Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri hailed the inauguration of India’s first standalone greenfield refinery-cum-petrochemical complex in Pachpadra, Rajasthan, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a significant step towards energy self-reliance. The refinery, with a Nelson Complexity Index of 17, will initially produce around 26% petrochemical products, making it one of the most advanced and energy-efficient facilities in the country.
The complex, as highlighted by Puri, will boast the world’s largest polypropylene unit and a polyethylene swing unit capable of producing over 30 grades of polymers. Additionally, it will house Asia’s largest coker unit, showcasing the scale and technological advancement of the project.
Emphasizing the project’s magnitude, Puri noted that over 150 lakh cubic meters of earth were moved during construction, utilizing 16 lakh cubic meters of concrete and approximately six lakh tonnes of structural steel. This investment in the oil sector is one of India’s largest, aimed at creating employment opportunities, fostering industrial growth in Barmer and Rajasthan, and enhancing the nation’s energy security under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
The integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex, developed at a cost of Rs 79,459 crore by HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL), a joint venture between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and the Rajasthan government, has a refining capacity of 9 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) and a petrochemical capacity of 2.4 MMTPA. Prime Minister Modi also inaugurated various development projects worth over Rs 1.06 lakh crore in Rajasthan, as per the minister.
