Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Puri has stated that India's progress towards energy self-sufficiency is gaining momentum as the country's energy sector continues to expand and strengthen. He noted that a pipeline of approximately 1,640 km is being constructed from Paradip Port to Numaligarh for transporting imported crude oil. The expansion of the Numaligarh Refinery, which aims to enhance its overall crude oil processing capacity, is scheduled for completion by 2024. Environmental clearance for the project was secured in July 2020, with an approved budget of Rs 280 billion, according to the refinery's website.
Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL), a public sector oil company operating a 3 MMTPA refinery in Assam's Golaghat district, is under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Petroleum. Puri highlighted on X that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Numaligarh Refinery Expansion Project is working to increase its refining capacity from 3 MMTPA to 9 MMTPA as part of India's accelerating journey towards energy self-sufficiency.
In May 2021, the Assam government raised its stake in the refinery from 12.35% to 26%, investing Rs 21.87 billion, which is the highest-ever investment by the state government in any public sector undertaking (PSU). NRL, being the largest of the four refineries operating in Assam, plays a significant role in the economic development of the state.
