Hardeep Puri, Rajasthan CM Inspect HPCL Rajasthan Refinery in Balotra

Balotra (Rajasthan), August 24: Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri along with Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma inspected the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL) at Pachpadra in Balotra district on Sunday.

During the visit, Minister Puri inaugurated the Refinery Main Control Room (RMCR) and reviewed the progress of the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and Delayed Coker Unit (DCU). Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the rapid pace of construction and highlighted the refinery’s significance for Rajasthan’s economy.

Speaking to mediapersons, Puri said the refinery would be a game-changer for India’s energy security, enhancing domestic hydrocarbon production under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He noted that HPCL plans to establish a skills development centre to train local youth, including workers previously employed in salt pans, thereby generating large-scale direct and indirect employment.

Sharing details on X, Puri described the refinery as a “mega hydrocarbons project” with a 9 MMTPA crude processing capacity. He highlighted the 2.4 MMTPA DCU—equipped with India’s tallest aluminium coke drum at 111 metres—that converts vacuum residue into high-value distillates like diesel, LPG, and naphtha. The project is also designed with environmental sustainability in mind, capable of processing sludge and slops to minimize waste.

Key features include:

• By-product power generation: ~160 MW through pet coke

• Coke drums: 4 units, each ~355 MT

• Enhanced Gross Refining Margins (GRM) at lower operational costs

Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma praised the refinery as a driver of regional development, thanking the Union Minister and HPCL officials for their efforts. He assured that all environmental safeguards were being addressed.

Once fully operational, the refinery is expected to transform the local economy, create jobs, and strengthen India’s quest for energy independence.