Essar Energy integrates new units under Phase I expansion at Vadinar

Essar Energy plc has successfully integrated some of the new units of its Phase I expansion project at the Vadinar Refinery complex, in a 35-day shutdown-cum-tie-in exercise.

The shutdown was undertaken for incorporation and the revamp of three major units relating to the expansion - the crude distillation unit (CDU), the fluidised catalytic cracker unit (FCCU) and the sulphur recovery unit (SRU).

Essar Energy has also taken advantage of the shutdown to carry out routine maintenance and inspection work, the company said in a release.

In total, 2,424 maintenance and inspection jobs and over 1,400 tie-in jobs for the revamped units were completed. All of these jobs were completed without any accidents or injuries, Essar Energy said in a statement.

"This was a complex task involving around 15,000 employees and contractors which was completed on schedule and to the highest safety standards. The completion of the phase I expansion will be a major value driver for the company, increasing gross refining margins, cash flow and profitability. In addition, the opportunity to carry out routine maintenance and inspection at the same time means we can also benefit from an extended period of operation without any further shutdowns," Naresh Nayyar, chief executive of Essar Energy, said in the statement.

The first phase of expansion will increases capacity of Vadinar refinery from 300,000 barrels per day to 375,000 bbl/day and increase the complexity of the refinery from 6.1 to 11.8, allowing for the processing of a much higher percentage of heavy and ultra heavy crude oils and the production of a higher value product mix.