HPCL Refinery Fire: How did the massive fire break out in the ₹79,450 crore Rajasthan refinery? PM Modi was about to inaugurate, the company revealed the secret

HPCL Rajasthan Refinery News: The new and state-of-the-art refinery of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) built in Rajasthan has been in the news for the last few days due to the incident of massive fire. This accident that took place on April 20 had created a stir in the entire administration, because Prime Minister Narendra Modi was going to inaugurate it the very next day i.e. on April 21. Now, while giving official information on this entire matter to the stock market (Exchange Filing), HPCL has revealed the real reason for the fire and the timeline for resumption of work.

What is the main reason for the fire?

On the basis of initial investigation, the company has said that the main reason for this massive fire could be ‘Gas Leak’. This accident happened in the main unit of the refinery i.e. Crude Distillation Unit (CDU). According to the report, hydrocarbon leaked from the ‘pressure gauge tapping point’ present on the inlet line of the vacuum residue exchanger, which resulted in a massive fire. However, the company says that the fire was limited to only the heat exchanger stack, but six exchangers and their associated important equipment have been affected.

How much time will the repair take and when will the work start?

Work is going on war footing to restart the refinery after the damage caused by the fire.

Repair time: According to the company, the entire repair work of the damaged parts will be completed within the next 3 to 4 weeks.

Refinery Restart: The Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) is targeted to restart in the last two weeks of May.

Commercial Operation: According to the government statement issued on April 8, commercial production of LPG, petrol and diesel from this mega project was to start from July 1, the rest of the work is progressing as per the plan.

Inauguration put on hold, special committee formed to investigate

The inauguration of this joint venture refinery, built at a huge cost of ₹ 79,450 crore, has been postponed for the time being and a new date will be announced soon. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has taken this incident very seriously. To get to the bottom of the matter, a special investigation committee has been formed, the command of which has been handed over to M. Venkatesh, former MD of MRPL (Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals).

Why is there such a danger before the refinery starts?

It is often seen that the risk of fire or explosion is highest during the startup and commissioning phase of a refinery across the world. The scientific reason for this is that in this stage, for the first time, hydrocarbon is introduced into the high-pressure and high-temperature systems of the machines. Even the slightest technical mistake or leakage of valve can cause a major accident. This is the reason why any refinery is officially inaugurated only after all the units are fully and safely operational as per the safety standards.