New Delhi, 27 November 2012

Indian Oil Corporation, the nation’s largest oil firm which already has a 13.7 million tones refinery at Koyali in Gujarat, on Tuesday said it is planning to build a new 15 million tonne refinery in Gujarat as part of its plans to almost double its refining capacity. The company said, it is planning the mega unit in Gujarat due to easy availability of land.

The refinery on the Gujarat coast is to come up by the 13th Five Year Plan. IOC plans to expand its Koyali refinery to 18 million tonnes while also raising capacity of Mathura refinery to 11 million tonnes from current 8 million tonnes.

According to IOC Director (Refineries) R K Ghosh the company has commissioned Engineers India Limited to do a configuration and location study which is likely to come-in by year-end after which the company will commission a detailed feasibility report (DFR).

IOC, at present, has seven refineries with a cumulative capacity of 54.2 million tonnes per annum capacity. There are plans to raise this capacity to 100 million tonnes by 2021-22.