Reliance Petroleum creates history

New Delhi: Reliance Petroleum on Thursday created history when it commissioned an only-for-export refinery in just 36 months at rock-bottom prices to create the world's largest refining hub at Jamnagar in Gujarat. RPL commissioned a 580,000 barrel a day (29 million tonnes a year) refinery adjacent to its parent Reliance Industries' existing 33 million tonne per annum refinery.The two units together will be the world's largest refining complex with an aggregate processing capacity of 1.24 million barrels of oil per day.The USD 6 billion new unit, built in a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), is one of the most complex refineries in the world, capable of processing the most difficult crude oils."RPL commenced its crude processing (today). The secondary processing units are now under synchronisation and commissioning. The entire refinery complex is expected to attain full capacity shortly," the company said in a press statement here.The refinery will export the fuel, compliant with the most stringent Euro IV norms, to the US and European and African countries.The company, however, did not say when full commissioning would take place.Sources said it may take up to three months for a unit of that size to become fully operational. Reliance Industries' existing refinery began the trial run in July 1999 and was fully commissioned in October that year.The crude distillation unit (CDU), the front end of a refinery which converts crude oil into various products like naphtha, kerosene, diesel and petrol, was started today and it normally takes 8-10 days for the first product to be ready for delivery, sources said, adding that it (the first product) would be in the market by early January.