Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves (ISPRL) mulls building a new strategic crude oil reserve in Madhya Pradesh to serve teh needs of inland refineries in the northern part of the country during supply emergency.

ISPRL has mandated Engineers India (EIL) to conduct a 'pre-feasibility study' for a strategic crude oil reserve at Bina in Madhya Pradesh. It is expected to be completed in three to four months. Bina and Bikaner are potential locations for crude and natural gas reserves.

Currently, India’s operational SPRs are located at Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh), Mangaluru, and Padur (Karnataka), with a combined storage capacity of 5.3 MT. The upcoming second-phase SPRs at Padur and Chandikhol (Odisha) will add another 6.5 MT capacity, to benefit coastal refineries.

ISPRL is also exploring the feasibility of a five MT salt cavern SPR in Bikaner, Rajasthan, marking India’s first such facility, which has advantages for hydrocarbon storage. Alongside this, it is evaluating the potential for a natural gas reserve in Bikaner to strengthen energy security further. Expansion plans for SPRs at Mangaluru are also underway, and a detailed feasibility report (DPR) has been completed and land acquired from the Mangalore Special Economic Zone (MSEZL) for an additional 1.5 MT capacity near the existing facility.

These initiatives reflect India’s strategic focus on diversifying storage locations and enhance energy security.