Kerala: Pipelines to cut oil marketing companies cost by Rs 400 crore

KOCHI: Oil marketing companies in Kerala could bring down operational expenses by Rs 400 crore by setting up pipeline network for transportation of LPG to storage and bottling plants by putting an end to using bullet tank-ers for bulk transportation. Speaking to reporters at the Udayamperoor bottling plant of IOCL in Kochi on Tuesday S. Dhanapandian, general manager (LPG Project) said IOCL accounting for 50 per cent of LPG supply in Kerala spends Rs 200 cr as trucking charges per year while BPCL and HPCL together will be spending another Rs 400 cr.

The connection of Udayamperoor bottling plant with the Kochi Salem LPG Pipeline Pvt Ltd (KSPPL) has eliminated the use of 50 LPG tankers daily, says Thangalazhi D. Sabu, deputy general manager (Plant) said. The two officials explained that the commissioning of the KSPPL network will enable elimination of LPG bullet tankers from the roads of the state.

The mounted storage vessels used for storing LPG at the bottling plant is having advanced safety features including the provisions of automatic shutdown of the plant in case of any emergency, said Sabu. The plant at Udayamaperoor is having two tanks of 50 lakh litres of water each for fire safety measures, he added. The design of mounded storage implemented at Udayamperoor represents a unprecedented advancement in safety, as well as efficiency and economy, Sabu said.

According to Dhana-pandian the same safety features will be incorporated in the LPG import terminal at Puthuv-ypeen. The work on the project has been suspended temporarily following an agitation by a section of the local people against the project on safety concerns. The plant at Udapyamperoor is having the capacity to store 3,600 tonnes of LPG than can fill 50,000 cylinders per day. On an average 150-160 trucks, with each truck carrying 306 cylinders, are loaded from the plant.