HPCL Mumbai Refinery | Credit: ljmacphee, via NS Energy (Dec 24, 2020)
HPCL's Mumbai Refinery is an integrated fuels and lubricants refining complex located at Mahul, Chembur, Mumbai, spread over 321 acres. Originally commissioned in 1954 (some sources cite 1955) by Esso Standard as India's first modern refinery, the facility was nationalised in 1974 under the Esso (Acquisition of Undertakings in India) Act and absorbed into the newly formed Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL). Alongside the fuel refinery, Esso had commissioned a dedicated Lubes Refinery in 1969 as a separate joint venture — Lube India Limited (Esso + Government of India, 165,000 TPA) — which was simultaneously nationalised and absorbed into HPCL, and has since been progressively expanded into India's largest lube base oil refinery. Having undergone multiple capacity expansions over seven decades, the refinery now operates at 9.5 MMTPA (~218,000 bpd) and uniquely combines a full fuel refinery with India's largest lubricating oil base stock (LOBS) complex on a single integrated site, making it one of India's most complex refineries.
Capacity Evolution
| Year |
Capacity (MMTPA) |
Key Milestone |
| 1954 |
1.25 |
Original ESSO commissioning |
| 1985 |
5.5 |
Post-nationalisation expansion |
| Post-GFEC |
6.5 |
GFEC project enhancement |
| 2014 |
7.5 |
Diesel Hydrotreating Block commissioning |
| 2021 |
9.5 |
2017–2021 Expansion Project completion |
2017–2021 Expansion Project (7.5 → 9.5 MMTPA):
- Total investment: ₹5,060 crore (~USD 700 million)
- Phase I: CDU-III, new VDU/VPS unit, MS Block revamp (+20% capacity), DHDS/DHT upgrade, HGU (65,000 TPA), PRU (100,000 TPA), CPP revamp
- Phase II: Hydrogen-based bottoms upgradation targeting zero fuel oil and zero naphtha export
Feedstock
- Primary: Bombay High crude (ONGC offshore, API >38°, light sweet) — historically the dominant feed
- Diverse slate: Flexible capability for domestic and international crudes across a range of API gravities
- Operational note: High-salt/high-chloride crudes (e.g., Hindustan Oil Exploration crude, October 2025) have caused corrosion-related disruptions requiring temporary fuel import tenders
Processing Units
Crude & Vacuum Distillation
- CDU-I & CDU-II — legacy atmospheric distillation units (pre-expansion)
- CDU-III — new unit commissioned March 2021; part of 7.5→9.5 MMTPA expansion
- VPS (Vacuum Pipestill) — new combined vacuum distillation unit, replacing legacy FRVPS (Fuel Refinery Vacuum Pipestill) and LRVPS (Lube Refinery Vacuum Pipestill) units; processes both fuel-stream and lube-stream vacuum cuts
Conversion Units — Fuels
- FCCU-1 (~20,000 bpd) — legacy fluid catalytic cracking unit; feed: heavy gas oil; products: LPG, gasoline, LCO
- FCCU-2 (~28,000 bpd) — fluid catalytic cracking unit; technology: confirmed operational since at least 2010; feed: heavy gas oil; products: LPG, gasoline, LCO
- VBU — Visbreaker Unit; feed: vacuum residue; products: visbroken gas oil, fuel oil; part of residue management strategy
- VRDS — Vacuum Residue Desulphurization unit; feed: high-sulphur vacuum residue; products: low-sulphur fuel oil / LSHS (≤0.5 wt% S); Phase II targets elimination of fuel oil output
Hydroprocessing — Fuels
- HCU — Hydrocracking Unit; technology: CLG ISOCRACKING ✓; feed: VGO
- DHDS — Diesel Hydrodesulphurization Plant; product: BS-VI ultra-low sulphur diesel
- DHT — Diesel Hydrotreating Plant; feed: diesel + vacuum gas oil co-processing; product: BS-VI diesel
- NHT — Naphtha Hydrotreating Plant; feed preparation for CCR
- NHDS — Naphtha Hydrodesulphurization Plant
- HFU — Hydrofinishing Unit (fuels stream); technology: CLG ISOFINISHING
Motor Spirit (MS) Block
- ISOM — Isomerization Plant; light naphtha octane upgrading
- CCR — Continuous Catalytic Reforming; aromatic production + octane enhancement; hydrogen by-product
- GHDS — Gasoline Hydrodesulphurization; technology: Axens Prime-G+ ✓; product: BS-VI compliant motor spirit
- Fuel Blending Plant — technology: Generic Fuel Blending ✓
Petrochemicals
- PRU — Propylene Recovery Unit; capacity: 100,000 TPA chemical-grade propylene (≥95% purity; <0.1 wt% C1+C2; <1,000 ppmw C4; <5 ppmw sulphur); feed: cracked LPG from FCCUs; technology: Generic Distillation/Stripper Column ✓; commissioned as part of 2017–2021 expansion
Lube Oil Base Stock (LOBS) Complex
India's largest lube refinery, producing over 300 grades of base stocks, specialties, and greases. All lube complex technologies are based on the Chevron Lummus Global (CLG) licensing suite:
- SEU-1, SEU-2, SEU-3 — three Solvent Extraction Units (furfural/NMP solvent); legacy lube complex units; extract aromatic/polar components from lube distillates
- SDU — Solvent Dewaxing Unit; proprietary HPCL DWA (Dewaxing Aid) process; produces spindle oil, 150N, 500N, and bright stock grades
- HFU (Lube) — Industrial Oil Hydrofinisher; lube base oil finishing/stabilisation unit
- Existing Dewaxing Unit (Catalytic) — technology: CLG ISODEWAXING; legacy catalytic dewaxing unit; CLG LOUP (Lube Oil Upgrading Program) full catalyst reload awarded January 2024
- IHCD — Integrated Hydrocracker and Catalytic Dewaxing Unit (new, under construction); technology: CLG ISOCRACKING + CLG ISODEWAXING; capacity: 550 KTPA; product: Group II+ and Group III LOBS; EPCC package awarded January 2026; 30-month execution schedule; target commissioning late 2028
- SDA — Solvent Deasphalting Unit (new, under construction); technology: KBR ROSE®; part of IHCD+SDA EPCC package awarded January 2026; feed: vacuum residue; products: DAO to IHCD + asphaltenes to disposal
LOBS Capacity Evolution:
| Phase |
Capacity |
Grade |
| Original (1969) |
165,000 TPA |
Group I |
| Current |
475,000–478,000 TPA (~10,900 bpd) |
Group II/II+ |
Target
(2027–28)* |
764,000 TPA (~17,500 bpd) |
Group II+ / Group III |
*
The capacity expansion from 475 to 764 KTPA (+61%) is delivered through the Lube Modernisation and Bottoms Upgradation Project (total investment: ₹4,679 crore; board approval: December 2024), comprising a grassroots Integrated Hydrocracker and Catalytic Dewaxing Unit (IHCD) of 550,000 TPA feed capacity using CLG ISOCRACKING + CLG ISODEWAXING technology (licensing contract awarded January 2024; EPCC contract awarded January 2026), complemented by a new KBR ROSE® Solvent Deasphalting Unit (SDA). Target commissioning: late 2028. |
Gas Treatment & Supporting Utilities
- HGU — Hydrogen Generation Unit; capacity: 65,000 TPA (~7.5 MMSCFD); commissioned Phase I (2017–2021 expansion)
- ARU — Amine Regeneration Unit; H₂S and CO₂ removal from sour gas streams
- SRU — Sulphur Recovery Unit; elemental sulphur from acid gases
- BBU — Bitumen Blowing Unit; capacity uplift +487,000 TPA under Lube Modernisation Project; feed: short residue/fuel oil streams
- CPP — Captive Power Plant; combined cycle configuration:
- Gas Turbine: 81 MW
- Steam Turbine: 15.1 MW
- Gross: 96.1 MW / Net: 77.8 MW
- Fuel: natural gas / naphtha; revamped during 2017–2021 expansion
Products
| Category |
Product |
Specification |
| Transportation fuels |
Motor Spirit (Gasoline) |
BS-VI (Euro VI) |
| High Speed Diesel (HSD) |
BS-VI, ultra-low sulphur |
| Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) |
Jet A-1 |
| Kerosene |
Household / industrial |
Light
products |
LPG |
Propane/butane mix |
| Naphtha |
Reformer feedstock / export |
Petrochemicals
Specialty
products |
Chemical-grade Propylene |
100,000 TPA; ≥95% purity |
| LOBS Group II+ / III |
475 KTPA (→764 KTPA by 2027–28) |
| Bitumen |
+487,000 TPA additional under expansion |
| Fuel Oil (LSHS) |
≤0.5 wt% S; Phase II target: zero output |
| Elemental Sulphur |
Recovered from SRU |
Strategic Context
HPCL's Mumbai Refinery forms part of a wider capacity growth programme targeting 45.3 MMTPA total group refining capacity by FY2028, inclusive of Mumbai (9.5 MMTPA), Visakh (15 MMTPA), and the new Barmer Refinery (9 MMTPA, under construction in Rajasthan). The refinery contributed to HPCL's record 22.33 MMTPA combined throughput across all refineries in FY2023–24.
References
- Engineers India Limited (2016). EIA & RRA study for propylene recovery unit and revamp of CPP project at HPCL Mumbai refinery (Document No. A858-EI-1742-1601, Rev. 0). Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited.
- Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India (Mar 28, 2024). Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited.
- Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (Nov 2, 2021). Q2 Highlights: PAT at ₹ 1,924 Crore.
- NS Energy. (Dec 24, 2024). HPCL Mumbai Refinery Expansion Project.
- Business Standard (Feb 6, 2017). HPCL gets green nod for Rs 3,846-cr expansion project.
- Jayakumar P.B., Fortune India (Nov 8, 2021). Capex push! HPCL to raise refining, petchem capacity by 2024: CMD.
- Industrial Info Resources (Apr 30, 2010). Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Targets Refining Capacity of 800,000 Barrels per Day.
- Indian Chemical News (Jan 18, 2024). HPCL awards licensing contract to CLG for hydrocracker unit at Mumbai Refinery.
- Fuel and Lubes (Dec 23, 2024). HPLC expands base oil capacity at Mumbai Refinery by 61%.
- Investywise (Oct 27, 2025). Hindustan Petroleum Operational Issues Arise from High Salt Crude Parcel.
- Reuters (Oct 28, 2025). India's HPCL issues fuel import tenders after disruptions at Mumbai refinery, sources say.
- S&P Global (Oct 10, 2025). INTERVIEW: India's HPCL eyes refining capacity growth, flexible crude sourcing strategy.
- SCANX (Jan 21, 2026). HPCL Sets Target of 45.3 MMTPA Refining Capacity by FY28.
- Oil&Gas Journal (Apr 1, 2010). FCCU inaugurated at HCPL Mumbai refinery.
- PR Newswire (Jan 17, 2024). Chevron Lummus Global Awarded New Licensing Contract for HPCL's Integrated Hydrocracker and Catalytic Dewaxing Unit.
- O'Reilly C., Hydrocarbon Engineering (Sep 19, 2019). BPCL awards CLG new contract
- Chevron Lummus Global. ISOCRACKING • Taylored Catalysts Systems
- Kahlon S.S., LinkedIn (Jan 28, 2026). HPCL Mumbai Refinery IHCD & SDA EPCC Package Award
- Fuels and Lubes (Dec 23, 2024). HPCL expands base oil capacity at Mumbai Refinery by 61%
- Hindustan Petroleum (Jan, 2023). Product Brochure: Dewaxing aid (HP DWA Version-2) for BS grade at Propane Dewaxing Unit
- iFluid Engineering (Dec 12, 2025). HAZard and OPerability Study(HAZOP) for HPCL – Mumbai Refinery
