VISHAKHAPATNAM: Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) commissioned the Residue Upgradation Facility (RUF) at its Visakh Refinery.
The facility is designed to strengthen domestic energy security and reduce dependence on imported fuels.
The project includes several components manufactured within India, in line with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
The unit features three LC-Max reactors, each weighing around 2,200 tonnes, among the heaviest of their kind globally.
With a processing capacity of 3.55 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA), the RUF uses LC-Max residue hydrocracking technology to convert about 93% of bottom oils into higher-value products.
This will allow the Visakh Refinery to increase its distillate yield by up to 10 percent compared to pre-VRMP (Visakh Refinery Modernisation Project) levels.
The improvement in product output and the ability to process heavier crude grades are expected to significantly enhance the refinery’s Gross Refining Margins.
The increased production of middle distillates will help reduce HPCL’s reliance on external sourcing of high-speed diesel, strengthen its supply chain, and improve overall profitability.