Increase capacity of Bongaigaon Refinery: BJP
Guwahati   19-Dec-2010

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State general secretary Prodyut Bora today demanded that the refining capacity of the Bongaigaon Refinery of the IndianOil (IOCL) be increased to 5 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA), from the existing capacity of 2.35 MMTPA.

Addressing a press conference in the district today, Bora argued that the IOC Bongaigaon Refinery, the new name of the erstwhile BRPL, was the economic catalyst of the entire lower Assam. However, its preeminence had been considerably reduced as a result of the shutting down of its petrochemicals plants, he said.

According to him, currently, as a result of rapid urbanization and increasing automobile ownership, there has been a tremendous rise in the demand for petrol and diesel. This has led to a regular rise in the petroleum refining capacity of the country.

IOCL has taken the lead by setting up several new refineries like the Rs 11,397 crore Bina Refinery (8 MMTPA) and the Rs 29,777 crore Paradeep Refinery (16 MMTPA). IOCL and the other oil PSUs are also expanding the capacity of almost all their existing refineries.

But it is inexplicable that IOCL has not increased the capacity of any of its refineries in Assam. Bora demanded that IOCL should consider increasing the capacity of its Bongaigaon Refinery to at least 5 MMTPA.

In a letter to the IOCL Chairman, which he released to the press, he pointed out that ‘the existing crude oil pipeline between Bongaigaon and Baruani, and the other crude oil pipeline between Baruni and Halida Port be utilized for inflow of domestic/imported crude. For the outflow of the augmented petroleum products, two channels could be used: one, the Guwahati Siliguri Product Pipeline (GSPL) and, two, inland waterways. The marketing of Assam-refined oil could not only be in North Bengal and Bihar, but markets could also be explored in Bangladesh and Myanmar. This would be perfectly in sync with the Government of India’s Look East Policy.’