Indian Oil to invest $2.4 billion in 1 million ton Celanese coke-to-ethanol facility

In India, the country’s biggest oil refiner Indian Oil plans to invest $2.4 billion in ramping up its ethanol production program. The company is looking to team with Celanese to build a 1 million metric ton per year of synthetic ethanol production capacity in the eastern town of Paradip. Petroleum coke will be the feedstock for the facility. The company believes that the country’s sugar mills won’t be able to produce enough ethanol required by the E5 and eventual E10 blending mandates so is looking to set up its own supply from non-food sources that were approved in December.