HPCL's Visakh Refinery, which is in expansion mode, has switched to mounded storage as part of its resolve to ensure safety, according to a company spokesman.
The refinery, which in its five decades of existence has increased its capacity to 8.3 million tonne per annum with some ambitious plans for future, has developed mounded storage with seven bullets -- considered the safest means for storing LPG and propylene. The project involved an investment of Rs.125 crore. Following this, the company completely decommissioned all the on-the-ground spheres.
The refinery, the spokesman said on Tuesday, was among a few refineries to have bitumen coastal loading facility.
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The recent addition to its record was the commissioning of a single point mooring facility to receive stocks from Very Large Crude Carrier.
The supply of crude from ships having huge capacity would ensure freight savings and strengthen the refinery economics.
The crude distillation unit-2 has made a turnaround during 2010-11 to improve furnace efficiency and throughput level. The refinery could handle a crude throughput of 8.2 million tonne during 2010-11 and was expected to better the record during current fiscal.
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The spokesman said Visakh Refinery completed 3.2 million man hours of safe operation.