Question : SETTING UP OF STRATEGIC CRUDE OIL RESERVES

(a) whether the Government has a proposal to set up three strategic crude oil reserves in the country at least for about 78 days needs;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the present status of the proposal?

MINISTER OF THE STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a) & (b): The Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited (ISPRL), a Special Purpose Vehicle and a wholly owned subsidiary of Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB), is establishing the strategic crude oil reserves of 5.33 million metric tonnes capacity at three locations viz. Visakhapatnam, Mangalore and Padur.

With the commissioning of the ISPRL’s projects and other storage capacity additions by Oil Companies, the country will have total crude and petroleum products reserves equivalent to 78 days of oil imports by 2012-13.

(c): The present status of the three projects is as under:

Visakhapatnam (1.33 MMT): After obtaining statutory approvals, the underground works have been awarded and the work is in progress. The above-ground work has also been awarded.

Mangalore (1.5 MMT): After obtaining statutory approvals, the underground works have been awarded and the work is in progress. For the above-ground facilities, tendering work is in progress.

Padur (2.5 MMT): Out of the total requirement of 160 acres, 140 acres of land, have been acquired. The underground works have been awarded. The tendering process for the award of above-ground works is in progress. The tendering process for pipeline works would commence after acquisition of Right of User (ROU).

#MMT – Million Metric Tonne.