Reliance to restart Jamnagar crude distillation unit

01-Mar-12

Reliance Industries Ltd. Plans to restart a 290,000 bpd crude distillation unit (CDU) at its Jamnagar refinery complex. The CDU has been shut since mid-February as per a planned three-week maintenance schedule. Average monthly naphtha exports from Reliance are 180,000-200,000 tons, but it sold less than half of the volumes for February lifting, and about 10,000 tons in March. Refinery shutdowns in India and the Middle East have restricted production of oil products, pushing up prices and product cracks, especially for light distillates, amid insufficient Western exports to meet spot demand.