IOC to deploy new tech for LPG production at Paradip refinery

Faridabad, Dec 6 (UNI) IndianOil Corporation Ltd (IOC) today said it will deploy its new Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) technology, a secondary process of refining low-value feedstock into high-value LPG, naphtha, gasoline and diesel, at its upcoming 15 million tonnes Paradip refinery.

The project, which will cost Rs 1,200 crore, will scale up company's production of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) from 3.9 per cent to 7 per cent (about 3,000 tonnes per day) for every 15 million tonnes of feedstock.

The Paradip refinery of the company is set to start operations by the year 2011.

The technology, Indmax, has been developed by the company's research and development (R&D) centre here and has already been installed at its Guwahati refinery, which has a capacity of one lakh tonnes per annum, at a cost of Rs 155 crore in 2003.

''The deployment of this indigenous technology would save us over Rs 25 crore in addition to perpetual saving on catalysts, besides giving a boost to our R&D efforts. We expect that once the Paradip unit gets operational the company's import of LPG will also come down significantly,'' IOC Chairman Sarthak Behuria told reporters here.

IOC will also set up a manufacturing facility for the Indmax process in association with IndoCat Pvt Ltd, a joint venture with InterCat of US, in Gujarat, Mr Behuria added.

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