HPCL Expects Restoration Work in 3 to 4 Weeks

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited has said that a leak was the likely cause of the fire at its joint venture refinery in Rajasthan, with restoration work expected to be completed within three to four weeks.

The company said the restart of the crude distillation unit (CDU) is likely in the second half of May.

A major fire had broken out near the main unit of the newly built ₹79,450-crore refinery of HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd on April 20, a day before its scheduled inauguration by Narendra Modi.

According to HPCL’s stock exchange filing, the blaze in the CDU — considered the main unit of a refinery — was likely triggered by a hydrocarbon leak from a valve or flange in a heat exchanger circuit.

The company said a detailed investigation confirmed that the fire remained localised to the heat exchanger stack, affecting six exchangers and associated equipment.

Officials indicated that repair and restoration efforts are progressing, with operations expected to resume after necessary safety checks.