After several hold-ups in the wake of recurring labour unrest and lawlessness, the company has set September 2013 deadline for the refinery to become operationalWith the successful installation of world’s largest coke drums, the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has inched closer for the commissioning of the much-delayed Paradip Oil Refinery Project.
After several hold-ups in the wake of recurring labour unrest and lawlessness, the company has set September 2013 deadline for the refinery to become operational. As things are moving unhindered in the right direction, the company officials are optimistic of the project’s commissioning in time.
The massive coke drums weighed 630 MT with 45.32 metre height and 10.67 metre diametre. The installation of the drums was a complicated task as the heavy coke drums needed to be lifted and erected at a height of 35 metre, said company officials.
“The four coke drums installed at the project site last week were enormous. The project engineers and technical staff successfully undertook the strenuous exercise to put in place the objects. Nowhere in world, installation of such coke drums in terms of size and dimension has been made in oil refinery projects”, said Mr. Madhusudan Vijaywargiya, Executive Director of the project.
Coke drums are vital components of the oil refinery project. It’s a proven technology and helps a refinery in processing a wide variety of crude oil. The coke drum which helps in collecting the coke produced during thermal degradation is the heart of the unit. It has nuclear gauges for monitoring the level, he added.
Meanwhile the Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has gone ahead in strengthening its labour force in an attempt to accelerate the commissioning of the Rs. 29,777-crore project within the stipulated timeframe.
The daily engagement of labour force at the project construction site is as high as 40,000 now. Nearly 10,000 skilled personnel from civil, chemical and engineering wing have been reinforced to speed up the project work. If required, there would be further reinforcement in the coming days, according to company officials.
“After several hold-ups in past months, the progress of the project work at present is satisfactory following amicable settlement of labour unrest. Nearly 90% project work has come to an end till date. A target has been set to draw to a close the project work by September 2013. Earlier the project was scheduled for commissioning in November, 2012”, the Executive Director stated.
More than 400 engineers and officers of Indian Oil are toiling round-the-clock at the project site. Over 35 refinery construction-related companies and consultants are on the job with their army of engineers, technicians and workers.
The 15 million tonnes per annum refinery project is designed to operate on a broad basket of crude oils, including cheaper, high sulphur and heavy grades and is configured to perform with high energy efficiency.
In 2001, the then prime minister, Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, laid the foundation stone for the project. Since then the project work has made snail’s pace of progress.
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