Reliance Industries is likely to shut several units at its 660,000 barrels per day refinery for scheduled maintenance for three to four weeks, a petroleum ministry official said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the daily inter-ministerial press briefing, Joint Secretary Sujata Sharma said all refineries undergo periodic annual maintenance, but the government ensures that shutdowns are staggered. According to the official, the shutdown will begin after Nayara Energy resumes operations later this month. Nayara’s 400,000 bpd Vadinar refinery, which has been closed since early April 2026, is set to resume by mid-May.
“All refineries go for maintenance shutdown… we ensure it does not hamper production or impact people in the country,” Sharma said.
Reliance Industries operates the Jamnagar complex in Gujarat, the world’s largest single-site refining hub, with a capacity of 1.24 million barrels per day. The company accounts for more than 70% of India’s refined product exports and supplies fuel to markets including Europe and the United States.
According to reports, Reliance Industries plans to shut a crude processing unit along with several secondary units at the refinery for routine maintenance. The planned outage is expected to last between three and four weeks.
Meanwhile, crude prices in the international market fell below $100 after U.S. President Donald Trump indicated a halt to “Project Freedom,” a naval effort to escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting progress toward a final agreement with Iran. Brent crude fell 10% to $98 per barrel, while WTI dropped more than 12% to $89. Reports suggested that the U.S. and Iran are discussing a one-page memorandum to pause tensions in the Hormuz region. At 17:56 PM IST, Brent was trading at $101.4 per barrel, while WTI stood at $93.65 per barrel.
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