New Delhi, Feb 11: Government-run Indian Oil Corp will invest Rs 9,000 crore to improve quality of petrol and diesel produced at its refineries, a company press release said here.

As per the Auto Fuel Policy, petrol and diesel quality for 13 major cities will be at par with Euro-1V norms from April 1, 2010, and rest of the country will switch over to Euro-III quality.

While Indian Oil (IOC) is meeting the present requirements of fuel quality for better environment, the company is gearing up to respond to the future needs as well, IOC Director (Refineries) B N Bankapur said.

IOC is commissioning projects like Once Through Hydrocracker at Haldia Refinery and Diesel Hydrotreater under Resid Upgradation Project at Gujarat Refinery for improvement in diesel quality.

Additional reactors are also being installed in DHDT units at Panipat and Barauni to improve diesel quality standards and the projects are expected to be commissioned by December, 2009, he said.

Similarly, petrol quality upgradation projects at all the IOC refineries have been initiated and are expected to be commissioned by December, 2009.