In order to achieve self-reliance in the oil refining sector, some six projects are in the offing to increase POL refining capacity.

As per details, Pakistan refining capacity stood at 417,400 Barrels per Day (BPD) in the last fiscal year, while six more projects, investment initiatives and proposals are at different stages of implementation to increase the capacity by 1.1mn BPD.

The projects which are at different stages of implementation include: an oil refinery and petrochemical complex of 300,000 BPD oil capacity that would be set up at Gawadar, Balochistan; PARCO to install 250,000 BPD Coastal Refinery at Hub, Balochistan; SINO Infrastructure Hong Kong Oriental Times Corporation Ltd (SIOT) to establish 250,000 BPD Gwadar Refining & Industrial Park, Pakistan State Oil and Power China International Group to establish an Upcountry Deep Conversion Refinery and Crude Pipeline of 250,000-300,000 BPD.

Furthermore, Falcon Oil Private Limited would set up 40,000 BPD oil refining facility at Dera Ismail Khan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khyber Refinery Limited would be established in Kohat having capacity to purify 20,000 BPD oil.

Currently, Pak Arab Refinery Limited (PARCO) is operating with 100,000 BPD oil refining capacity, Attock Refinery Limited (ARL) 53,400 BPD, Byco Petroleum Pakistan Limited (Byco) 150,000 BPD, National Refinery Limited (NRL) 64,000 BPD and Pakistan Refinery Limited 50,000 BPD.