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History of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.

1928

-Bharat Petroleum Corporation [BPCLs] traces its history to 1928 when the Burmah Shell Oil Storage and Distribution Comp. of India was incorporated in England to enter the petroleum products business in India. The business of Comp. grew substantially given the international backing of Shell & it achieved the leadership position in India. In 1952, Shell & Burmah Oil Comp. set up Burmah Shell Refineries to set up a refinery in Mumbai. The entire operations of Burmah Shell in India were nationalised in 1976 & the Refinery and Marketing Companies were merged to form BPCL.

1952

- The Comp. was incorporated on 3rd November, 1952 under the name Burmahshell Refineries Limited [BSRs]. The Burmah Shell as Storage & Distributing Comp. of India, Ltd., a foreign Comp. established in England in 1928 was carrying on in India the business of distributing and marketing petroleum products & for that paurpose established places in India.

1955

- The Comp. has a well established refinery at Mahul, Chembur [Mumbais] which has commissioned in January.

- The company refinery in Bombay was commissioned in 1955. It introduced LPG as a cooking fuel to the Indian home & all along, it went beyond selling petroleum, to educate the customer.

1976

- The companies name changed to Bharat Refineries Limited [BRLs] on 12th, February 1976.

1977

- Companies name changed to its present name [BPCLs] on 1st August.

1979

- Pursuant to an agreement dated 23.12.79 bet ween Govt. of India and BSM, the Shell Petroleum Co. Ltd., the Burmah Oil Co. Ltd., & the Burmah Shell Refineries Ltd., the Govt. of India acquired 100% equity share holdings of BSR on 24th January, 1976. Simultaneously also acquired the right to title & interest & liabilities of BSM in relation to its undertakings in India.

1992

- During the year the Comp. commissioned 50 retail outlets including 9 in rural areas & 7 superior kerosene oil/light deisel oil dealerships. The total number of retail outlets/light diesel oil dealership at the end of year stood at 4,090 & 928 respectively.

- During the year, 20% of shares were sold by govt. to various fianancial institutions & Mutual Funds. Thus presently the President of India holds 80% of paid up capital.

1993

- During the year, the Comp. installed microprocessor based digital integrated distributed control system in catalytic reformer & new solvent unit which replaced the pneumatic control system. Also installed advanced control system for catalytic control unit.

1994

- During the year, the corporation commissioned 124 retail outlets and 10 oil/light diesel oil dealership.

- On 25th February, a joint venture Comp. `Bharat Oman Refineries Ltd' was incorporated. And was set up as a joint venture between Omen oil Co. Ltd & the Corporation.

- During the year, Bharat Shell limited was promoted by Comp. and Shell Overseas Investments, B V Netherlands for marketing shell branded lubricants in the country.

1995

- During 95-96, a 6 MMTPA joint venture refinery being set up with Oman Oil Comp. limited at Bina in M.P.

- A MOU was signed on March between the corporation & Pepsi Foods limited pursuant to which customers cars drive upto select retail outlets for chilled pepsi distribution.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd., & Bank of Baroda have signed an MOU to launch the first Co-Branded Credit Card in the country which enables customers to buy petrol, diesel, lubricants & other regular commodities. The cards will carry BPCL & BOB logos & will have two categories - Premium & Regular. The cards can also be used by corporate houses as a facility to its executives for reimbursement of their fuel cost.

1996

- During the year, the corporation commissioned 61 retail outlets and 12 SKO/LDO dealerships. During the year Petronet India limited was set for developing & laying a network of petroleum product pipelines in the country.

- During the year, LPG port terminal was commissioned at Okha in Gujarat, in October, with a storage capacity of 900 MT of LPG.

- The Comp. embarked upon a strategic change plan in 1996. The organisation structure has been revamped & six Strategic Business Units have been created. The new structure is based on business processes, is flexible, more responsive to external changes, has fewer layers, & above all, ensures a much higher customer focus. 1997

- During the year corporation, has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding [MOUs] with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas [MOP&NGs]. The performance rating awarded to BPC was 'Excellent' for the year ended March 31, 1996. - Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.[BPCLs], has launched Apollo air stations at its petrol pumps in Mumbai. The Comp. had signed a memorandum of understanding recently with Apollo Tyres to provide efficient air facility to customers through BPCL retail network. - Sanghi Group of industries has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited. Under the agreement, BPCL will set up huge infrastructural facilities to ensure uninteruppted supply of fuels for various mega projects being undertaken by the Sanghi group including a cement plant, a petrochemical complex & a 100 per cent EOU spinning unit. - Bharat Petroleum Corporation limited [BPCLs], is setting up a six million tonne per annum refinery at Bina, in Madhya Pradesh. The corporation also envisages a single point mooring & a crude oil terminal at Vadinar & a cross country crude oil pipeline from Vadinar to Bina. - ONGC is joining hands with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] for a Rs 2,552,-crore petrochemical project in Hazira, Gujarat. - An agreement to supply around 80,000 tonnes of naphtha per annum for the 230-MW combined cycle power project at Jegurupadu in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, has been signed between GVK Industries Ltd and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs]. - The public sector Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] proposes to lay a pipeline from Cochin to Karur via Coimbatore to transport petrol, high speed diesel & kerosene. - The Gas Authority of India Ltd [GAILs] & Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] signed a memorandum of understanding [MoUs] on September 9 for setting up a joint venture to supply pipeline cooking gas in the Capital. - Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] & the UK-based global oil major - Shell, are likely to float a new Comp. for setting up the seven million tonnes per annum [mtpas] grassroot refinery at Uttar Pradesh. - State-owned Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] has made tentative plans to shut its 120,000 barrel-per-day [bpds] refinery in Mumbai in November or December 1998 for maintenance. - Between January & February, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd had closed its crude distillation unit & 18,000 bpd fluid catalytic cracker. Its 12,000 bpd cracker was shut in May for 30-35 days. - Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd is to increase its tankage capacity of petroleum products in the eastern region in the Ninth Plan by setting up new terminals involving an expenditure of about Rs 300 crores.

- The Comp. is to set up new terminals at Budge Budge, Haldia and Alipurduar in West Bengal, Jashidih, Gaya, Barauni & Ranchi in Bihar, Balasore, Sambalpur, Rourkela, Rayagada & Paradeep in Orissa besides Lumding & Guwahati.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs], the second largest oil marketing public sector company, has signed a fuel supply agreement with Atria Power Corporation Ltd to generate 103 MW of power at Harihar, in its commitment to bring more power to Karnataka.

- It is also proposed to set up a hospital & build a residential colony in the 3500 acre land of two projects.

1998

- The Karnataka Power Corporation Limited [KPCLs] entered into a fuel supply agreement with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd for its 300-mw joint venture power project at Bidadi.

- The Comp. will open five new, state-of-the-art, self servicing and automatic cut off nozzle facility petrol & diesel bunks in the city.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] has entered into an agreement with Herdillia Chemicals Ltd for supply of 10,000 metric tonnes of naphtha for its proposed 5.5MW power project at Turbhe in Navi Mumbai. - Shell & BPCL will hold a 26 per cent stake each in the refinery project. The remaining 48 per cent will be held by institutions and the public. - The joint venture has received a letter of intent for setting up the refinery in Uttar Pradesh & government approval for direct foreign investment.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] has launched its new lubricants in Calcutta from February 5.

- Shalivahana Power Corporation Ltd [SPCLs] has signed a fuel supply agreement [FSAs] with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] for the supply of furnace oil to its 33 MW mini-power plant to be set up at Ghatkesar.

- PIL is a 50:50 joint venture between Bharat Petroleum & Gujarat Gas.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] has commissioned its Rs.450-crore Mumbai-Manmad pipeline.

- The Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd workers on April 7, observed strike throughout the country in protest against the managements reported move to damage the corporation.

- BPCL commissioned the first phase of its second coastal storage facility on the east coast at Haldia, West Bengal.

- BPCL is the only Comp. among the three integrated refining and marketing companies - the others being HPCL & Indian Oil Corporation [IOCs] - which has had a strong focus on marketing activities.

- BPCL [Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.s] has begun a New Marketing chapter with clear strategies & initiatives for Lubricants.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited [BPCLs] has tied up with Petronet India Limited, the oil-pipeline holding company, to form a joint venture for a 308-km pipeline from Kochi to Karur in Tamil Nadu.

- BPCL & Petronet India Ltd, will each take a 26 per cent equity stake, Cochin Refineries is expected to subscribe to 23 per cent of the equity & the balance 25 per cent will be held by other investors. The total equity will be Rs.140 crore with a 3:1 debt equity ratio.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] has entered into in joint venture with Petronet [Indias] Ltd for construction of 308 km pipeline from Kochi in Kerala to Karur in Tamil Nadu.

- The Comp. is India second largest oil Comp. in terms of market share. - BHARAT Petroleum Corporation Ltd proposes to set up a petrochemical complex, based on a naphtha cracker of 5,00,000-MTPA-ethylene capacity, using low aromatic naphtha available from indigenous/imported sources. It will be set up at a coastal location in Tamil Nadu. BPCL has obtained the 'Letter of intent' from the Government of India for manufacture of products. - BPCL is also setting up a three mtpa refinery at Numaligarh in Assam in a joint venture with IBP Co Ltd & the Government of Assam.

- BPCL has also successfully entered into fuel supply agreements with 22 independent power plants & four captive power plants for the supply of 1.1 mmtpa of naptha & 0.8 mmtpa of furnace oil.

- The Comp. has commissioned the 250-km Mumbai-Manmad product pipeline, which has augmented its supply & distribution network.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation [BPCLs] is the third largest oil refining and marketing Comp. in the country.

- INDRAPRASTHA Gas Limited, a joint venture between Bharat Petroleum Corporation [BPCLs] & the Gas Authority of India [GAILs] is set to revolutionalise transportation in New Delhi.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd has bagged the fuel supply contract for Kerala State Electricity Board Kozhikode diesel power project at Nallalam.

1999

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] is setting up its LPG bottling plant in Hoskote Taluk near Bangalore.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] has commissioned a hydrant fuelling system for aircraft at the Cochin International Airport [CIALs].

- BPCL has taken six per cent equity in the paid-up capital of the airport.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] joint venture with Oman Oil Co. for setting up a six-million tonne refinery at Bina in Madhya Pradesh is expected to achieve financial closure within a month, said Mr. A. Sinha, BPCL Finance Director.

- In an attempt to set up its naphtha-fired 200-MW project at top speed, the KPC Bidadi Power Corporation [KBPCLs] entered into a fuel supply agreement [FSAs] with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] for the supply of 25,0900 mtpa of naphtha.

- Jawaharlal Nehru Port Thrust [JNPTs] & Bharat Petroleum Corporation [BPCLs] signed a license agreement for development of liquid cargo jetty at Jawaharlal Nehru Port.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation [BPCLs] is exploring the option of extending a crude pipeline from its Bina refinery in Madhya Pradesh to Allahabad where it proposes to set up another seven-million-tonne refinery. - The Comp. proposes to construct a crude-oil terminal in Gujarat from where crude will be transported through a pipeline to Bina. - BPCL has introduced the `smart-card' technology at retail outlets in Chennai. - BPCL has also entered into a marketing agreement with Reliance Petroleum Ltd for distributing 25 per cent of its production. - ICICI Bank Ltd has tied up with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] to install off-site ATMs at the company petrol outlets.

2000

- The Comp. has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the ministry of petroleum and Natural gas for year 2000-01. The Company has been awarded the `Excellent' rating & has been among the top-10 MoU-signing public sector companies in 1998-99.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd., the Country second-largest oil company, announced the launch of its `Petro Card' for retail market in Gujarat.

- Burger giant McDonald has tied up with oil major Bharat Petroleum Corporation [BPCLs] to open & run restaurants at selected petrol pumps across the country.

- The Comp. is mulling over a voluntary retirement scheme for its 3000-odd middle-level management staff.

- The Comp. signed a Transport Service Agreement with Gas Authority of India Ltd on 1st August.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd., in association with Iftex Petrochemicals Ltd., launched `Bharat Iftex', a co-branded multi functional additive [MFAs].

- The Comp. will issue bonus shares in the ratio of one equity share for every one share held.

- SurfGold.com, the loyalty solution provider an alliance with Bharat Petroleum as one of its major Indian redemption partners.

- The Workers, of Marketing Division of Comp. went on one-day strike on 19 October affecting the normal operations in offices and estblishments at Mumbai, Kandla, Solapur, Jalgaon, Jabalpur & Manmad.

- Big Mac has tied up with Bharat Petroleum Corporation for a highway complex on the Delhi-Agra highway, near Mathura.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation has offer bonus equity to its shareholders at a ratio of one bonus share for every one share held.

- The Comp. has been presented the FICCI award 1999 - 2000 for 'Corporate initiatives in the field of rural developments'.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] has launched yet another card product, SmartFleet, aimed at fleet owners & corporates.

- During 2000-01 the Comp. issued bonus shares in the ratio of 1:1, thereby enhancing its equity capital to Rs 300 crore. Also Recently it acquired 55% stake in Kochi Refinery Limited [KRLs] from the Government of India & 19% in Numaligarh Refinery Limited [NRLs] from IBP.

The Comp. has launched 'Smart fleet', a programme for fleet owners and corporates & the same received an enthusiastic response from over 2500 clients.

-The Comp. has 'Petrocard', an customer loyalty programme, had enrolled over 2.25 lakh customers by theend of March 2001.

2001

- The Comp. has launched the co-branded SmartFleet card along with Tata Finance, a smart card targeted at vehicle fleet owners and corporates.

- BPCL has tied up with Quicky's, the global coffee chain, Pepsi Foods India & Kwality Walls for providing beverages soft drinks and ice-creams at its petrol pumps.

- Standard Chartered Bank, HDFC Bank & Bharat Petroleum Corporation have joined the eCash Forum which has been set up by Smart Card Forum of India.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation limited has proposed to acquire the entire equity share holding of Government of India in Kochi refineries Ltd. - Shell Aviation Ltd has appointed Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] as the sole distributor for Shell brands of aero lubes in India. BPCL has signed a contract with Shell Aviation for distribution rights for the next five years.

-'In and Out', a convenience retailing proposition, was selectively launched in 14 retail outlets during the year. This proposition includes utility payments, courier service, ATMs, a coffee shop, music counters, impulse stores, etc.

2002

- S Vijayaraghavan appointed as Additional Director on Board of BPCL

-M B Lal Director [Refineriess] relinquishes office from BPCL.

- Tata Engg, BPCL ties up to market co-branded lubricants.

- Mr U Sundararajan has retired from the office of Chairman and Managing Director, BPCL. Mr S Behuria, Director [Marketings] has taken over as Chairman and Managing Director of BPCL w e f July 01, 2002.

- BPCL introduced premium grade petrol 'Speed' in Mumbai.

- SCI tie-up with BPCL for crude transportation.

- BPCL introduced 5kg cylinder for rural market.

- BPCL ties up with Cafe Coffee Day to open Cafe Coffee Day outlets in select In&Out BPCL petrol pumps.

-Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd informed that Shri S Radhakrishnan, Executive Director [Marketing Coordinations] has been appointed as Director on the Board of Comp. & he has taken over as Director [Marketings] with effect from November 1, 2002.

- Mr. Mukesh Rohatgi, Executive Director [Refinerys] has been appointed as Director on the Board of BPCL & he has taken charge as Director [Refineriess] w.e.f. November 14, 2002. Mr. Naresh Narad, Special Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government Nominee Driector on the Board of BPCL has relinquished the Directorship w.e.f. November 11, 2002 on his appointment as Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.

- ALF ties up with BPCL to launch 'affinity cards'

2003

- The board of Bharat Petroleum Corporation [BPCLs] is being restructured with the induction of four new non-executive directors. The directors, all professionals of long standing, are the former chairman of Indian Oil MA Pathan, former chairman of Indian Airlines PC Sen, former chairman of railway board BD Gupta & director of Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode, AH Kalro.

- BPCL and ONGC signs agreement to sale crude oil for a period of 2 years

- Bharat Petroleum [BPCLs] has forged an alliance with Petrovietnam for purpose of supplying 200,00 tonnes of naptha in the next 9 months.

- BPCL ties up with HLL for marketing durables, FMCG products via LPG outlets.

- BPCL launches 'Speed '93'

- Hyderabad: Bharat petroleum corporation Ltd [BPCLs] has rolled out its new plan for Bharatgas customers. The new offer called 'Beyond LPG' was unveiled in twin cities which comes with value added services where customers can get the benefit of discounts ranging from 10-20 percnt on all FMCG branded utensils.

- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd has informed that Shri S Vijayaraghavan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Government Nominee Director on the Board of Comp. has resigned from office of director wef September 2, 2003.

Dr P N Khandwalla, Shri P P Kaliaperumal and K Vasudeva Part Time Non Official directors have resigned from office of director wef September 4, 2003

Shri V D Gupta Shri P C Sen and A H Kalro are appointed as part time non official directors of Comp. wef September 5, 2003.

-the Comp. has launched premium petrol, 'Speed' on September 9 in Vishakapatnam. The premium petrol is priced marginally higher than the ordinary fuel. The fuel is for new generation cars & two-wheelers.

- The Comp. has tied up with Hindustan Lever Ltd & three other kitchenware brands for selling grocery items to its LPG customers through its distributor network. the consumers can order all HLL products besides kitchenware from Hawkins, Prestige & Nirlep from Bharatgas distributors in select cities.

-Formed a strategic pact with Honda Siel to help launch gensets & geysers that run on LPG.

-Shri A K Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has been appointed as Director

--BPCL bags third slot among `Top 10' in Asiamoney corporate governance poll on Asian companies in the energy sector. And joined the club of select few Asian companies.

-Bharat Petroleum Corporation [BPCLs] & Oil & Natural Gas Corporation [ONGCs] signed an agreement to cooperate with each other through sharing of their core strengths for exploration & production, & downstream oil refining & marketing.

2003

-Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] successfully completes its first swap transaction, making it the first public sector oil Comp. to enter into an interest rate derivative transaction

2004

-Bharat Petroleum Corporation is negotiating a five-year agreement with Reliance Industries to buy products from its Jamnagar refinery. A previous product-sourcing agreement between the two companies expires on March 31, 2004.

- IDBI Bank on January 15 said that it has entered into a business-to-business [B2Bs] e-commerce arrangement with oil major Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] to provide an automated payment & purchase process to the BPCL corporate & industrial clients.

-BPCL signs an initial contract with Saudi Aramco

- Tie up with Tata Consultancy Services to provide medical advisory & counselling services at Ghar, the highway retailing initiative of BPCL.

-Kochi Refineries Ltd [KRLs] signs a memorandum of understanding with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd regarding capacity utilisation & other production & performance parameters

-Forges alliance with E-Charge Tech Private Limited to distribute electronically pre-paid products like mobile cards, internet cards & calling cards, making it the first Comp. in India to electronically distribute the pre-paid products

-- GAIL India Limited has signed two joint venture agreements with Bharat Petroleum Corporation [BPCLs] for implementation of city gas projects in Kanpur & Pune

-Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] opened Mak Lubeshoppe at Akkayyapalem here on July 29

-Bharat Petroleum has launched another brand `Hi Speed Diesel'

-BPCL forges alliance with poultry association in Namakkal

-Speed ties up with consortium to sponsor domestic motor racing

-Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] has entered into a marketing tie-up with automobile manufacturer Tata Motors for marketing of engine oils as co-branded lubricants for their commercial vehicles

2005

- BPCL launches Speed 97, its new brand of high-octane petrol mixed with lubricant additives, meant to improve vehicle performance

-Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd has launched a new concept of `Vehicle Care Centres' at its retail outlets

-Madhya Pradesh Government signs a memorandum of understanding [MoUs] with Bharat Oman Refineries Ltd to set up a six-million-tonne per annum refinery at Bina on May 6, 2005

2006

-Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] has announced that the Comp. and MMTC have jointly decided to work together in the area of domestic & international marketing of hydro-carbon by leveraging their core business strength in the global commodity trading.

-Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] has announced that the Comp. has entered into an MOU with Petroleo Brasileiro SA [Petrobrass],

-BPCL acquires first Nigerian Erha cargo

-BPCL has informed that Shri. D N Narasimha Raju, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas [MoP&NGs] has been reappointed as Additional Director effective December 18, 2006.

2007

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [BPCLs] has informed that Prof N Venkiteswaran, has been appointed as Additional Director effective July 16, 2007.