Reliance’s Jamnagar Refinery Marks 25 Years; Shah Rukh Khan and Amit Shah Attend Celebration

Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar refinery, led by Mukesh Ambani, celebrated its 25th anniversary on Sunday, December 28. The refinery, which was inaugurated on December 28, 1999, in Jamnagar, Gujarat, has played a pivotal role in India’s petroleum refining industry, contributing 25% to the country’s total refining capacity.

Reliance highlighted that the refinery, being the first private-sector refinery in India, single-handedly added 25% to India’s refining capacity, making the country self-sufficient in transport fuels.

Reliance Industries’ stock closed 0.36% higher at ₹1,220.95 on Friday, compared to ₹1,216.60 at the previous market close.

The Beginning

When the Jamnagar refinery was being planned, experts doubted whether an Indian company could build a grassroots refinery in just three years, but Reliance completed the task in 33 months. The initial land offered to Dhirubhai Ambani was in a barren region near Motikhavdi village, with no roads, electricity, or even adequate drinking water.

Today, the region around the refinery is transformed, with large mango orchards and a mangrove belt that has become a sanctuary for migratory birds.

The first refinery, built on 5,000 acres of desolate land, cost more than $3.4 billion in capital investments. With a capacity of 27 million tonnes, it aimed to reduce India’s reliance on fuel imports. In 2008, a SEZ refinery was established, further boosting Jamnagar’s refining capabilities.

Jamnagar’s Environmental and Structural Challenges

In June 1998, Jamnagar was hit by a cyclone during the refinery’s construction, causing some damage to temporary structures. To mitigate such risks, Dhirubhai Ambani invested an additional ₹1,500 crore, increasing the project cost by 10%, to ensure the refinery could withstand a 9.0 Richter scale earthquake. This proved crucial when a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Bhuj, less than 100 kilometers from Jamnagar.

Production Milestones

The refinery has significantly improved India’s export of refined petroleum products and reduced its dependence on fuel imports. In 1998-99, India’s gasoline and diesel imports exceeded 10 million tonnes, but this dropped to zero once the refinery began operations. Currently, the Jamnagar refinery processes 1.4 million barrels per day, refining 247 different grades of crude from various global sources.

In 2009, the second refinery at Jamnagar was commissioned, with a Nelson Complexity Index of 12.7, placing Reliance among the top 10 private petroleum refiners globally.

Over the years, the Jamnagar refinery has expanded from its original 5,000-acre site to 25,000 acres.

Celebration and Key Attendees

Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan and his wife, along with other prominent guests like cricketer Ravindra Jadeja and Home Minister Amit Shah, attended the celebrations in Jamnagar on December 29, marking the milestone of Reliance’s iconic refinery.