BPCL supplies oxygen, utilities to make-shift COVID centre at Kochi Refinery premises

NEW DELHI: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) will provide free oxygen, power and water to a 100-bed make-shift COVID treatment centre, which was opened on Friday at its Kochi Refinery operated school, adjacent to its premises, in Ambalamugal, Kerala.

The medical facility will have 100 beds in the first phase, which will be expanded to accommodate 1,500 beds, the company said in a statement. "Oxygen will be supplied directly through a dedicated pipeline from Kochi Refinery, along with free water and power."

The oxygen will be supplied through a dedicated stainless steel pipeline.

To reach out in far-flung areas, the refinery has already ordered a new bottling compressor for undisrupted oxygen refills. Once commissioned, the facility is expected to fill 600 -700 oxygen cylinders per day.

BPCL has been at the forefront in supporting the healthcare system, by upgrading its facilities at Mumbai and Bina Refineries for supply of 600 tonnes free gaseous oxygen per month to government hospitals and medical centres, besides supplying 100 tonnes liquid oxygen from Kochi Refinery every month.

It is also setting up PSA Oxygen Plants in two government hospitals in Maharashtra, three hospitals in Kerala and five hospitals in Madhya Pradesh.

Sanjay Khanna, Executive Director (Kochi Refinery), BPCL, said, "Setting up the COVID treatment centre at our premises and supply of free oxygen and utilities are part of our commitment to our core purpose, Energising Lives of the nation. Upgrading our oxygen production facility, at a short notice, was a challenge but we could complete the entire activity within five days."