NRL wipes out LPG, kerosene deficit from NE

GUWAHATI, April 3: The Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), starting its commercial production from October 1, 2000, has already wiped out the deficit in LPG and kerosene (SKO) from the Northeastern region. There was a monthly deficit of 5 TMT LPG and 10 TMT SKO in the Northeast till the commissioning of Numaligarh refinery. At the present level of throughput, NRL is offering monthly around 5 TMT LPG and 20 TMT SKO for marketing, stated a release. The Numaligarh Refinery project, commissioned within the approved cost of Rs 2724 crore, including Rs 235 crore for its marketing terminal, has processed 1.45 million tonne of crude during its first year of operation and has moved out 1.11 million tonne of finished products during the year. Numaligarh Refinery products, particularly diesel, has reached distant locations in West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh besides meeting full requirement of NRL-fed area within the Northeast. Special grade diesel produced at Numaligarh Refinery to meet the specific requirement of high attitude locations in Bhutan, has found widespread acceptability in the kingdom, the release added. Most of the products from Numaligarh Refinery are being evacuated through rail. During March 2001. 66 BTPN rakes were moved out of Numaligarh to different destinations both within and outside the Northeast. At the present rate of production, rail movement out of NRL is more than double the combined movement from the other three refineries of Assam. This high-level of evacuation from Numaligarh Refinery by rail has positively contributed towards the viability of NF railways.