RAS question
What is the capacity of the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery at Pachpadra?
Correct answer: (B) 9 MMTPA.
The HPCL Rajasthan Refinery at Pachpadra in Balotra district has a refinery complex capacity of 9 MMTPA.
Explanation
The HPCL Rajasthan Refinery at Pachpadra has a refinery complex capacity of 9 MMTPA. The PIB release identifies the project as a greenfield refinery-cum-petrochemical complex located in Pachpadra tehsil of Balotra district and states that the refinery complex has a capacity of 9 MMTPA. The complex also includes 2.4 MMTPA of petrochemical products. The standard RAS framing of the project is a 9 MMTPA refinery-cum-petrochemical complex at Pachpadra, important because it is integrated with petrochemical capacity rather than being a standalone refinery. Therefore, 9 MMTPA is the officially supported capacity figure for the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery complex.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) 7 MMTPA understates the official capacity, as the PIB release gives the Pachpadra refinery complex capacity as 9 MMTPA.
- (C) 5 MMTPA is too low for the 9 MMTPA refinery-cum-petrochemical complex at Pachpadra.
- (D) 12 MMTPA overstates the project size; the official capacity cited for the refinery complex is 9 MMTPA.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan economy and industrial development, especially major energy and petrochemical infrastructure projects. It recurs in RAS because Pachpadra is a flagship Western Rajasthan industrial project with a clear location-capacity fact pattern.