MANGALURU: Mangalore Refineries Private Limited (MRPL) is all geared up to supply BS-VI grade petrol and diesel to the consumers of the state by the first week of March 2020, a month ahead of Supreme Court deadline to do so.
MRPL Managing Director M Venkatesh told reporters here on Saturday the production of BS grade VI MS and HSD has begun from September 28 in their refinery.
"We have switched over to the newer grade fuel after flushing out the BS-IV grade fuel in all the 25 tanks in the refinery. The new stocks will be ready for dispatch by the end of October. However, it will take time to reach the consumers as the depots have to flush out the old stock."
MRPL has received the first demand for the new grade fuel from Bengaluru. Consumers in Dakshina Kannada are expected to get the newer grade fuel in February 2020, itself.
The monthly requirement of petrol in Bengaluru and Mangaluru is 80,000 tons and diesel 2,50,000 tons and MRPL is hopeful of meeting the requirement. If there is a shortfall, it will be 10 per cent in diesel and we are ready to overcome it, said the MD.
IIT services for slope protection
MRPL has engaged the services of IIT-Roorkee for slope protection in view of below ground soil erosion due to heavy rainfall affecting the foundation of one of the pipe rack in phase-3 refinery complex which led to its shutdown. There will be a detailed study to find out if there are any problems and what steps need to be taken.
The IIT-Roorkee civil engineering department has expertise in slope protection and they have worked in this area in Uttarakhand. Due to the damage to the pipe rack foundation, the phase-3 operations were shut down for 25 days from August 19. However, the MD said the shutdown did not affect the consumers as they could come back on a war footing. "I don't foresee any emergency issue till next summer," he said.
MRPL is all set to double its sewage consumption from the present 3 MGD in order to reduce its dependence on freshwater. Also, the MD said their swea water desalination project is on track and the scheduled timelines for attaining mechanical completion by end of August 2020 will be met.
"We are designed desalination infrastructure for 70 MLD but we will start with desalinating 35 MLD. For the summer period between March 2020 to June 2020, MRPL is attempting to hire containerised desalination units," he said.