Tiruchirapalli: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) would be selling more than 1,000 tonnes of specially blended LPG for metal cutting and welding purposes in southern states this year. The metal cutting gas introduced about two years back was a result of the company's in-house R and D efforts, Kurian P Chandy, BPCL Regional Manager (LPG), holding the juridiction of the four southern states, told reporters here.

Liquefied petroleum gas is mixed with high performance additivies to make the product, which is more powerful than the commonly used acetylene gas cutting system. The gas is patronized by fabrication industry and welding applications, he said adding that it is made available by BPCL through the LPG distributors.

Sold in cylinders weighing about 19 kgs, the gas was economically 40 percent efficient than the acetylene gas cutting applications. Last year, BPCL sold 990 tonnes of the gas across the country and the southern region accounted more than 400 tonnes of the sales. For the current year, the target is fixed to surpass 1,000 tonnes in sourthern region alone, added Chandy.