Oil PSUs set up 101 PSA oxygen plants

Thirteen Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) functioning under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas are in the process to set up 110 pressure swing adsorption (PSA) oxygen plants, out of which 101 have become functional.

These plants are set up at hospitals in different states across the country as a part of the government's effort to ramp up production of the life-saving gas to meet the spike in demand due to any future Covid wave.

According to details released by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Thursday, 101 plants of the proposed 110 plants are commissioned and others are at a later stage of commissioning.

The new oxygen plants have been set up in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Odisha, Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, and Maharashtra. PSA oxygen plants have been set up in identified hospitals across these states. This is a part of CSR activities.

"CPSEs are setting up PSA Plants of combined capacity of 98840 LPM. A total of 101 Plants are commissioned and others are at a later stage of commissioning," the ministry said.

The PSUs have also set up jumbo Covid care facilities adjacent to their refinery premises in coordination with the State governments.

"In some refineries, LMO (Liquid Medical Oxygen) is not produced, but oxygen at low pressure is available. This cannot be liquefied or transported via cylinders. As this oxygen can be used for medical purposes, hence jumbo Covid care facilities have been set up adjacent to the refinery premises in coordination with the State Governments," it said.

( With inputs from ANI )