Orissa govt. in MoU with IOC to set up 9 mln MT refinery

New Delhi, Nov 29 (UNI) The Orissa government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the public sector Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) for the setting up of a nine Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA) grassroot refinery plant at paradip in Orissa, said Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

He said, to improve the economic viability of the project, feasibility of an integrated Refinery-cum-Petrochemical Complex at paradip against stand alone refiner as planned earlier, was examined alongwith review of refining capacity.

Based on detailed feasibility report prepared for paradip Refnery Project , IOC is setting up a Refinery -cum-Petrochemical complex at paradip in orissa with installed capacity of 15 MMTPA at an estimated cost of about Rs 25,646 crores with completion schedule as October, 2011, he said.

He said the progress made on the various components of the project includes acquisition of 3347 acre of land, construction of bridges over Santra Creek and construction of about seven Km approach road including railway over-bridge for the refinery connectiing NH-5A to refinery site, which has already been completed.

The phased construction of residental accommodation for the CISF colony, coastal approach road, green belt development are under various stages of construction.

He said the work for laying of drinking water line from Taldanda canal to township /refinery was in progress. The technology selection for all the process units has been completed. Project management consultant has been selected for Front End Engineering and Design (EFED) phase of the project on December 1, 2006. The environment clearence for the project has been received on July 6, this year and as on October 31, this year an amount of Rs 935.97 crore has been spent on the project, Mr Deora added.

UNI