Guwahati Refinery

Guwahati Refinery is the country’s first Public Sector Refinery as well as Indian Oil’s first Refinery serving the nation since 1962. Built with Rumanian assistance, the initial crude processing capacity at the time of commissioning of this Refinery was 0.75 MMTPA and the Refinery was designed to process a mix of OIL and ONGC crude.

The refining capacity was subsequently enhanced to 1.0 MMTPA and with INDMAX, the pilot plant for first in-house technology of Indian Oil, the ISOSIV and Hydrotreater the Refinery has been able produce eco-friendly fuels. The Refinery produces various products and supplies them to Northeastern India as well as beyond, upto Siliguri end through the Guwahati-Siliguri Pipeline, spanning 435 KM, which was the first Pipeline of IndianOil and commissioned in 1964. Most of the products of Guwahati Refinery are evacuated through pipeline and some quantity also through road transportation.

Quality LPG, Motor Spirit, Aviation Turbine Fuel, Superior Kerosene Oil, High Speed Diesel, Light Diesel Oil and Raw Petroleum Coke are the products of this Refinery. With the ISOM Project commissioned in 2010, the MS produced here ensures compliance to BS III specifications and so does the HSD, thus meeting the Auto Fuel Policy of the Govt.of India. 

In the primary unit of the Refinery i.e. the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), desalted crude from the desalter is heated up through a series of heat exchangers and is fed into a pre fractionator column. Here the lighter gases, LPG and unstabilised gasoline are separated. The outputs from CDU are gasoline, Kero-I, Kero-II and Straight Run Gas Oil. Reduced Coke Oil (RCO) which is the bottom product from the main fractionating column, forms the main raw material for Coking unit and Indmax. 

Gasoline from the main fractionator is fed into Naptha Splitter where it is separated into three different fractions namely Light Naphtha (LN), Reformate Naptha (RN) and Heavy Naptha (HN). LN forms the feed for Hydrogen unit, while RN is a component in the gasoline pool and HN is fed to the Hydrotreater unit. 

With its main secondary unit, the Delayed Coking Unit (DCU), the Refinery produces middle distillates from heavy ends. Main feedstock to DCU is RCO, which is heated to high temperatures of about 500oC in a furnace. Due to high temperatures, RCO is thermally cracked and yields various hydrocarbon fractions like LPG, coker gasoline, coker kerosene, coker gas oil, coker fuel oil, residual fuel oil and coke. An upcoming project in the Refinery is modernization of DCU chambers with new Coke Cutting System and Heading-Unheading System. 

The Hydrotreating Unit for improving the quality of High Speed Diesel (HSD) by removal of Sulphur and boosting the Cetane Number of HSD and smoke point of SKO and ATF was commissioned at Guwahati Refinery in 2002. 

Entering into the era of ecologically friendly fuel, Guwahati refinery has installed the INDMAX unit, which is the first in-house technology developed by R&D Centre of IndianOil. Indmax unit works on the Fluidized Catalytic Cracking process similar to other Fluidised Catalytic Cracking Units. 

Hydrogen being a requirement for units like Hydrotreater and ISOSIV, is produced from the Refinery’s Hydrogen Generation Unit for which the feed is Light Naptha (LN) generated from Naptha Splitting Facility. LN is converted to Hydrogen using steam reforming technology. 

In the ISOSIV unit, the Light Naptha from Crude Distillation Unit is separated into Isosivate, which has a high octane number and normals. Isosivate forms a part of the Motor Spirit final product pool and the normals are used as feedstock in the Hydrogen Generation Unit. Adsorption process is applied for the separation. 

The Sulphur Recovery Unit in the Refinery takes care of the sour off gases from the various units for removal of Hydrogen Sulphide. This is done by Amine treatment after which sulphur is recovered from the off gases. 

Guwahati Refinery is amongst those Indian Refineries who have been rewarded with ISO-9001 certification of International Quality Standards as well as ISO-14001, for Environment Management System and Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OSHMS), which is also a stringent International Standard. which very few Indian Companies have achieved till date. The Integrated Management System (IMS) encompassing ISO 9001, 14001, OHSAS-18001, ISRS ensures global standards of excellence in Quality Management Systems. M/s DNV has certified Guwahati Refinery with Safety is of utmost priority to the Refinery. The Level 8 Certification of the International Safety Rating System bears testimony to the various safety practices and measures for employees and contractor personnel National Safety Awards. These achievements show the deep commitment of Guwahati Refinery to Quality, Safety and Environmental Management System. 

Initiatives and strategies in the recent past have contributed greatly to the profitability and productivity of the Refinery. Stream sharing with other refineries is one such initiative where the Gross Refinery Margin reflected remarkable improvement. 

In Reliability Improvement, the replacement of switchgears, upgradation of Distribted Control System (DCS), Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) for turbines TG 3 & 4 and upgradation of Load Shedding System have brought about remarkable positive changes. 

Latest Energy Conservation measures include condensate, recovery system, calcium silicate insulation and pressurized cooling water system that also resulted in water conservation. 

“Prakriti Ke Saath – Pragati Ki O’r” explains the Refinery’s commitment to environment. The Modernized Effluent Treatment Plant commissioned in March’07, the continuous environment monitoring system, the SOx NOx analyzers in various areas are watchdogs of Refinery emissions. 

Guwahati Refinery is committed in its responsibility towards the community around it and the larger society. It is also deeply committed in safeguarding and preserving ecological balance. It has been taking proactive measures continuously for the improvement of safety, health and environment standards due to progressive proximity of community settlements around the Refinery. The measures include tree plantations, improvement in drainage systems, house-keeping and cleanliness drives as well as substantive programmes adopted on successive World Environment Days to enhance awareness of the individual and collective responsibilities towards environment preservation among the employees and their families, students and the community in general. 

The Refinery has progressively improved its operations in terms of energy efficient state-of-the-art technologies and production of clean fuels meeting emerging quality requirements. The Indane Maximisation (INDMAX) technology is an in-house technology developed by R&D Centre of IndianOil designed to achieve LPG yield as high as 44%. The INDMAX technology was first commissioned at Guwahati Refinery. Besides its function of maximization of LPG, it enables the Refinery to upgrade its residual products to high value distillate products. 

The Refinery’s concerns for environment protection is further demonstrated by extensive tree plantation and development of Ecological Park and Sanjeevani Udayan in and around the Refinery further spearhead its efforts to the cause of ecological balance. Planting and preserving bio-diversified species are continual efforts in preserving bountiful nature. Periodic campaigns are also carried out in the neighborhood to bring home the importance of clean environment. 

Guwahati Refinery is also known for its sincere efforts on development as well as implementation of effective Safety, Health & Environment management systems and procedures along with good performance in occupational health and safety. 

Emergency planning and response is ensured through well laid out Onsite and Offsite Disaster Management plans and periodic drills on simulated scenario. All credible scenarios like Fire and Vapor Cloud Explosion, Oil Spill, Hydrocarbon release, Toxic gas release, flood, and earthquake and security threats are incorporated in the Disaster Management Plans. 

To keep air pollution in check, Guwahati Refinery has installed one Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (AAQMS), which continuously monitors ambient air quality. 

A number of efficient mechanisms for water pollution prevention and control are in place in the Refinery. It has modified the API Separator by which there will be further improvment of oil separation efficiency. It has procured a Total Organic Carbon Analyzer for monitoring treated effluent quality before discharge. A chlorinator that is used to combat slime and algae formation under installation to provide continuous treated effluent chlorinated water. 

An effluent treatment plant with continuous system improvement by addition of Dual Media Filters and Coke Fine Settlers, full-fledged pollution control laboratory and reuse of treated effluent in the Refinery ensures the adherence to applicable standards. 

The Refinery has taken up initiatives for solid waste management with processing of Accumulated Sludge through oil recovery Bio-remediation of Residual Sludge. Moreover, the Refinery has identified areas in the refinery where it will utilize solar energy for getting hot water. 

The occupational health centre of Guwahati Refinery Hospital, since its inception in 1994, has been providing comprehensive services to the corporation's employees, their dependents and to the community. Periodical medical examination, Hearing Conservation Programme, Pulmonary Function Test, Training and Awareness Programmes etc are a few of the activities which had been undertaken in the recent past. 

Total Productive Maintenance has been a way of life for refiners at Guwahati in the plant, at the offices since October 2004, with improved work culture and employee ownership. The Refinery has recently qualified for the TPM Excellence Award (Final Assessment) and is soon set for the TPM Sustenance Award certification. 

Enhancing skill development and knowledge management with in-house and outside training are inbuilt HRD initiatives. Innovation and Creativity are recognized at all levels. Guwahati Refinery is proud of continued good performance and recipient of prestigious corporate level awards. 

Catering to the work life balance of its employees, the Refinery provides infrastructure facilities for pursuing variety of sports, games and cultural interests for all employees and their dependants. 

In line with Indian Oil’s responsibility towards the society, Guwahati Refinery has contributed yeomen service towards developing the community, which exists around it. The CSR agenda of the Refinery focuses on three broad areas of education, health care and providing water supply. Initiatives taken under these heads are participative in nature with community participation in a partnership model for ensuring sustainable development of the community. 

Business improvement in a globalized, liberalized and competitive market is the result of highly effective and committed leadership. Regular communication and open sessions with Chairman, Directors, ED and top management, enable achieving business results. Joint Management Council meetings through participative management are held regularly and information sharing through the net and publications ensure alignment of goals and actions at every level.