BHUBANESWAR: Three public sector undertakings of the Central Government on Sunday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for import of crude oil through Paradip Port for the proposed refinery expansion of Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) in Assam from three million tonne per annum (MTPA) to nine MTPA.
Under NRL’s proposed refinery expansion project, a 28 inch in diameter and 1400 km long pipeline of one MTPA capacity will be laid for transporting six MTPA of imported crude oil from Paradip Port to Numaligarh.
Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) will also supply crude oil to NRL for which a big storage terminal will be set up at Paradip. The Centre has big plans for development of Paradip Port to increase export of coal and other minerals, he added.
The MoU provides for utilising IOCL’s spare capacity of existing Single Point Moorings (SPMs) at Paradip. Paradip Port Trust (PPT) will extend land for installation of crude storage tanks, pump house and township at Paradip. This will lead to an estimated investment of `1,000 crore in Odisha and generate direct and indirect employment.
The tripartite MoU was signed by PPT Chairman Rinkesh Roy, Director (Technical) NRL BJ Phukan and Executive Director (Pipelines) of IOCL, AK Tiwari in presence of Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari, Pradhan, Assam Finance and Planning Minister HB Sarma and Assam Commerce and Industries Minister M Patowary.
NRL is a joint venture of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), Oil India Ltd and the Assam Government.