IOC's 1212-km Paradip, Hyderabad Pipeline Project to be ready by mid-year
Business Line, Delhi 30-Jan-2020
It will be a 1,212-km journey, winding, underground andcrossing 16 districts in three States. Petroleum products will make this journey through the pipelines laid across fields, under bridges and water bodies and beneath the mighty Godavari river in Andhra Pradesh to fuel economic activity.
There is hectic activity along the ambitious ?3,800crore Paradip, Hyderabad Pipeline Project (PHPL), linking Paradip refinery in Odisha to Hyderabad in Telangana via Andhra Pradesh, being executed by the Indian
Oil Corporation (IOC). The project to augment fuel supplies in the three States was formally launched in December 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It will become operational by mid-2020.
The confidence to complete the project fast stems from the fact that it is the first pipeline project in the Corporation to have completeright-of-way and land acquired before commencement of the mainline work, said PC Choubey, Executive Director, SERPL (South Eastern Region Pipelines).
Once commissioned, the project will augment fuel supplies in the three States that are embarking on major infrastructure development, including that of capital city/ cities in AP. It will aid in improving the energy landscape too.
The pipeline will ensure transportation of 4.5 MMTPA of petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel in economic, reliable and environment-friendly manner, with negligible pollution compared to other modes of transportation. Engineers from IOC, L&T and other organisations and workers have been continuously engaged in laying of pipeline under major rivers such as Godavari, Vamshadara, Nagavalli, Munneru, Musi by deploying Horizontal Directional Drilling technology.
Giving an overall picture of the pipeline projects, Akshay Kumar Singh, Director (Pipelines) said, "At Indian Oil pipelines the spread and reach has come a long way since independence, with an extensive network of 14,560 km of cross-country pipelines. With the ongoing construction of 6,500 km more, the pipeline grid will increase to 21,000 km and transport petroleum to every nook and corner of the country."
Operational aspects
The complex operational aspects of transporting of petroleum products will be handled by the latest SCADA systems, backed by leak-detection system and surveillance system operated by IOC officers 24×7, project officials explained to BusinessLine at the site near Rajahmundry. All along the pipeline which traverses through the lush green Konaseema region of AP to the towns and cities, a host of facilities such as pumping, booster stations and depots/terminals are fast getting completed. Explaining the technical aspects, the officials said, "It will follow a telescopic pattern with the size reducing from 18-inch OD (outer diameter) at the beginning to 16 inches and eventually 14 inches. This is to optimise the flow as well as the cost."
In terms of maintenance and safety of the pipelines, a variety of PIGs (Pipeline Inspection Gauge) will be deployed, including some smart PIGs. They travel inside the pipeline and inspect, clean and detect leaks, without interruption in the flow and production process.
On its journey from Paradip, the pipeline would feed the new depots being set up in Berhampur, Odisha; Achchutapuram near Vishakapatnam, and in Vishakapatnam as well as in Malkapur, near Hyderabad. IOC will optimise use of the existing depots in Rajahmundry and Vijayawada.
