New Delhi: State-run Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has submitted an Expression of Interest (EoI) to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) for laying, building and operating a 36-Km-long common carrier Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) pipeline from Palwal in Haryana to the upcoming Jewar International Airport. The total capacity of the proposed pipeline is 2.5 MTPA. The project will take off once the PNGRB grants authorisation to IOC after seeking comments from various stakeholders and holding an open house discussion on the same.
The Jewar International Airport, which is being developed in Gautam Buddha Nagar, is expected to divert the traffic from New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). It is expected that in the next 30 years, passenger traffic of upcoming Jewar Airport will be the same as present-day IGI Airport. "Therefore, in the long-term, the expected ATF demand for Jewar Airport would be too significant to be transported by existing road mode," said IOC in its EoI.
"A fuel farm is proposed in the Western part of the upcoming Jewar airport site. The required fuel infrastructure for the initial phases is planned to be built prior to the opening of the airport and the facility could then be expanded in phases to meet future demand. However, presently, there is no product pipeline of any OMCs/ entity passing in the vicinity of proposed Jewar airport location. In the absence of product pipeline, ATF would have to be transported through road movement, which would not be a safer option in already highly congested Delhi-NCR traffic," said Indian Oil.
Currently, IOC operates two refineries in proximity of the NCR — Mathura and Panipat refinery — which are interconnected through Mathura – Delhi (Bijwasan) product pipeline and Panipat – Bijwasan pipeline. The Mathura – Delhi pipeline en route to Bijwasan terminal passes through Palwal (located at about 80 Km from IOC's Mathura refinery) where the OMC is proposing to set up the pumping station for ATF.
(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Telegram. Join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram and stay updated)