Mathura refinery asks govt for green signal for expansion

PANIPAT: Indian Oil Corporation is planning to raise its Mathura refinery capacity to 11 million tonne from eight million tonne currently. "We have approached the Ministry of Environment and Forest for clearance to expand our Mathura refinery," company Director (Refineries) B N Bankapur told reporters here.

Mathura refinery capacity addition is caught in an environmental jam because of concerns about the impact the project might have on the 17th century monument for love Taj Mahal.

The refinery processes low sulphur crude from Bombay High, imported low sulphur crude from Nigeria and high sulphur crude from the Middle East.