Dr. Thushara Subasinghe, a senior lecturer at the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, has been appointed as a member of the project committee for the establishment of an export-oriented petroleum refinery and associated product processing center in Hambantota by the Ministry of Power and Energy. Hambantota, located in southern Sri Lanka, has been identified as an area with high potential for establishing an export-oriented petroleum refinery and petrochemical zone. The location is a prime hub for industries due to its proximity to international trade and naval routes, which are among the busiest in the world.
On many occasions, investors have expressed their interest in establishing an export-oriented petroleum hub with access to international seaport facilities. In this context, facilitating a suitable investor to establish a petroleum refinery in the Hambantota area has become a timely need. As such, the Ministry of Power and Energy of Sri Lanka has initiated the process of gathering expressions of interest from investors for the establishment of an export-oriented petroleum refinery and petrochemical hub on a Build, Own, and Operate (BOO) basis. The ministry has also appointed a panel of experts to the project committee to support the process in accordance with the government's tender procurement guidelines.