Oil Ministry is believed to have turned down Reliance Petroleum Ltd's request to export LPG from its newly commissioned refinery at Jamnagar in Gujarat, forcing the only-for-exports unit to sell the cooking fuel locally.

 

RPL, a unit of Mukesh Ambani-run Reliance Industries, had sought nod to export the entire liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) production till the 580,000-barrels per day refinery in the Jamnagar Special Economic Zone is fully commissioned.

 

RPL had also sought permission to export 30,000 tons a month of LPG from the new unit till March. Further, an additional 5,000 tons a day of LPG was sought to be exported from April till all major units are commissioned.

 

Petroleum Ministry in its response to RPL’s request said that, its request cannot be entertained as the country continues to have LPG deficit, a senior official of the ministry said. The Ministry, he said, wants RPL to sell the fuel to state-run retailers to meet domestic demand.

 

The $6 billion new unit is one of the most complex refineries in the world, capable of processing the most difficult crude oils. It, together with parent firm's existing refinery, has made Jamnagar the world's largest refining complex with an aggregate processing capacity of 1.24 million barrels of oil per day.