Tracing the Roots of an
Illustrious journey.
A view of the barren lands of CPCL, before Construction
Smt. Indira Gandhi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, turning the first sod at the groundbreaking ceremony on January 6, 1967.
The construction of the refining facility commenced in February 1967 and the project was completed in a record time of 27 months.
Shri V.V.Giri, His Excellency, the President of India, formally inaugurated the Manali Refinery on September 27, 1969
First Refinery in India to have a Sulphur recovery plant since 1969
Installation of Kerosene Hydro Desulphurisation Furnace Stack at Manali Refinery
Shri M.Rama Brahmam, MD, commissioning the 30th 7.5 km crude oil pipeline from the Chennai port to Manali Refinery on February 5, 1969.
Year of Assimilation
1969-1982.
New Oil Jetty, was commissioned at Chennai port on September 15, 1969, with the berthing of vessel Avedrecht
The commercial operation of the Manali Refinery commenced on June 12, 1969.
The first “turnaround” activities in Refinery I in April 1971
View of Refinery in the 70s
His Imperial Majesty Shahinshah Aryameher of Iran visited Manali Refinery during 1967 – 68.
A view of 22 MW Captive Power Generation Plant with water treatment facilities in the foreground at Manali Refinery
Pneumatic Control System at Refinery-I Control Room in the 70s.
A view of Hydrogen Plant and Hydro-desulphurisation Units at Manali Refinery.
Shri A.J.A. Tauro, CMD, CPCL, presenting a dividend cheque for the year 1980 – 81 to Shri P.C. Sethi, Hon’ble Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas
Year of Expansion-led Growth
1983-1995.
The Expansion Project for doubling the refining capacity of the Manali Refinery from 2.8 MMTPA to 5.6 MMTPA was commissioned in 1984-85.
Paraffin Wax Plant, the second unit in India, was commissioned in March 1984.
Shri Rajiv Gandhi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, dedicates the Expansion units (Refinery II) to the Nation at Manali on December 16, 1985.
Shri Rajiv Gandhi, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India visiting the Micro Processor based Distributed Digital Control System, installed for the first time in a Refinery in India.
Shri P. Chidambaram, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Personnel & Administration, laying the foundation Stone for Refinery Engineering School of Training (RESOT), on August 29, 1986.
Personnel from Harcourt Refining Company of Nigeria undergoing a Training at RESOT.
Shri N.D. Tiwari, Hon’ble Union Minister for Industries, at CPCL’s R&D Centre after its inauguration at Manali on October 18, 1986.
CPCL’s R&D Centre received the prestigious National Award in 1995 for the Centre’s achievement in Technology Absorption from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Smt. Sushila Rohatgi, Hon’ble Union Minister for Power, laying the Foundation Stone for the 10 MW Gas Turbine at Manali Refinery on August 26, 1986.
Shri V.R. Deenadayalu, CMD, CPCL and Shri D.V. Tidvell, President of Set Point Inc, USA, signing the MOU on October 19, 1987, to source optimization software from the USA with a license to implement it in other refineries in India with EIL.
Dr. P.C. Alexander, His Excellency, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, commissioning the propylene Plant at Manali Refinery on November 3, 1988. This catalysed the development of the Petrochemical Industry in Manali.
Shri V.R.Deenadayalu, CMD, CPCL, signs MOU with Shri R.W. Davis, President, Chevron Chemical Company, USA, on March 25, 1989 for establishing Indian Additives Ltd (IAL). IAL is a flourishing company producing lube additives.
Shri M. Karunanidhi, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, visited the Manali Plant, after inaugurating the Feed Preparation Unit on May 18, 1990.
A view of the Tertiary Treatment plant at Manali Refinery. This plant, first of its kind in Asia, was inaugurated on August 31, 1991 to reclaim city sewage for process use.
Shri M.L. Fotedar, Hon’ble Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, visited the occupational Health Services Centre at CPCL after its inauguration on February 5, 1992.
Hexane Plant was commissioned at Manali Refinery on May 19, 1992. Food grade Hexane from this plant is used by the solvent extraction industry.
Shri R. Venkataraman, His Excellency, the President of India, laying the Foundation Stone of Cauvery Basin Refinery (CBR) at Panangudi near Nagapattinam on June 22, 1992.
CPCL’s CBR with Gas Sweetening and LPG Separation Facilities at Panangudi was commissioned to process locally available oil & gas.
Hon’ble Union Ministers & Members of Parliament with CPCL’s CNG driven Bus in New Delhi, in April 1992.
A view of Manali Refinery in 90’s.
Year In Transition
1996-2001.
CPCL and BPCL signed an MOU on July 22, 1999 for marketing rights of products from CPCL’s Manali Refinery.
A view of the new Reformer, PSA of Hydrogen Unit & furnace of DHDS unit at Manali Refinery.
The company’s name was changed from MRL to CPCL (Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited) at the Extra Ordinary General Meeting held on March 29, 2000.
CPCL signs agreement with Solomon Associates USA Inc on May 8, 2000 for excellence in Competitive Performance Programme.
A view of newly built Refinery III at Manali in 2004.
CPCL’s Zero Discharge Plant was commissioned to recycle effluents from Manali Refinery, thereby ensuring Zero Discharge.
CPCL’s Chidambaranar Oil Jetty at Nagapattinam was commissioned in 2003, for receipt of an increased quantity of crude oil.
Dawn of Synergy with Energy
2002-2006.
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, His Excellency, the President of India, visited tsunami affected areas at Nagapattinam on June 30, 2004. CPCL was privileged to provide accommodation for His Excellency at CBR guest house. During the occasion, His Excellency planted sapling at the housing complex.
Chennai, Trichy, Madurai Pipeline (CTMPL) project at Manali Refinery. This project enabled the movement of petroleum products at competitive rates.
Shri S.C. Tripathi, Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, unveiling the plaque to inaugurate the New Zero Discharge Plant of CPCL’s Manali Refinery complex on December 27, 2005.
Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), the world’s leading provider of business information services, ranked CPCL 20th among India’s Top 500 companies in 2004 and 6th place as per total income in the Oil Refining & Marketing sector in 2006.
A view of Manali Refinery in 2006
PKS DCS System for the Offsite Automation Project at Manali Refinery was commissioned on August 8, 2006
CPCL commissioned a DeNOx facility, the first of its kind in India, on June 5, 2006, at its Manali Refinery, to minimize the overall Nitrous Oxide (NOx) emissions.
The New Refinery model at Refinery IIIControl Room was inaugurated by Shri M.S. Srinivasan, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, during his visit to CPCL’s Manali Refinery on May 16, 2005.
CPCL-A Leader in Innovative Management
2007-2015.
Windmill Farm with a capacity of 17.6 MW was dedicated by Shri M.S.Srinivasan, IAS, Secretary to GOI, MOP&NG – Oct 2007.
Inauguration of Desalination Plant by Shri Murali Deora, Hon’ble Minister of P&NG, Shri Jitin Prasada, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for P&NG, Shri Praful Patel, Hon’ble Union Minister of State Independent Charge – Civil Aviation, Shri M.K.Stalin, Deputy Chief Minister of Tamilnadu and other Ministers
Euro IV Auto Fuel Projects (NHT/ISOM/DHDT) was successfully completed
Revamp of Ref III capacity from 3 to 4 MMTPA was successfully completed.
Crude distillation unit in Refinery II was revamped to meet the BS IV fuel quality. In this revamp the atmospheric column was replaced with a new column with increased height to accommodate a new product draw namely Extra Gasoil from Atmospheric column.
New Hydrogen plant of CPCL was inaugurated by Ms.Panabaka Lakshmi, Hon’ble Union Minister of States for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Textiles, at CPCL’s Manali Refinery.
PETROFED has endowed prestigious “Innovator of the Year-Team” award for the year 2013 jointly to Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) & Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) for the innovation in the Indigenous development and commercial application technology for “Co-processing of Non-edible Vegetable Oils in Petroleum Refineries” leading to better product quality.
“LIQUID PARAFFIN WAX” Marketing was inaugurated at the newly constructed facility in CPCL by Managing Director Shri.Gautam Roy.
The legendary Journey
2016-Till date.
Mounded Bullet was commissioned at CPCL’s Manali Refinery.
The Golden Jubilee Logo of CPCL was unveiled by Mr.B.Ashok, Chairman, IndianOil Group Companies, at CPCL’s Corporate Office.
An agreement was entered into between CPCL and IAL on 10.11.2016 for sale of Furnace Oil to their plant through a dedicated pipeline. The agreement is for supply of 3000 KL/annum of Furnace Oil.
Changed over to 100% BS-IV HSD & MS supply from Jan’2017 complying with the directive of Government Auto Fuel Policy.
Successfully completed OHCU revamp shutdown in Feb’2017 improving its capability of handling coker streams and enhancing its capacity.
20kW Solar Power plant was installed on the roof-top of CPCL’s Corporate Office at Teynampet. The project was inaugurated on 24.02.17 by Mr.Gautam Roy, Managing Director, CPCL.
Microcrystalline Wax, a new product, was introduced in the market during June 2017, as Import substitute, generating additional revenue and saving foreign exchange.
Successful commissioning of Delayed Coker Unit (DCU) as part of Resid Upgradation Project in 2017.
CPCL’s Resid Upgradation Project was dedicated to the nation by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Honorable Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas & Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India, at Manali refinery on 27th Feb 2018.
Successful commissioning of DHDS unit after revamp in Feb-18
Successful commissioning of Sulphur Recovery Unit (SRU) as part of Resid Upgradation Project with 200 TPD capacity in Mar-18.
First ever berthing of VLCC (part loaded) in any Indian Port successfully carried out in Chennai Port.
Commissioned the new 42inch Crude Oil Pipeline on 24th Dec 2018 and dedicated to the Nation by Honorable Prime Minister on 10th Feb 2019
MOU was signed with Govt of Tamil Nadu for the package of incentives to CPCL, according to a structure package of support as the Tamil Nadu Industrial Policy 2014 during Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet 2019.
MOU was signed with IOC for long term supply of Products. Also Tripartite agreement with signed with IOC, BPC & HPC for product supply.
Successfully commissioned RLNG to one of the Hydrogen generation unit from supplies from Ennore
Drone Inspection of aerial survey of Refinery-1 flare and furnace stacks top portion was carried out during M&I
Successfully completed revamp of DHDT unit as part of BS VI quality upgradation project and the unit was commissioned on 22nd Nov’19.
Commenced Supply of BS VI MS and HSD from 1st Dec’19, well ahead of mandated timeline.
Development of Green belt for 40 acres in CPCL land with the assistance of Tamil Nadu Forest Department was inaugurated on 5th Jun 2019
Commenced Supply of SKO with 1000ppm Sulphur level.
Successfully produced a batch of High Flash HSD with NATO grade specification.
