Reliance’s Jamnagar Refinery: The company celebrates its 25th anniversary. Featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Amit Shah

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar refinery completed 25 years on Sunday, December 28. The company commissioned its first refinery on December 28, 1999 in Jamnagar, Gujarat.

The Jamnagar refinery contributes 25% to India’s oil refining capacity, the company said.

“India’s first private refinery has single-handedly increased India’s total refining capacity by 25%, making India self-sufficient in transportation fuels,” Reliance said.

Reliance Industries stock ended 0.36% higher. INR1,220.95 after Friday trading. INRThe previous closing price was 1,216.60.

the beginning

According to Reliance, when the Jamnagar plant was established, experts had said it would be impossible for an Indian company to set up a grassroots refinery in three years, but the company did so in 33 months.

Dhirubhai Ambani was first offered land in a barren and desolate area off the coast of Jamnagar, near a village called Motikabudi. The company invested in areas that lacked roads, electricity, and even adequate drinking water.

Now, if we look at the huge Jamnagar refinery, there is a distinct difference as the area has been developed with large mango orchards and mangrove belts that have become a haven for migratory birds outside the refinery.

The first refinery was set up in 1999 on 5,000 acres of barren wasteland and cost Reliance more than $3.4 billion in capital costs. According to company data, the refinery has a production capacity of 27 million tons.

The refinery was aimed at reducing India’s dependence on fuel imports. The company also set up an SEZ refinery in 2008 to increase refining capacity in Jamnagar.

Jamnagar is yet to reach Reliance’s 2035 net-zero target.

Jamnagar headwind

In June 1998, Jamnagar was hit by a cyclone when construction work was in full swing. Although damage was limited, it occurred to temporary construction infrastructure.

Dhirubhai Ambani looks at the natural disaster aspect. INRMaking the refinery capable of responding to a Richter Scale 9 earthquake would add 10 percent to the project cost to the tune of 150 billion.

This came in handy when a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Bhuj, which is less than 100 km from Jamnagar.

Production side

The Jamnagar refinery has improved India’s exports of refined petroleum products and reduced the country’s dependence on imports of refined petroleum products.

According to company data, India’s total imports of petrol and diesel in 1998-99 were more than 10 million tonnes, which fell to zero once the refineries started operations.

According to Reliance, the Jamnagar refinery currently produces 1.4 million barrels per day and processes 247 different grades of crude oil or feedstock from various locations around the world.

In 2009, Jamnagar’s second refinery came into operation with an average complexity of 12.7 on the Nelson Complexity Index. With this move, Reliance Industries has entered the top 10 list of private oil refiners in the world.

The evolution of the project over time has expanded the refinery from its original 5,000 acre area to a 25,000 acre site in the Indian city of Jamnagar.

Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan and his wife arrived in Jamnagar, Gujarat on Sunday, December 29, for the Reliance Jamnagar Refinery celebrations, news agency PTI reported. In addition to Khan, Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja and Home Minister Amit Shah were also present at the celebration.