the company’s broader downstream integration strategy.
The project also highlights the continuing importance of refinery capacity expansion in India’s growing energy market.
With the LuPech project, Indian Oil is seeking to combine higher refining capacity with greater production of petrochemicals and lube oil base stocks.
Gujarat Refinery: Key Numbers
- Current capacity: 13.7 MTPA
- Target capacity: 18 MTPA
- Location: Vadodara, Gujarat
- Operator: Indian Oil
- Expansion project: Petrochemicals and Lube Integration Project (LuPech)
- Domestic crude share: Around 30%
- Imported crude share: Around 70%
The expanded Gujarat Refinery is expected to become operational at its targeted 18 MTPA capacity by the end of the current financial year, subject to completion and commissioning of the ongoing expansion work.
