Mumbai: Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd’s (BPCL’s) 6-million-tonne (mt) Bina refinery unit is set to turn around this year after posting losses for three years in a row, paving the way for its initial share sale that was delayed because of the losses and a tepid stock market, according to two people familiar with the development.
The Bina plant is run by Bharat Oman Refineries Ltd or BORL, which is majority owned by BPCL, which holds a 49% stake. Oman Oil Co. SAOC owns a 26% stake in the joint venture; the rest is held by institutions. The refinery, which was to be commissioned in 2009 but was inaugurated in May 2011 by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has been plagued by technical problems. The issues are likely to be resolved by October, said one of the people cited above, asking not to be identified.