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Kochi Refinery Mulls Sulphur Link to FACT

  • Kochi Refinery, operated by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), is understood to be planning to build a pipeline to transport molten sulphur from its refinery in Ambalamugal to Fertiliser and Chemicals Travancore Ltd (FACT), as part of the phase I of its Rs 12,000-crore expansion plan to boost refining capacity, a source close to the project said.The refinery is yet to announce a detailed proposal for the pipeline project, which could include a sulphur handling terminal, though the source said that discussions have been initiated with FACT. "It is a very good possibility at the moment.
  • Setting up a sulphur link makes strategic sense for us and will also serve FACT's raw material requirements," the source said. Kochi Refinery is presently scouting for a joint venture partner for a new sulphur recovery unit which is part of its Phase I expansion plans to improve refining capacity from 9.5 MMTPA (Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum) to 15.5 MMTPA by 2016.The new sulphur recovery unit which is part of the six new units coming up under the integrated expansion plan, will raise the refinery's sulphur production capacity to 260 TMT (Thousand Metric Tonnes) annually from 48 TMT at present.
  • "FACT's sulphur requirements are estimated in the region of 200 TMT (Thousand Metric Tonnes) or more annually and the new facilities will be equipped to handle thatOnce Phase I of the expansion is in final stages of completion we will look to work on the pipeline to meet FACT's supply requirements," the source said. Besides the sulphur recovery unit, BPCL, which acquired Kochi refinery in 2006, will award engineering, procurement and construction contracts for a crude distillation unit, vacuum gas oil hydro treating unit, diesel desulphurisation unit, petro-fluidised catalytic cracking unit and a naphtha hydro treatment unit.Vimta Labs has conducted an Environmental Impact Assessment study and has given the go-ahead to the Refinery's expansion plan. A feasibility report is expected to be placed before the BPCL board next month.

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