PM Modi hails commissioning of HPCL residue upgradation facility at Visakh refinery
New Delhi, Jan 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday lauded the successful commissioning of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited’s (HPCL) Residue Upgradation Facility (RUF) at the Visakh Refinery in Andhra Pradesh, calling it a major step towards strengthening India’s energy security and self-reliance. Responding to a post by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on X, the Prime Minister said the facility would give fresh momentum to India’s push for energy independence. “This state-of-the-art facility adds momentum to our efforts towards boosting energy security, thus becoming Aatmanirbhar in this sector,” the Prime Minister said.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri described the commissioning of the RUF as a major milestone in Bharat’s journey towards energy security, underlining its strategic importance for the country’s refining capabilities.
“Bharat’s journey toward achieving energy security has reached a milestone with the successful commissioning of HPCL’s Residue Upgradation Facility at the Visakh Refinery. This critical infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh is a decisive leap toward #AatmanirbharBharat,” Puri said, crediting the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
The minister highlighted that the facility is a showcase of indigenous engineering excellence. The RUF houses three LC-Max reactors, each weighing around 2,200 metric tonnes, ranking among the heaviest engineering blocks in the world. Significantly, all three reactors were fabricated and assembled within India. With a capacity of 3.55 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA), the Residue Upgradation Facility deploys advanced residue hydrocracking technology, enabling the conversion of nearly 93 per cent of bottom-of-the-barrel oils into high-value petroleum products. The technology is expected to maximise output from every barrel of crude oil, enhancing efficiency while supporting the country’s growing energy demands. The commissioning of the RUF is seen as a key step in reducing import dependence and strengthening India’s refining infrastructure as the country pursues long-term energy security under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.
