Fire erupts at India’s Rajasthan refinery a day ahead of inauguration

ALBAWABA- A major fire broke out on Monday, April 20, at the Pachpadra refinery in Balotra district, just a day before Narendra Modi was scheduled to inaugurate the facility.

The blaze erupted near the Crude Distillation Unit, sending thick plumes of black smoke into the sky, visible across the surrounding area. Emergency crews deployed multiple fire tenders and activated on-site safety systems, bringing the fire under control with no reported casualties.

India’s Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas confirmed that the inauguration has been postponed, adding that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the incident and assess the extent of the damage.

 The refinery, formally known as Ltd, is India’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex. Located in Rajasthan’s Thar Desert region, it is designed to process locally extracted crude oil and boost domestic refining capacity, as India continues to import more than 85% of its crude requirements.

The incident comes amid heightened volatility in global oil markets, including supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz linked to tensions in the Middle East. In response, India has resumed imports of Iranian crude after a seven-year pause, securing its first shipments earlier this month as part of a diversification strategy.

While the Pachpadra refinery was not yet operational and does not immediately affect current supply, the delay in its commissioning could slow India’s efforts to reduce long-term dependence on imports. Rising domestic output from Rajasthan’s oil fields was expected to feed the facility, enabling production of fuels and high-value petrochemicals.

The fire-damaged complex has a planned capacity of 9 million metric tonnes per annum, including 2.4 million tonnes of petrochemicals, and was developed at an approximate cost of ₹80,000 crore, (US$8.5 billion). The project is operated by HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd, a joint venture between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd, which holds a 74% stake, and the Government of Rajasthan, which owns the remaining 26%.