Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd. (APL) is a state level public sector undertaking of Govt. of Assam incorporated on 22nd April 1971. The foundation stone of the company was laid at Namrup on 15th June 1971 for production of Methanol and Formalin. Assam Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (AIDC) promoted the company for manufacture of Methanol from Natural Gas which was abundantly available in the adjoining oil field in the Upper Assam. The Petrochemical complex of APL is the first of its kind in India, having natural gas as feedstock. Formalin is its downstream product. The company started its commercial production of Methanol and Formalin in June, 1976 from its two plants of 21 MTPD and 36 MTPD capacities respectively and a few Urea Formaldehyde resins as downstream projects with technology supplied by Mitsubishi Gas Chemicals Co., Japan.
Having availability of Natural Gas in the nearby oil fields in the upper Assam, APL set up another 100 TPD Methanol plant and commissioned it in 1989 with technology supplied by ICI, UK and the 100 TPD capacity Formalin expansion plant in 1997 with technology from Derivados Forestales of Nederland. After the Supreme Court ban on timber industry in 1996, APL found it difficult to market Formalin, as it was used in big ways by plywood manufacturers located in NE Region. Further, closure of the DMT plant of Bongaigaon Refinery and Petro-Chemicals Ltd. in 2000 closed the doors on another important consumer. Despite these twin setbacks that almost completely dried up its market within the state where it earned maximum profit, APL could make its own way of growth by selling Formalin to markets in the rest of the country, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal. Further, APL revamped its 100TPD Formaldehyde plant to 125TPD in the year 2012. Present Plant Capacities-Methanol and Formalin are 100TPD and 125 TPD respectively.
Assam Petro-Chemicals Ltd. (APL) has successfully implemented a mega expansion project comprising a 500 TPD Methanol plant and a 200 TPD Formaldehyde plant at a total cost of Rs 1,709 crore. The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, virtually dedicated the 500 TPD Methanol Plant to the nation on 14 April 2023.
The company further strengthened its production capacity with the commissioning of its fourth unit—the 200 TPD Boitamari Plant located at Boitamari—on 3 September 2025. The first consignment from this plant was flagged off on 10 September 2025, marking the commencement of commercial production. With these developments, APL continues to maintain its leadership position in Eastern India’s formalin market.
For the implementation of the Methanol and Formalin project, equity investment has been made by the Government of Assam, Oil India Limited, and Assam Gas Company Limited. The shareholding structure is such that the Government of Assam, along with Assam Gas Company Ltd. and AIDC Ltd., holds 51% of the equity, while Oil India Ltd. holds the remaining 49%.
In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with Oil Indi
Assam Petro-Chemicals Limited was the first company whose shares were listed in Bombay Stock Exchange (Now BSE) in 1975. The shares of the company delisted from BSE w.e.f. 20.02.2017 to enable the company to allot shares to Governor of Assam, Oil India Limited and Assam Gas Company Limited through private placement. APL was subsidiary company of Assam Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. till 21st September, 2018. Due to allotment of shares to the Governor of Assam, Oil India Limited and Assam Gas Co. Ltd. the company no longer a subsidiary of Assam Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. from that date.
APL produces Methanol and Formalin from its plants located at Namrup and sells these products in domestic as well as exports to neighbouring countries viz. Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
The present Authorized Share Capital and Paid-up Share Capital of the Company are Rs.750, 00, 00,000.00 and Rs. 621,38,39,700.00 respectively.
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The shareholding pattern is as follows: -.
| |
| Sl No. |
Name of Share Holders |
Percentage of Shareholding |
| 1. |
Governor of Assam |
37.46% |
| 2. |
Oil India Ltd.(OIL) |
48.79% |
| 3. |
Assam Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (AIDC Ltd.) |
8.02% |
| 4. |
Assam Gas Co. Ltd.(AGCL) |
5.64% |
| 5. |
Others |
0.09% |
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