OUR CORRESPONDENT
DIGBOI: The Digboi Refinery of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) showcased significant strides in community development, operational excellence and safety infrastructure during a media interaction held on Monday evening at the Digboi Golden Jubilee Complex. The session highlighted the refinery's five-year CSR performance, key operational achievements, the ongoing DR 1.0 expansion, and recognitions earned at national platforms.
Addressing the gathering, Rahul Prashant, Executive Director and Refinery Head, Digboi, emphasized the refinery's commitment to people-centric growth and sustained development.
"Digboi Refinery has always stood as a symbol of care, legacy and responsibility. Our commitment goes beyond refining petroleum - it is about refining lives. With 100% CSR budget utilization for five consecutive years, we have ensured that every rupee allocated reaches the ground and creates real impact. As we modernize through the DR 1.0 Expansion Project, our focus remains clear - safe, efficient, sustainable and community-centric growth," he stated.
The CSR budget increased from Rs 817.6 lakh in FY 2020-21 to Rs 2,259.48 lakh in FY 2024-25, fully utilized each year. The CSR initiatives primarily focus on healthcare, education, skill development, environmental sustainability, and rural uplift across Tinsukia district and neighbouring communities.
The refinery also presented a five-year operational performance analysis, demonstrating strong efficiency parameters. The 'Physical Performance' report highlighted that crude throughput exceeded targets every year from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25.
Distillate yield remained at or above targets, with notable improvement in FY 2021-22 and FY 2022-23. The Energy Intensity Index consistently remained lower than target values, showcasing enhanced energy efficiency, while fuel and loss figures were maintained below target levels - reflecting reduced wastage and improved operational discipline.
On the modernization front, officials shared progress on the DR 1.0 Expansion Project, which aims to enhance the refinery's processing capacity from 0.65 to 1 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA). Approved in June 2022 at a project cost of Rs 768.4 crore, the expansion has achieved 42% overall progress and is scheduled for completion by March 2026.
Reinforcing its focus on industrial and public safety, Digboi Refinery showcased its robust fire protection infrastructure. Within the refinery, a fleet of nine specialized fire vehicles, including foam tenders, water tenders, a foam nurser, DCP tender, emergency rescue tender, hydraulic platform and a multi-purpose tender, are deployed for emergency readiness.
The refinery's achievements have also earned prestigious recognitions at the national level. Among the honours shared during the presentation were the AV Ogle Award, Director's Trophy (Runner-Up), Green Champion Award, and a Certificate of Appreciation at the Energy Technology Meet, acknowledging Digboi's excellence in innovation, environmental stewardship and operational performance during March and October 2025.
Adding to the significance of the event, Laxman Sharma, vice-president of the Digboi Journalists' Union, expressed gratitude to the Executive Director and the AOD team for reinstating the historic 'BATORI' magazine upon the request of the journalists' union, calling it a meaningful revival of a publication that holds heritage value for Digboi's media fraternity.
The media meet concluded with an interactive session, where senior refinery officials addressed queries on expansion benefits, environmental measures, CSR outreach, community safety preparedness and future development plans.
Also Read: Thousands pay tearful tribute to Zubeen Garg at Digboi Refinery Field