New capacity lifts Indian annual refining by 13%

Indian refineries processed 12.6% more crude in the financial year ending March 31 as capacity expanded to meet local demand and gain from growing margins overseas. During the year, refineries processed 146.55 million tons (2.94 million barrels per day (bpd)) of crude oil, up from 130.1 million tons (2.61 million bpd) in the previous year. In the 2006-2007 fiscal year, Essar Oil commissioned its 210,000 bpd refinery, while Indian Oil Corp. doubled capacity at its Panipat unit to 240,000 bpd. (April 30, 2007)