HPCL-Mittal Energy Limited (HMEL) has delayed the start of its Bathinda refinery in northern Punjab by the fortnight to the end of this month. HMEL is partly owned by steel tycoon LN Mittal. Mittal and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation owns 49 percent stake each in the project.
HMEL shut the refinery on April 30 for about 45 days to raise capacity by about 28 percent to 230,000 bpd. HMEL will also raise the capacity of its sulfur recovery unit to 700 tonnes a day from 600 tonnes as it seeks to increase the processing of cheaper tougher grades to maximise profit.
The refiner will also increase the capacity of its vacuum gasoil hydrotreater to 3.5 million tonnes a year from 3 million tonnes now and build a bitumen blowing unit. The company also plans to convert its captive power plant, running on diesel and gas, to be petcoke fired.
When asked about the company’s future plans, Prabh Das, chief executive of HMEL denied commenting.