Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)
Mangaluru Oct 4: M Venkatesh, managing director, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL), said on Saturday, October 5 that the all operations at the facility are running smoothly.
Addressing media, he said, “MRPL refinery complex had faced the issue of ground soil erosion due to very heavy and intense rainfall during the first and second week of August earlier this year affecting the foundation of one of the pipe racks in phase 3. An immediate shut down of the entire phase 3 complex was done as safety measure during the third week of August. On war footing, all emergency measures were taken to arrest any significant damage to pipe racks. After ensuring the safety of the pipe rack by undertaking emergency rectification work, the phase 3 refinery complex was commissioned again during the second week of September. We are happy to inform that the entire refinery complex is running normal at peak capacities since then.
“Due to recent attack on Saudi oil facilities, crude oil supplies to MRPL were not affected. We were able to sustain our operations normally. Going forward, we except stable crude oil supplies from the Middle East with Saudi Arabia reporting crude oil production at normal levels bringing the much needed stability in international crude oil prices and improved gross refining margins.
“Oil marketing companies have been mandated to supply BS VI grade MS and HSD across the country from April 1, 2020 and to this effect MRPL is also moving towards production of BS VI grade HSD and MS. As of date, MRPL has started producing BS VI grads HSD and MS from the refinery process units with a view to start supplying to Mangaluru-Bengaluru pipeline by end of November this year itself.
“MRPL has been contributing to the social development of the region through its unstinting efforts under its corporate social responsibility initiatives. Our maximum focus is towards the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district. Our CSR spending is over Rs 50 crore for 2019-20.
“MRPL has contributed to Rs 5 crore to chief minister relief fund towards flood relief. Further we are contributing Rs 1 crore to district relief fund. MRPL has undertaken ‘Swacchatha Hi Seva’ programmes successfully by undertaking various awareness programmes and cleanliness drives towards harmful effects of single use plastic usage. MRPL is also focusing towards Shiksha and Arogya Samrakshan across Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.
“To improve our presence in retail segment through our retail outlet brand Hiq retail outlets, MRPL has launched a massive drive to set up new retail outlets across the state of Karnataka. We have received good response to our advertisements. We expect to commission at least another five retail outlets by end of 2019-20 and atl east another 50 to 100 outlets by March 2021.
“A sea water desalination project with a capacity of 70 MLD is on track and the scheduled timelines for attaining mechanical completion by end August 2020 is going to be met. However, for the summer period from March 2020 to June 2020, MRPL is attempting to hire containerised desalination units.
“MRPL is also targeting to increase the use of treated municipal sewage from present 2.5 million gallons per day to at least 4 MGD in the immediate future and later on to 6 MGD by working closely with MSEZL and Mangaluru City Corporation.
“During the water crisis, we had to shut down for 40 days. BNt the district did not feel the absence of shutdown in the month of May,” he said.
M Vinay Kumar, director - Refinery, and Sanjay Verma, GGM, in-charge – Refinery, were present.