Deadly Explosion Rocks Mangalore Refinery Amid Fuel Supply Crunch

The blast occurred at noon in the Coker Hydrotreater Unit, a vital component of the 15-million-tonne-per-year complex designed to strip sulfur from petroleum products. The force of the explosion shattered windows and damaged structures as far as 10 kilometers away, forcing an emergency shutdown of the affected unit. While firefighting teams contained the blaze within two and a half hours, the company has yet to confirm how long the unit will remain offline or the potential impact on overall throughput.

This incident arrives at a precarious moment for India’s state-controlled refiners, who have been pushing plants above 100% capacity to mitigate diesel shortages caused by the ongoing war involving Iran. MRPL, a subsidiary of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, previously declared force majeure on gasoline exports earlier this year due to shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. The refinery’s ability to sustain its current output now hinges on the extent of the damage to the Phase 3 complex. Inspectors are currently assessing whether the facility can continue standard operations while the hydrotreater undergoes repairs, leaving the domestic market to navigate further supply uncertainty.