A high-level kick-off meeting was conducted between the officials of VED, MIDC and Engineers India Ltd (EIL) regarding the techno-economic feasibility study for the proposed petrochemical complex to be set up in Butibori, on Wednesday. The meeting was held at MIDC office, Udyog Bhavan, Civil Lines. During the meeting, the officials discussed various issues for the gas-based petrochemical complex. Rajesh Zanzad, Chief Engineer, MIDC; Mahendra Patel, Regional Officer; Ravindra Meshram, Executive Engineer; EIL officials Vinay Gupta, CE; Assistant General Manager (Process), Jayati Ghosh; Executive Director (Technical), and Vidarbha Economic Development Council (VED) members Devendra Parekh, President, Shivkumar Rao IPP, Narayan Gupta, Vice-President, Navin Malewar, Treasurer, Rajeev Aggrawal, VED petrochemical expert and Vinayak Marathe refinery and petrochemical expert were present. Also, CEO MIDC D D Malikner; Deputy CEO MIDC, Upendra Tamore; and Superintendent Engineer, MIDC Sunil Akulwar; attended the meeting via video conferencing. Zanzad, Chief Engineer, MIDC, chaired the meeting and specified the objectives behind the project conceptualisation.

 

Apart from this, MIDC officials informed the meeting that only 25 MLD can be sourced from Rama Dam. If there was higher water requirement then treated water could be sourced from Gosikhurd Dam which is about 100 kilometres from Butibori, they added. EIL officials were requested to give the estimate of water pipeline cost which would be excluded from the overall project cost. The pipeline estimate would be based on table top study which was okayed by EIL. Similarly, EIL officials informed the meeting that the land cost and location for the storage terminal and intermediate pumping stations would be excluded from the project cost. It was confirmed by MIDC officials to exclude the township from the project cost. Top officials of MIDC said that they would share the updated layout plan of Additional Butibori and location of the nearby habitat.

 

The Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) has already performed railway siding study and this could be used by other parties as well for product evacuation, they added. EIL officials were of the opinion that they would conduct further study on the product evacuation and inform to take up a separate study by MIDC. EIL officials shared a presentation on the petrochemical complex project and key consideration for the feasibility report. MIDC officials informed the meeting that around 1,500-2,000 acres of land is available in Additional Butibori. EIL officials added that for the captive power generation 100 per cent coal-based power plant would be considered. However, additional coal handling facilities will be required. In case land required for it falls short, this would be communicated to MIDC for further review. The availability of gas should be considered for additional fuel, if required for the petrochemical complex as GAIL pipeline is being planned. To fix the plot area requirement, EIL officials would plan a site visit in first week of June. During the same time a visit to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and Mumbai for Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited (Samruddhi Maha Marg) will also be organised by MIDC. On Wednesday evening, a site visit to MIDC was also made by officials of VED, MIDC and EIL. In the first week of May, the MIDC had placed a work order to EIL to conduct a techno-economic feasibility study at Butibori for a petrochemical project.