HPCL Confirms Leak Caused Major Refinery Fire; Crude Unit Shutdown Extended Three to Four Weeks
HPCL identifies hydrocarbon leak as cause of refinery fire; crude unit restart is targeted for mid-May.
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. has said a leak was the likely cause of the fire that broke out at its joint venture refinery in Rajasthan, with restoration work expected to take three to four weeks. The company added that the crude distillation unit (CDU), a key refinery component, is likely to restart in the second half of May. The update was shared through a stock exchange filing following the April 20 incident.
The fire occurred at the newly built HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd., a project valued at approximately ₹79,450 crore. The incident took place a day before the refinery was scheduled to be inaugurated by Narendra Modi. According to the company, preliminary findings indicate that the blaze was likely triggered by a hydrocarbon leak from a valve or flange within a heat exchanger circuit connected to the crude distillation unit.
In its filing, HPCL said a detailed investigation confirmed that the fire was localized to the heat exchanger stack, affecting six exchangers and associated equipment. The company stated that damage was contained to that specific section, suggesting that other parts of the refinery remained structurally unaffected. Engineers and technical teams are currently engaged in repairs, equipment replacement, safety checks, and operational readiness assessments before restarting the unit.
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The refinery is considered one of India’s major energy infrastructure projects and is expected to strengthen fuel production capacity while supporting industrial growth in Rajasthan and surrounding regions. Any delay in commissioning may temporarily affect timelines, though HPCL’s projected mid-May restart indicates confidence in recovery efforts. The incident also underscores the importance of strict industrial safety systems in large-scale refining operations handling flammable hydrocarbons.
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