Contract Award Details

Ellenbarrie Industrial Gases Limited has secured a ₹481 crore contract from Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) for design, engineering, supply, erection, testing, pre-commissioning, commissioning, trial runs operation, operator training, demonstration of performance guarantees, supply of spares and handing over, all on turnkey basis of a 1200 TPD cryogenic Air Separation Unit (ASU).

Project Specifications

  • Project Location: Bandhabal, Jharsuguda District, Odisha
  • Project Type: Coal to Ammonium Nitrate (2000TPD) Project
  • Contract Type: Build and Transfer (B&T) basis
  • Execution Timeline: Eight quarters
  • Expected Commissioning: FY29
  • Plant Capacity: 1200 TPD (Tonnes Per Day) cryogenic Air Separation Unit

Strategic Significance

This contract represents Ellenbarrie's entry into one of India's largest long-term industrial gas opportunities under the National Coal Gasification Mission. The project marks the largest plant built by Ellenbarrie to date and places the company among the exclusive group of companies capable of building plants exceeding 1000 TPD capacity.

National Context

The project forms part of India's broader push towards coal gasification, a strategic national initiative aimed at reducing import dependence while creating domestic production capacity for chemicals, fertilisers and clean industrial feedstocks. The Government of India has outlined a vision of gasifying 100 million tonnes of coal annually by 2030, with coal gasification expected to support domestic production of ammonia, urea, methanol, hydrogen and other downstream chemicals.

Technical Requirements

Coal gasification plants require large quantities of oxygen and nitrogen supply as a critical process input, making cryogenic Air Separation Units an integral part of every commercial-scale facility.

Management Commentary

Varun Agarwal, Joint Managing Director of Ellenbarrie Industrial Gases, stated: "This order represents an important strategic milestone for Ellenbarrie as we strengthen our participation in India's emerging coal gasification ecosystem. While this is a Build and Transfer project, it recognises our capability to deliver large-scale cryogenic Air Separation Units for complex industrial applications. As India's coal gasification programme gathers momentum over the coming years, we believe our engineering expertise, execution track record and deep experience in industrial gases position us well to participate in this long-term growth opportunity."

Business Implications

The award expands Ellenbarrie's engineering capabilities beyond its traditional merchant and onsite industrial gas business and reinforces its position as one of India's leading domestic industrial gas companies capable of executing large, technologically sophisticated ASU projects.

Contract Structure Note

The contract is on a Build and Transfer basis and does not involve long-term ownership or operation of the plant by Ellenbarrie.