According to market participants, Indian state-controlled refineries are having lower running rates due to planned maintenance.
Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd. (MRPL)’s 300,000 bpd Mangalore refinery is operating at 70-75% capacity due to the shutdown of its crude distillation unit (CDU) 1 for maintenance. In August, it operated by 80%.
Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd. (BPCL)’s two refineries are also slowing down their running capacity. The 240,000 bpd Mumbai refinery is operating at 98% capacity during a planned turnaround at its diesel hydro desulfurizer unit, while its 310,000 bpd Kochi refinery is operating at around 80% capacity.
For the September-October period, BPCL plans to operate both refineries at 100% capacity while MRPL plans for it from October.
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOC)’s Paradip refinery could run by the rate as low as 50% as last month, its vacuum distillation unit underwent maintenance. Other than that, its 120,000 bpd Barauni refinery also had some of the units under planned turnarounds.
IOC plans to increase throughput to 100% by November.
