Rajasthan’s Pachpadra Refinery to start trial production in May, fire was caused by hydrocarbon leakage, says HPCL

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) has provided a fresh update on the fire that broke out five days ago at its Pachpadra Refinery in Rajasthan, confirming that the blaze was caused by a hydrocarbon leakage and that trial production of major products is still on track to begin within May 2026.

In a detailed statement issued today, HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL) said detailed investigations have confirmed the initial assessment, that the fire on April 20 was confined to the heat exchanger stack in the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU). Only six heat exchangers and associated equipment were affected. The suspected cause was a leakage from the pressure gauge tapping point on the vacuum residue exchanger inlet line.

This conclusion of the incident rules out any possibility of sabotage or terror attack. NIA had reached the site to probe the possible sabotage angle.

HPCL said that restoration work is now underway and is expected to be completed in the next 3–4 weeks. The CDU is anticipated to restart in the second fortnight of May 2026. Other secondary units are already in advanced stages of commissioning as per the original plan. HPCL expects trial production of key products, including LPG, petrol, diesel, and Naphtha, to commence within May 2026, followed by stabilisation and full commissioning of the units.

The company reiterated its commitment to operational safety and robust emergency response systems, stating that all units remain structurally safe and unaffected beyond the localised incident

The fire erupted on April 20, 2026m, just one day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to dedicate the ₹80,000-crore greenfield refinery-cum-petrochemical complex to the nation. After the incident, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas immediately announced the postponement of the high-profile inauguration event, which had been set for April 21.

In its official statement on April 20, the Ministry said: “Due to an unfortunate fire incident today in the vicinity of the Crude Distillation Unit at the HRRL refinery, the scheduled dedication of the refinery by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 21.04.2026 has been postponed. The fire has been brought under control. There are no reports of any casualties.”

An investigation was promptly launched to determine the cause and implement remedial measures. A four-member probe team from the Ministry rushed to the site the following day.

The HRRL project, a 74:26 joint venture between HPCL (74%) and the Government of Rajasthan (26%), is a 9 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) integrated refinery located at Pachpadra in Barmer district (now part of Balotra district). Originally conceived over 18 years ago with a much lower estimated cost, the project saw significant delays and cost escalation.

The Union Cabinet approved an upward revision to approximately ₹79,459 crore earlier this month for the project. Commercial operations were originally targeted for July 2026.The fire occurred at a critical juncture, just as the refinery was gearing up for its formal inauguration following years of construction.

A revised date for the formal dedication by the Prime Minister will be announced once safety assessments and restoration are fully complete. HPCL has assured stakeholders that the setback is limited and that the overall commissioning timeline remains largely intact, with trial production expected as early as this month.

Written by OpIndia Staff
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