Major Project details at BPCL’s Mumbai Refinery

The quality of Motor Spirit (MS) & Diesel (HSD), has been undergoing revisions towards more stringent specifications, consistent with the environmental requirements and improvements in automobile designs, across the globe. In Europe, specifications have been revised with emphasis on key parameters such as Sulphur, Olefins, Aromatics etc., for MS and Distillation, Sulphur, Cetane number and Poly-aromatics for HSD.
In India, the Dr. R A MashelkarCommittee has submitted its final report on Auto fuel policy in August 2002. Accordingly, MS & HSD produced in the country meet the following specifications.

1. Euro 3 for Major cities (MS: Sulphur-150 ppmwt, Olefins-21 vol %, Aromatics-42 vol %, & HSD: Sulphur-350 ppmwt, Cetane number-51, distillation T95 - 360 Deg C).
2. Bharat Stage-II for rest of the country (MS: Sulphur-500 ppmwt, Olefins-No limit, Aromatics-no limit & HSD: Sulphur-500 ppmwt, Cetane number-48, distillation T95 - 370 Deg C).

The Auto fuel policy further gave guidelines to be followed from April 2010 viz Euro 4 for Major cities

1. MS: Sulphur-50 ppmwt, Olefins-21 vol %, Aromatics-35 vol %, & HSD: Sulphur-50 ppmwt, Cetane number-51, distillation T95 - 360 Deg C)
2. Euro-3 for rest of the country (MS: Sulphur-150 ppmwt, Olefins-21 vol %, Aromatics-42 vol %, & HSD: Sulphur-350 ppmwt, Cetane number-51, Distillation T95 - 360 Deg C).

At the BPCL Mumbai Refinery, targets quantities of MS & HSD fuels to be produced are based on the crude mix of 6 MMTPA of High Sulfur and 6 MMTPA of Low sulfur crude. Implementation of the Refinery Modernization Project (RMP) and Catalytic Reformer Unit Revamp (CRU) enabled production of MS & HSD meeting above BS-II & Euro 3 specifications. In order to further upgrade MS & HSD fuels meeting Euro 3 / Euro 4 equivalent norms by 2010, additional processing facilities and revamp of existing treatment facilities necessary. Suitable actions initiated and modification jobs are in progress.
The Auto fuel policy stipulates supply of Euro 4 & Euro 3 Auto Fuels for 13 major cities and rest of the country respectively from April 2010. The Policy report is under review by Government and based on interactions with the Review committee, it is expected that their recommendations would be in line with original recommendations of Euro 4 for major cities & Euro 3 for rest of the country from April 2010.

Projects at BPCL (Mumbai Refinery):

BPCL Mumbai Refinery has undertaken the following projects to supply required quantities of Euro 4 quality MS & HSD from 2010.

1. Revamp of existing Diesel Hydrodesulphurization unit (DHDS) to 6000 MT/D from existing 4200 MT/D and setting up of Fluidized Catalytic Cracking gasoline (FCC gasoline) splitter facilities at an estimated capital cost of Rs. 390 Crores.
2. Debottlenecking of existing Hydrocracker Unit to 5900 MT/D from existing 5250 MT/D and setting up of Continuous Catalytic Regenerator Reformer (CCR) of 1.2 MMTPA at a capital cost of Rs. 825 Crores.

 Some of the major projects commissioned in recent years are as follows:

1. Refinery Modernisation Project including 18000 MT/D capacity Integrated Crude - Vacuum Unit, Hydrocracker unit of 5250 MT/D and associated facilities in 2005 incurring a cost of Rs. 1635 Crores.
2. Lube Oil Base Stock plant of 180 TMT/A in 2006 at a cost of Rs. 338 Crores.
3. Catalytic Reformer Unit Revamp to 1500 MT/D from 1000 MT/D in March 2005 at a cost of Rs. 108 Crores.