Hindustan Petroleum

History

HPCL was incorporated in 1974 after the takeover and merger of erstwhile Esso Standard and Lube India Limited by the Esso (Acquisition of Undertakings in India) Act 1974. Caltex Oil Refining (India) Ltd. (CORIL) was taken over by the Government of India in 1976 and merged with HPCL in 1978 by the CORIL-HPCL Amalgamation Order, 1978. Kosan Gas Company was merged with HPCL in 1979 by the Kosangas Company Acquisition Act, 1979.

In 2003, following a petition by the Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL), the Supreme Court of India restrained the Central government from privatising Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum without the approval of Parliament. As counsel for the CPIL, Rajinder Sachar and Prashant Bhushan said that the only way to disinvest in the companies would be to repeal or amend the Acts by which they were nationalised in the 1970s. As a result, the government would need a majority in both houses to push through any privatisation.

HPCL has been steadily growing over the years. The refining capacity increased from 5.5 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 1984/85 to 14.80 million metric tonnes as of March 2013. On the financial front, the net income form sales/operations grew from IN ₹2687 crores in 1984-85 to IN ₹2,06,529 crores in financial year 2012-13. During FY 2013-14, its net profit was IN ₹1740 crores.

Operations

HPCL operates two major refineries producing a wide variety of petroleum fuels and specialties, one in Mumbai (West Coast) of 6.5 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) capacity and the other in Visakhapatnam, (East Coast) with a capacity of 8.3 MMTPA. HPCL holds an equity stake of 16.95% in Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL), a state-of-the-art refinery at Mangalore with a capacity of 9 MMTPA. Another refinery of 9 MMTPA (set up in Bathinda, Punjab by HMEL, a joint venture with Mittal Energy Investments Pte. Ltd. HPCL) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Rajasthan for setting up a refinery near Barmer. It would be operated under a joint venture company (JVC) called HPCL-Rajasthan Refinery Limited.

HPCL also owns and operates the largest lubricant refinery in India producing lube base oils of international standards, with a capacity of 335 TMT. This refinery accounts for over 40% of India's total lube base oil production. Presently HPCL produces over 300+ grades of lubes, specialities and greases.

The marketing network of HPCL consists of 13 zonal offices in major cities and 101 regional offices facilitated by a supply and distribution infrastructure comprising terminals, aviation service facilities, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bottling plants, lube filling plants, inland relay depots, retail outlets (petrol pumps) and LPG and lube distributorships.

HPCL has state-of-the-art information technology infrastructure to support its core business. The data center is at Hitech city in Hyderabad.

Products

1. Petrol is known as motor spirit in the oil Industry. HPCL markets the product through its retail pumps all over India. Its principle consumers are personal vehicle owners.
2. Diesel is known as high speed diesel in the oil industry. HPCL markets the products through its retail pumps as well as terminals and depots. Its consumers are regular auto owners, transport agencies, industries, etc.
3. Lubricants: HPCL is the market leader in lubricants and associated products. It commands over 30% of market share in this sector. The popular brands of HP lubes are Laal Ghoda, HP Milcy, Thanda Raja, Koolgard, Racer4.
4. Liquified petroleum gas: The HPCL brand of LPG is a popular brand across India for domestic and industrial uses.
5. Aviation turbine fuel: With major air service facilities in all major airports of India, HPCL is a key player in this sector supplying ATF to major airlines. It has an accomplishment of sorts to supply fuel to US.
6. Emulsion

Refineries

HPCL has a number of refineries in India. Some are listed below:

1. Mumbai Refinery — 6.5 million metric tonnes (MMT) capacity
2. Visakhapatnam Refinery — 8.3 MMT at Visakhapatnam
3. Mangalore Refinery Pvt. Ltd. — 9.69 MMT at Mangalore, Karnataka (HPCL has a 16.65% stake).
4. Guru Gobind Singh Refinery — 9 MMT at Bathinda, Punjab (HPCL and Mittal Energy each have a 49% stake).
5. Barmer Refinery — 9 MMT capacity. It is a joint venture with the Rajasthan Government.

International rankings

Recognition and awards

Major facilities

1. Mumbai refinery — Fuel and lubes

1. Vizag refinery — Fuel
2. Mangalore — MRPL
3. Batinda — HMEL
4. Silvassa Lube — State-of-the-art plant for grease and specialities. (One of the most advanced fully automated installations in Asia.)
5. Lube & Grease mfg facility — Mazagaon, Mumbai.
6. LPG storage Cavern — one of the biggest storage facility of LPG in Asia at Vizag — SALPG
7. Pipelines — MBPL, MPSPL, MDPL, VVSPL.
8. Several Terminals & depots.
9. Many LPG bottling plants.

Major ongoing projects

Prize Petroleum Company Limited

Prize Petroleum Company Limited (Prize) is the wholly owned subsidiary of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL). Prize is focused on the appraisal and development of hydrocarbon accumulations in the onshore and offshore projects by conducting exploration, development and production of petroleum and other activities in accordance with its mission. Prize's operating projects are the Hirapur Marginal oil fields of Cambay basin near Gandhinagar (Gujarat) under a service contract with ONGC; and the pre-NELP production sharing contract (PSC) for the Sanganpur (Mehsana) field with M/s Hydrocarbon Development Company (P) Ltd (HDCPL) as Operator. Recently, Prize signed a sale and purchase agreement to acquire non-operated minority stake in two gas assets in offshore south Australia.