State owned refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd will increase its naphtha exports by 12.5% to 1.8 million tonnes next year when its new refinery ramps up operation.

Mr RK Mehra executive director of international trade, shipping and risk management told Reuters in an interview that exports will rise from 1.6 million tonnes this year as the Bina refinery started production. He said that "I think we should have a good market. I don't anticipate any problem in selling naphtha.”

Mr Mehra said that Bharat Oman Refinery Ltd a joint venture of Bharat Petroleum and Oman Oil Co started its 120,000 bpd Bina plant in central India earlier this year. The refinery is expected to reach full capacity by the end of this year. He added that "Our first objective is that we should maximise on gasoline, gasoil and LPG.”

BPCL has signed term agreements with Saudi Aramco and Kuwait for the refinery's crude supply.

(Sourced from Reuters)