Reliance Industries readies plan for unhindered supply of oxygen

With Tauktae intensifying into a “very severe cyclonic storm”, India’s largest medical-grade liquid oxygen producer Reliance Industries is taking all possible steps to ensure its unhindered supply.

RIL’s refinery-cum-petrochemical complex at Jamnagar is currently producing more than 1,000 MT of medical-grade liquid oxygen per day. Jamnagar is expecting a wind speed of up to 165 km/hr by Tuesday morning.

The safety of oxygen plants in Gujarat and Maharashtra was taken up by Union home minister Amit Shah during his review meeting with states on Sunday. “Shah directed to make advance planning for keeping a buffer stock of oxygen for two days and movement of oxygen tankers to allocated states, so that in case of any disruption, supply to allocated states is not impacted,” a statement issued by the union home ministry said.


An RIL spokesperson said a 24x7 control room and necessary resources were in place. “We are also coordinating with all concerned government authorities, the railways and the road transporters to ensure that oxygen dispatches are least affected,” the spokesperson said, adding “in the worst-case scenario, which seems unlikely currently, production may get affected for about a few hours and not more than that”.

The spokesperson said RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani was camping at Jamnagar and personally overseeing the supply of oxygen from the refinery complex to various states. “Maximum dispatches by rail and road are being done till May 18, when the cyclone is expected to hit Gujarat coast. Post cyclone, full production will resume and dispatches by rail and road will go ahead at full stream,” the spokesperson said.

Jamnagar collector Ravi Shankar told ET that with the power plant in place, the administration expects the supplies not to be hit. “Even if such a situation arises, we have ensured a system by which the liquid medical oxygen (LMO) production unit will be the last to shut down and first to start,” he said, adding the administration has also created a green corridor from the oxygen producing unit at RIL to Hapa, the nearest railway boarding point which will be operational from Monday afternoon.

“The situation is being closely monitored, engineers and rescue teams have been stationed to provide assistance in case of any damages to the plant,” said a senior official.