India Sets Refinery Production Targets Amid West Asia Crisis

The Indian government has set production targets for refineries to increase cooking gas output in response to the ongoing crisis in West Asia.

According to a notification dated August 13, the Union ministry of petroleum and natural gas has specified maximum LPG production levels for 21 refineries and upstream companies with a combined production potential of 63,810 tonnes per day.

The government aims to meet the allocated quantities by building and maintaining adequate LPG storage, evacuation, and transport infrastructure. Refiners have already increased their production from 36,000 tonnes per day to 54,000 tonnes per day in an effort to fill the gap caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The government is also seeking to diversify household cooking energy sources by expanding the use of piped natural gas (PNG) and induction cookstoves. In addition, state-run exploration and production majors Oil and Natural Gas Corp. and Oil India Ltd have been asked to contribute to the country's cooking gas production requirements.