Tumita7029 at 12:39, 8 May 2026

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{{Short description|Oil refinery in Gujarat, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox oil refinery
| name = Jamnagar refinery
| image = Jamnagar Refinery.jpg
| caption = The Jamnagar refinery at night.
| location_map = India Gujarat
| location_map_width =
| location_map_text = The location of the Jamnagar refinery in Gujarat.
| coordinates = {{coord|22|20|53|N|69|52|8|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref =
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Gujarat]]
| city = Motikhavdi, [[Jamnagar district|Jamnagar]]
| operator =
| owner = [[Reliance Industries Limited]]
| founded = {{Start date|1999|07|14|df=yes}}
| closure =
| capacity_bbl/d = 1,840,0000
| complexity_index = 21.1<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.ril.com/ar2018-19/ril-annual-report-2019.pdf
|quote=Jamnagar site has a complexity index of 21.1
|publisher=Reliance Industries Limited
|title=Integrated Annual Report 2018-2019
|date=2019}}</ref>
| employees =
| ref units =
| oil tank =
| oil refining center =
}}

The '''Jamnagar refinery''', also known as '''RIL Jamnagar''' or '''RPL Jamnagar''', is a private sector crude [[oil refinery]] owned by [[Reliance Industries]] in Motikhavdi, [[Jamnagar district|Jamnagar]], Gujarat, India. The refinery was commissioned in July 1999 with an initial installed capacity of {{convert|668000|oilbbl/d}}. Its current installed capacity after expansion is {{convert|1240000|oilbbl/d}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ril.com/OurBusinesses/PetroleumRefiningAndMarketing.aspx |title=Petroleum Refining & Marketing}}</ref> It is currently the [[List of oil refineries|largest oil refinery in the world]].<ref>{{cite news | url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/reliance-commissions-worlds-biggest-refiner/402999 | title=Reliance commissions world's biggest refinery | newspaper=[[The Indian Express]] | date=26 December 2008 | access-date=9 January 2019 }}</ref>

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== History ==
In December 2001, Reliance Petroleum Limited (RPL) announced the commissioning of its refinery into a Special Economic Zone in Jamnagar district of Gujarat, India. The completion of the RPL refinery has enabled Jamnagar to emerge as a 'Refinery land', housing the world's largest refining complex with an aggregate refining capacity of {{convert|1.24|Moilbbl|m3}} of oil per day, more than any other single location in the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ril.com/html/business/refining_marketing.html |title=Growth through Energy Products |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070227141455/http://ril.com/html/business/refining_marketing.html |archive-date=2007-02-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The globally competitive RPL refinery was commissioned in 36 months. RPL contracted several companies having expertise in engineering construction and refining like [[Bechtel]], [[UOP LLC]] and [[Foster Wheeler]] ([[multinational corporation]]) amongst others. There were plans for the pipeline to process High Pour Point crude oil extracted at Barmer, [[Rajasthan]], although this would require an electrically heated traced pipeline to be set up from [[Barmer district|Barmer]] to Jamnagar.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cairn India starts work on Barmer-Jamnagar pipeline project|url=https://www.projectstoday.com/News/Cairn-India-starts-work-on-Barmer-Jamnagar-pipeline-project|access-date=2020-10-31|website=www.projectstoday.com}}</ref>

The entire complex, as of 2013, consists of manufacturing and allied facilities, utilities, off-sites, port facilities and a township (415 acres) with housing for its 2,500 employees, on over {{convert|7500|acre|ha sqmi|lk=on}} of land. If all of the pipes used in the refinery were laid out, one after another, they would connect the whole of India from north to south.<ref name="groundreport1">{{cite web|url=http://www.groundreport.com/Business/RIL-s-Jamnagar-Refinery-Listed-Among-The-World-s-T/2948964 |title=RIL's Jamnagar Refinery Listed Among The World's Top Five Refineries |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130606064256/http://www.groundreport.com/Business/RIL-s-Jamnagar-Refinery-Listed-Among-The-World-s-T/2948964 |archive-date=2013-06-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ril.com/downloads/pdf/about_jamnagar.pdf |title=About Jamnagar |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027062343/http://www.ril.com/downloads/pdf/about_jamnagar.pdf |archive-date=2011-10-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Export expansion ===
In 2019, during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] the domestic demand for polymer strongly declined in India. As a result, in order to keep production and sales running, [[Reliance Industries Limited]] management decided to refocus the production of polymer on export markets. With the help of the [[Maersk]] shipping and logistics group, exports from the Jamnagar refinery were quadrupled to over 10,000 x 40' containers, which transported and exported through [[Port Pipavav]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Keeping supply chains moving during COVID-19 | website=Maersk | date=8 July 2020 | url=https://www.maersk.com/news/articles/2020/07/08/keeping-supply-chains-moving-during-covid-19 | access-date=2021-04-14}}</ref>

In the 2020s, following [[International sanctions during the Russian invasion of Ukraine|sanctions imposed on Russia]] by mainly Western countries, but not by India, the Jamnagar refinery was one of the main refiners exporting oil products made from Russian oil to sanctioning nations.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=India exported USD 6.65 bn oil products derived from Russian oil to sanctioning nations: Report - ET EnergyWorld |url=https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/india-exported-usd-6-65-bn-oil-products-derived-from-russian-oil-to-sanctioning-nations-report/107897476 |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=ETEnergyworld.com |language=en}}</ref> The refinery has been the destination of [[Russian shadow fleet]] vessels.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-10-09 |title=China and India snub EU and UK sanctions as record volumes of Russia oil shipped on 'dark' or designated tankers |url=https://www.lloydslist.com/LL1150911/China-and-India-snub-EU-and-UK-sanctions-as-record-volumes-of-Russia-oil-shipped-on-dark-or-designated-tankers |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Lloyd's List}}</ref>

== Labour and environmental issues ==
=== Labour issues ===
The Jamnagar refinery has been the site of several incidents involving labour issues, worker fatalities, and unrest.

In September 2005, tensions between local villagers and workers at the refinery escalated into violent clashes following a dispute over access to water, with the unrest spilling over to the nearby Essar oil refinery. The unrest was rooted in growing local resentment over the arrival of approximately 10,000 migrant labourers from Indian states such as [[Odisha]], [[Bihar]], and [[Uttar Pradesh]], who were working under precarious contracts. In response, village leaders forced their relocation to worker camps constructed by Reliance and [[Essar Group|Essar]], before the situation culminated in violent confrontations involving an estimated 5,000 workers and villagers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Trivedi |first=Kamlesh |last2=Bhayani |first2=Himanshu |date=14 June 2013 |title=Reliance staff, villagers clash |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/reliance-staff-villagers-clash-105090901017_1.html |website=[[Business Standard]]}}</ref>

In September 2015, a construction worker employed on an expansion project at the refinery complex was found dead, hanging in a room within a labour colony near the site. While some sources reported that Reliance Industries stated the cause of death to be a heart attack,<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=17 September 2015 |title=Worker's death sparks violence near RIL's Jamnagar complex |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/worker-s-death-sparks-violence-near-ril-s-jamnagar-complex-115091701158_1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826055150/https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/worker-s-death-sparks-violence-near-ril-s-jamnagar-complex-115091701158_1.html |archive-date=26 August 2016 |website=[[Business Standard]]}}</ref> others cited cardiac arrest as the official explanation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=18 September 2015 |title=Labourer's death sparks violence at RIL's Jamnagar plant |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/violence-in-jamnagar-ril-refinery-after-labourers-death/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150918183133/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/violence-in-jamnagar-ril-refinery-after-labourers-death/ |archive-date=18 September 2015 |website=[[The Indian Express]]}}</ref> The colony, which accommodated over 50,000 migrant workers, became the focus of unrest following the incident.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=19 September 2015 |title=One killed in police firing after violence at RIL refinery |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/one-killed-in-police-firing-after-violence-at-ril-refinery/articleshow/49022483.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308051644/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/one-killed-in-police-firing-after-violence-at-ril-refinery/articleshow/49022483.cms |archive-date=8 March 2016 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref> Tensions escalated when a team of Reliance officials visited the colony to investigate, prompting a violent reaction from some labourers; believing the death to have resulted from a workplace accident, two worker groups torched vehicles and engaged in [[Stone pelting in India|stone-pelting]] at company officials and policemen.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=17 September 2015 |title=Labourers clash within RIL colony in Jamnagar |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/labourers-clash-within-ril-colony-in-jamnagar-115091700976_1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920013847/https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/labourers-clash-within-ril-colony-in-jamnagar-115091700976_1.html |archive-date=20 September 2015 |website=[[Business Standard]]}}</ref> Authorities later stated that the death was likely due to natural causes or suicide. Police forces were deployed, using [[tear gas]] and live fire, to control the situation, resulting in one death and three injuries.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

ln November 2016, a [[flash fire]] in the refinery complex led to the death of two workers with six others sustaining burn injuries. Refinery operations continued as normal.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=24 November 2016 |title=Two workers killed, 6 injured in fire at Reliance’s Jamnagar refinery |url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/business/india-two-workers-killed-6-injured-in-fire-at-reliance-s-jamnagar-refinery-358059 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125134550/https://www.indiatvnews.com/business/india-two-workers-killed-6-injured-in-fire-at-reliance-s-jamnagar-refinery-358059 |archive-date=25 November 2016 |website=[[India TV]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=25 November 2016 |title=Two dead, 6 injured in Reliance refinery fire |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/Two-dead-6-injured-in-Reliance-refinery-fire/articleshow/55608776.cms |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=S |first=Rajalakshmi |title=Fire at RIL Jamnagar refinery leaves 2 dead, 6 injured |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/fire-at-ril-jamnagar-refinery-leaves-2-dead-6-injured/article64289932.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250416051459/https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/fire-at-ril-jamnagar-refinery-leaves-2-dead-6-injured/article64289932.ece |archive-date=16 April 2025 |website=[[Business Line]]}}</ref>

=== Greenhouse gas emissions ===
The Jamnagar refinery is the world's largest [[greenhouse gas emissions|greenhouse gas emitter]] among refineries. In 2022, its emissions were estimated at 19.76 million tonnes.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Varsano |first=Logan |date=9 October 2024 |title=RPL Jamnagar: the world’s largest oil refinery |url=https://climatetrace.org/news/rpl-jamnagar-the-worlds-largest-oil-refinery |website=[[Climate TRACE]]}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of oil refineries in India]]
*[[Petrochemicals]]
*[[Chemical engineering]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.ril.com}}

{{Oil refineries in India}}
{{Reliance Group}}

[[Category:Oil refineries in India]]
[[Category:Reliance Industries]]
[[Category:Jamnagar district]]
[[Category:1999 establishments in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Energy infrastructure completed in 1999]]
[[Category:Companies based in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Energy in Gujarat]]
[[Category:Manufacturing plants of Reliance Industries]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 1999]]
[[Category:20th-century architecture in India]]
[[Category:Labour relations in India]]
[[Category:21st-century architecture in India]]

Jamnagar refinery-284751 - Revision history

Tumita7029 at 12:39, 8 May 2026