First gas from RIL's KG-D6 project in 2020: Mukesh Ambani
Mumbai, July 5 : Noting that Reliance Industries (RIL) has successfully commissioned both the world's largest paraxylene and off-gas cracker facilities at its refinery in Jamnagar in Gujarat, Chairman Mukesh Ambani said on Thursday that the company is looking at delivering natural gas from its KG Basin offshore project by 2020.
Addressing RIL's 41st Annual General Meeting here, Ambani said the company's hydrocarbon business has further scaled up its capacities during the period in consideration "to become more profitable, integrated and predictable in its earnings profile".
"We are now nearing the end of our largest-ever investment at Jamnagar and have successfully commissioned and stabilized the world's largest paraxylene complex.
"Reliance is the second largest paraxylene (PX) producer in the world and Jamnagar has the distinction of being the largest manufacturing facility of PX in the world with 4.2 million tonne (MT) capacity," he said.
"We also commissioned the largest off-gas cracker complex in the world. Using our refinery off-gasses as feedstock, this cracker is the most cost competitive ethylene cracker, globally."
During 2017-18, RIL's refining and petrochemical businesses posted record levels of profitability on the back of expanded capacities, high operating rates, improved cost competitiveness and better margins, the company reported in June.
Its refining and marketing segment posted a 3.2 per cent increase in operating profit which climbed to its highest ever level of Rs 25,869 crore (around $4 billion).
"Both the paraxylene and cracker complexes are already running substantially higher than their design capacity," he said.
"The butyl rubber project will be commissioned later in 2018. We are also adding new high value materials like composites and carbon fibre to our portfolio," he added.
On the exploration business, the Chairman drew attention to RIL's joint investment plan with British energy major BP to monetise over three trillion cubic feet of gas from new fields in the Krishna Godavari (KG) basin D6 block on the eastern offshore.
"We will deploy many advanced technologies to start gas production in 2020 and reaching full production of 30-35 million standard cubic meters per day (MSCMD) by 2022," he said.
"Our gas marketing JV (joint venture) with BP is looking for opportunities to source and distribute gas to Indian consumers including in cities," he added.
Ambani said that RIL's coal bed methane (CBM) gas production crossed 1 MSCMD level last year.
"We have started the second phase of CBM development to more than double the current production," he said.
The company is proposing a cross-border merger of Reliance Holdings USA (RHUSA) with RIL to integrate the US gas resources with the Indian market, he added.
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13 lakh litres of 'Rail Neer' supplied to train passengers daily: Government
New Delhi (PTI): Approximately 13 lakh litres of packaged drinking water -- 'Rail Neer' -- are being supplied to train passengers across the railway network daily, the government informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply on Wednesday.
Apprising the Lower House about the Indian Railways' endeavour to provide safe and potable drinking water facilities at all stations, the government also provided zone-wise details of the water vending machines (WVMs) installed there.
"To ensure the quality of drinking water being made available at the railway stations, instructions exist for periodical checking and required corrective action to be taken.
"Regular inspection and maintenance of drinking water facilities is carried out and complaints are attended to promptly," Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while responding to a question raised by BJP MP Anup Sanjay Dhotre seeking to know the supply of drinking water at railway stations across the country
"Complaints regarding deficiency in services, including water supply, are received through various channels such as public complaints, web portals, social media, etc. These complaints are received at various levels, including the Railway Board, zonal railways, division office, etc.," Vaishnaw said.
"The complaints so received are forwarded to the concerned wings of Railways and necessary action is taken to check and address them. As receipt of such complaints and action taken thereon is a continuous and dynamic process, a centralised compendium of these is not maintained," he added.
Providing zone-wise details of water vending machines, the minister said 954 such machines have been installed across railway stations.
"The Indian Railways also provides safe and affordable packaged drinking water bottles -- Rail Neer -- approved by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in trains and at stations," Vaishnaw said.
"Approximately, 13 lakh litres of Rail Neer are being supplied per day to the travelling passengers in trains and at stations across the Indian Railways network," he added.
