NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India’s HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd (HMEL), part owned by steel tycoon L N Mittal, will shut its 226,000 barrels per day (bpd) Bathinda refinery in northern Punjab state for about 40 days from end-January for maintenance, two sources said.
During the shutdown HMEL will also carry out work to be able to hook petrochemical units, including a 1.2 million tonnes a year ethylene cracker, sources with knowledge of the plan said.
The 40-day shutdown is expected to start around Jan. 25-26, said one of the sources, adding the company plans to commission petrochemical units in September-October.
The sources declined to be named as they are not authorised to speak to media. HMEL’s chief executive Prabh Das said ‘no comments’ when asked about the shutdown plan.
