(EnergyAsia, July 23 2012, Monday) — Two Indian companies, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL), recently awarded contracts to expand and upgrade their downstream oil and petrochemical plants.

In separate statements, French engineering giant Technip and US-based CB&I said they have secured contracts with privately-owned RIL to help build and integrate a giant petrochemical pl!nt with its oil refinery at Jamnagar city in Gujarat state, while Engineers India Ltd said it has been selected to expand BPCL’s refinery in Kochi.

While not disclosing the project’s value, Technip has claimed to have landed the contract for one of the world’s largest ethylene crackers.

The Paris-based company will provide a licence as well as supply basic engineering package, and engineering and procurement services for the refinery off-gas cracker (ROGC) plant. This contract is part of the expansion project being executed at RIL