Leak likely behind fire at Pachpadra refinery, ops to start by mid-May: HPCL

Jaipur: The recent incident of fire at the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd (HRRL) at Pachpadra in Balotra district has been traced to a localised section within the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), with initial findings suggesting a technical fault as the probable cause. The refinery, an ambitious project for the state, is now undertaking restoration work that is expected to be completed within the next few weeks.According to an official update issued by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), detailed post-incident investigations indicate the fire was confined to the heat exchanger stack of the CDU, impacting six exchangers and associated equipment. The company said circumstantial evidence pointed to a possible leak from a pressure gauge tapping point as the trigger behind the incident.The fire, which broke out on April 20, raised concerns over the readiness and safety protocols at the refinery, especially as it approached commissioning. HPCL, however, maintains that the damage was contained and did not spread to other critical sections of the refinery.Restoration activities are currently in progress, with the company indicating a timeline of three to four weeks for completion. The CDU unit is expected to be restarted in the second fortnight of May, while other secondary processing units are reported to be in advanced stages of commissioning. All of this suggests that the broader project timeline may not face significant disruption.HPCL further stated that trial production of key petroleum products, including LPG, motor spirit (petrol), high-speed diesel and naphtha, is likely to commence within May. Stabilisation and full commissioning of the refinery units are expected to follow thereafter.While the company has reiterated its commitment to operational safety and adherence to industry standards, the incident may prompt closer scrutiny from regulators and stakeholders, particularly given the scale and strategic importance of the HRRL project in boosting domestic refining capacity.The development comes at a time when Rajasthan is positioning itself as an emerging energy hub.GFXDamage ControlHPCL says the incident was confined to the heat exchanger sectionLikely cause identified as leakage from a pressure gauge tapping pointDamage appears localized, with no impact on other major refinery unitsRestoration work underway and may take 3–4 weeks to completeCDU restart expected in the second half of MayTrial production of LPG, petrol, diesel and naphtha also likely to begin in May