Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (CPCL), Manali, has recently commenced the supply of aviation fuel of Jet Propellant-5 (JP-5) grade for the Indian defence forces through the Chennai–Bengaluru oil pipeline (CBPL).
JP-5 is a high flash point fuel and the CPCL refinery is the only one to manufacture this grade in the country. Till now, the fuel was being sent via coastal tankers.
The CPCL, along with Indian Oil, has developed a standard operating procedure for moving the product through the pipeline. It is being sent to the IOCL terminal at Devanagonthi near Bangalore.
This is being done to reduce the cost of moving the fuel and improve logistics.
Recently, a parcel of this propellant was moved from CPCL, Chennai, to Bengaluru via the CBPL. Arvind Kumar, Managing Director, CPCL, who launched the pipeline transfer operation, said the company was also producing missile fuel for scramjet engines — JP–7 — for DRDO and rocket propulsion fuel, ISROSENE, for ISRO.
“Such initiatives align with the country’s vision of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat,” he added.
The first batch was handed over to S. Dhanapandian, Executive Director (RS), Southern Region (SR), Indian Oil Corporation Limited, in the presence of other officials.