Essar Oil Ltd on Friday announced it had commenced production of viscosity grade (VG) bitumen at its Vadinar refinery in Jamnagar district of Gujarat.
VG bitumen conforms to the Bureau of Indian Standards' (BIS) IS 73:2006, which has been widely adopted by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Directorate-General of Supplies and Disposal (DGSD) and all Government Public Work Departments (PWDs), the company said in a statement here.
The Ministry of Road Transport, in consultation with BIS, revised bitumen specifications from penetration grade to viscosity grade to enhance the durability of roads.
Essar Oil produces a superior-performance VG grade bitumen (VG 30) by processing a mix of crudes and blending components. Its Vadinar refinery has a laboratory dedicated to developing superior-grade petro products that find acceptance in both domestic and international markets, Mr Lalit Gupta, MD and CEO, Essar Oil, said.
The refinery manufactures products catering to various industry segments. Its VG grade bitumen will cater to the infrastructure sector at competitive rates. “We are also very close to starting pet coke production at the refinery after we complete the Phase I expansion in March 2012.”