The first cargo of ONGC’s newly explored crude oil was received at Mangaluru on Saturday in an event held at Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL).
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This new crude oil, named KG 98/2, was brought to Mangaluru by a ship named Swarna Sindhu, which was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 2. This sweet (low sulphur) indigenous crude is poised to be transformed into various fuels and petrochemicals at MRPL, Mangaluru.
A media statement said on Saturday that KG 98/2 is ONGC’s newly explored crude oil on the Krishna Godavari basin. This exploration resulted from an investment of ₹30,000 crore by ONGC in deep and ultra-deep field explorations fraught with natural and technical challenges.
M Shyamprasad Kamth, Managing Director of MRPL, said that this crude oil production results from ONGC group’s commitment and technical capabilities to contribute to the nation’s energy self-dependence.
This crude oil would amount to a 7 per cent increase in India’s crude oil and natural gas production potential at its peak, he said.
Sanjay Varma, Director (Refinery) of MRPL, gave an overview of the event’s significance on India’s energy landscape and its role in unlocking India’s economic potential during the Amrit Kal.
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MRPL is a coastal refinery with three separate crude distillation units and essential supporting infrastructure. This has enabled it to have a diverse crude basket of 250 crude oils from around the globe, of which more than 100 have already been processed in the refinery complex at Mangaluru, the statement said.