Overview
- The new Pachpadra refinery saw a fire in its crude distillation unit on April 20, a day before the planned inauguration, pausing start-up work.
- HPCL said a leak at a pressure-gauge tapping point on the vacuum residue exchanger inlet line sparked the blaze.
- The company reported the damage stayed within the heat-exchanger stack, with six exchangers affected while other units continued preparing to start.
- Restoration is expected to take three to four weeks, with a CDU restart in the second half of May and trial output of LPG, petrol, diesel and naphtha within May.
- The Petroleum Ministry appointed a four-member probe led by former MRPL chief M Venkatesh, and the NIA and ministry teams are conducting their own reviews.