News Release Details

PM to dedicate two oil and gas projects to the nation and lay the foundation stone of grassroot refinery on 17th February 2021
New Delhi   15-Feb-2021

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will dedicate the Ramanathapuram - Thoothukudi natural gas pipeline and Gasoline desulfurization unit at Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited to the nation on 17th February 2021 at 04:30 PM via videoconferencing. Prime Minister shall also lay the foundation stone of Cauvery basin Refinery at Nagapattinam. The event marks another significant milestone towards the Energy Aatmanirbharta for the nation. Governor and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel, and other Members of Parliament will also be present on occasion.

About the Projects

Ramanathapuram - Thoothukudi section (143 km) of the Ennore-Thiruvallur-Bengaluru-Puducherry-Nagapattinam-Madurai-Tuticorin Natural Gas pipeline (ETBPNMTPL) pipeline has been laid at the cost of about Rs 700 crore. It has generated 1.7 lakh man-days of employment. The pipeline shall utilize the gas from ONGC Gas fields and deliver indigenous natural gas as feedstock to M/s. Southern Petrochemical Industries Corp. Ltd. (SPIC) at Tuticorin and other industrial/commercial customers and CGD GAs.

The Gasoline Desulfurization unit at CPCL, Manali has been constructed at about Rs 500 crore, generating 18,000 man-days of employment. The gasoline desulfurization unit at CPCL, Manali refinery shall produce low sulphur (less than 8 ppm) environment-friendly gasoline, which will reduce emission and contribute towards a cleaner environment.

The grass-root refinery with 9 million tonnes per annum (MMTPA) capacity is to be set up at Nagapattinam by a JV between IndianOil and CPCL at an estimated project cost of Rs.31,500 crore. This project shall generate about 50 lakh man-days during the execution phase. The new refinery will produce MS and Diesel meeting BS-VI specifications and Polypropylene as a value-added product and anticipates approximately 80% indigenous sourcing of materials and services.

These projects would result in substantial socio-economic benefits and shall aid the development of transport and communication facilities, education facilities, downstream petrochemical industries, ancillary and small-scale industries.