The Hindu : Indian Oil to launch Auto LPG next month

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 13, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Indian Oil to launch Auto LPG next month

By Our Staff Correspondent

Belgaum July 12. The Indian Oil will introduce Auto LPG for the first time in the State this year.

Announcing this here on Friday, T.L.Jain, Executive Director, Indian Oil, Southern Region, Chennai, said the fuel would be distributed through Auto LPG Dispensing Stations, while the first such retail outlet would be inaugurated in Bangalore in August.

He announced the launch of Low Sulphur Diesel in the State in February next. The Low Sulphur Diesel with only 0.05 per cent of sulphur would be made available in Bangalore.

Mr. Jain was here to inaugurate the company's new Bulk Petroleum Storage Depot at Desur, about 15 km from here on National Highway 4A.

He said the State had always occupied the pride of place in Indian Oil's operations in peninsular India.

As a leading petroleum company in the state, it had been an integral part of the lives of people and economy of the State. On the features of the depot, he said it was built at a cost of Rs.21 crores as against an estimated Rs.24 crores.

This was the result of the constant endeavour of the company to upgrade infrastructure by expanding and modernising facilities to serve customers better and in an expeditious manner.

With a tankage of 14,200 kilolitres, including 9,000 kilolitres of High Speed Diesel, 1,800 kilolitres of petrol and 3,400 kilolitres of kerosene, the depot would facilitate unhindered supply of fuel for consumers. A comprehensive safety system with complete hydrant lines, conforming to OISD 117 standards had been ensured.

The only Fortune 500 company and with the largest commercial undertaking in the country with a turnover of over Rs.1,15,000 crores during the financial year 2001-02, the company has grown into an undisputed market leader in the State with the market share of 57 per cent in petroleum products. It had met 98 per cent of fuel requirements of the State transport undertakings and over 80 per cent of fuel needs of the Railways.

Its infrastructure strength showed 58 per cent of total tankage of oil industry in the State.

The Mangalore-Hassan-Bangalore pipeline being laid by Petronet India Ltd. would be hooked up to Devanagonthi terminal for supplies with additional tankage capacity generation at the terminal.

The Indian Oil, he said, catered to 40 per cent of the demand for LPG in the State, translating to an Indane customer base of 13.20 lakhs through 198 distributors.

Over 60 per cent of customers had double cylinder connections, he added.

The company's total bottling capacity was 1,35,000 tonnes per annum being filled at its plants in Bangalore, Devanagonthi and Kanagala in Belgaum.

The Shimoga plant with a capacity of 44,000 tones was being built at a cost of Rs.23 crores. It would be commissioned by October next year.

The Deputy General Manager, Indian Oil, Karnataka, K.R.Suresh Kumar, said the new depot would usher in prosperity and help develop the economy in its command area.

The General Manager of the company, A.M.Nanjundan, the Chief Operations Manager, A.C.Mishra, and the Senior Divisional Manager, V.Vijaykumar, spoke.

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