HPCL-Mittal Energy commissions Bhatinda oil refinery

NEW DELHI: HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd, a joint venture between state-owned Hindustan Petroleum and steel czar Lakshmi Mittal's Mittal Energy Investment, has commissioned India's newest oil refinery at Bhatinda in Punjab.

The 9 million tons a year (180,000 barrels per day) unit has become fully operational, a source in HEML said.

HPCL and Mittal Energy Investment Pte Ltd, Singapore - a Lakshmi N Mittal Group company, hold 49 per cent stake each in HEML while the rest 2 per cent is held by financial institutions.

The refinery is located at village Phullokhari in Bathinda district of Punjab.

"The refinery has begun commercial production," the source said.

Crude oil to the refinery is ferried through a 1,014-km pipeline from Mundra in Gujarat where the oil is imported from abroad.

The refinery is a zero bottom plant, with a very high Nelson Complexity Index.