The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has granted clearance to Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) to prepare the Terms of Reference (ToR) for its upcoming Greenfield Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in Andhra Pradesh, with a proposed capacity of 9 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA).
As per the minutes from the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) meeting held on August 29, the project is estimated to cost ₹1.03 lakh crore and is expected to be completed within 42 months. During the construction phase, the project is set to generate employment for 3,400 individuals—400 in permanent roles and 3,000 in temporary positions. For the operational phase, employment is projected at 3,750, including 1,250 permanent and 2,500 temporary jobs.
The refinery complex will be located in Chevuru Village, Gudlur Mandal, Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh. The EAC, after reviewing compliance and project justifications, recommended the proposal for specific ToR issuance. It also called for a public hearing in the Nellore district as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Plan (EMP) processes, in addition to the standard ToRs.
The committee instructed the company to hold a public consultation, documenting all proceedings, attendance, and responses to community concerns. This must include a detailed action plan with budget allocations and timelines.
The proposed project requires 2,109.62 hectares of land, with no forest area involved. Out of the total land, 703.34 hectares—approximately 33.3%—will be developed as a greenbelt within the complex. The refinery will require 600 MW of power, of which 100 MW will be produced through an in-house captive plant. The remaining 500 MW will be sourced from the state electricity grid.
The EAC confirmed that there are no national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, or protected reserves within a 10-kilometre radius of the site. The Bay of Bengal lies 3 km to the east, while the Buckingham Canal flows just 50 meters east of the proposed location.
Bharat Petroleum is India’s second-largest oil marketing enterprise and a fully integrated energy company operating across the value chain of the oil and gas industry. The company holds the distinguished Maharatna status, granting it increased operational and financial autonomy.
BPCL operates major refineries in Mumbai, Kochi, and Bina with a combined processing capacity of approximately 35.3 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA). Its marketing and distribution infrastructure includes over 23,500 fuel stations, more than 6,200 LPG distribution agencies, 500 lubricant distributors, 80 petroleum storage sites, 54 LPG bottling facilities, 79 aviation service stations, five lube blending units, and five cross-country pipelines.
