ABB India on Tuesday, January 20 announced the successful completion of a major automation and monitoring upgrade for Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited’s (BPCL) Vadinar–Bina Pipeline, a critical energy infrastructure asset supporting India’s energy security.
According to the company, the modernization project was executed without any shutdown or operational downtime, allowing the 935-kilometre cross-country oil pipeline to remain fully functional throughout the upgrade process. The pipeline supplies 7.80 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) of crude oil to BPCL’s Bina refinery.
Scope of the modernization project
The project involved a complete upgrade of ABB’s Ability™ SCADAvantage system, along with the replacement of 35 Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) across pumping stations, pigging stations, and sectionalizing valve stations. ABB also installed new SCADA servers at both Vadinar and Bina, while strengthening the pipeline’s cyber security framework.
Cyber security measures included network protection, system hardening, centralized monitoring, and the deployment of failover and disaster recovery systems at both ends of the pipeline.
BPCL and ABB comments
Rajshekhar S, Head (Pipelines), Vadinar–Bina Pipeline at BPCL, said the project enhanced system reliability and cyber resilience while maintaining uninterrupted operations. He added that the upgraded infrastructure provides robust operational support even under challenging conditions.
G Balaji, Senior Vice President at ABB India’s Energy Industries division, said the project demonstrated ABB’s ability to modernize critical national infrastructure without disrupting energy flows. He highlighted the importance of the Vadinar–Bina Pipeline as energy demand in India continues to rise.
Long-standing collaboration
ABB stated that it has worked with BPCL on several key projects and has provided automation solutions across approximately 66% of BPCL’s pipeline infrastructure.
The company noted that the latest modernization reinforces its role in delivering resilient, future-ready automation and digital solutions for India’s critical energy assets.
