Applied Research, the focus of R&D at IOCL
New Delhi   23-Dec-2013

IOCL is focusing on Applied Research that is useful to its existing businesses. It is looking to further enhance the allocation to annual R&D spend of Rs 250 crore under the guidance of R.K. Malhotra, IOCL's Director (R&D).

Indian Oil Company Limited's efforts vis-a-vis national R&D and environment policy:

The government has been putting a lot more focus on research and development (R&D) over the last couple of years by offering tax incentives to boost spending on R&D. The PSUs are making good use of it by spending reasonably good amounts. As per the guidelines of the government, the Indian PSUs have to spend minimum 1 per cent of profit after tax (PAT) on the R&D activities. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has already constituted Sectoral Innovation Council to create a roadmap, which intends to provide help in executing and implementing policy inputs and initiatives to drive innovations in petroleum sector. In a recent case, the Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB) has approved a grant of Rs 88.5 crore to IndianOil R&D for setting up of demonstration unit of INDAdeptG for deep desulphurization of gasoline and diesel at Guwahati refinery. This technology has been indigenously developed by IndianOil R&D centre at Faridabad. Such support of Government or hand holding for the first plant will certainly help in de-velopment of indigenous technologies.
 
Focal areas and plan outlay for research and technology:

The R&D centre at Faridabad has a 65 acre sprawl-ing campus where IOCL has built state of art facili-ties for research in lubricant formulations, refinery processes, pipeline transportation and alternative fuels. In lubricants, due to strong R&D support, Indian Oil commands a market share of 30 per cent despite the presence of around 25 players in the market. Its flagship lubricant brand SERVO has 800 grades, which is the only SUPERBRAND with over 500 OEM and customer approvals. The SERVO product basket is diverse enough to fulfil the requirements of almost every industrial sector. Various kinds of fuel additives are also being developed to enhance engine performance and help in compliance with stringent emission norms.


R.K. Malhotra, Director (R&D), IOCL

In Refining Technology & Catalyst Research, 10CL has been able to develop some of the highly acclaimed processes and products. One of the best R&D developed technologies INDMAX - is being implemented at the 4.17 MMTPA unit at Paradip to convert oil residue to high octane gasoline and LPG. Among hydroprocessing and product treat-ment, Diesel Hydrotreating Technology (DHDT) and INDAdeptG are some of 10CL's excellent technologies which will help reduce the sulphur content in the fuels for Euro-V compliance.

The Petrochemical and Nanotechnology Research laboratories at Faridabad are home to many new innovations which find commercial application after undergoing trial studies. Nano additives and catalysts are being discovered to achieve superior performance characteristics such as friction and wear protection and higher energy efficiency. The company, in last couple of years, has been spending around Rs 250 crore per year on R&D activities which IOCL would be ramping up in next few years.

Indian Oil and advanced technology development for harnessing renewable energy:

IOCL is taking initiatives in green and alternative energy areas, which include Bio-fuels; Hydrogen; Solar energy and Gasification etc.

Together with Department of Bio-Technology, Government of India, IOCL has set up a Bio Energy Research Centre which commissioned its first integrated Lignocellulosic Biomass to Ethanol plant with the support of NREL, USA.
 
Demonstration trials have been successful for co-processing of non-edible vegetable oil in the DHDT plant of Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd. by processing up to 6.5 per cent of Jatropha Oil along with diesel feed. A process patent has been filed in India, USA and EU for a novel single step compact reforming process to produce H-CNG with varying hydrogen composition (up to 30 per cent v/v). IOCL has initiated some work in Solar energy and plan to focus on Solar Thermal. It already has some success in development of thermal fluids. A unique solar lantern developed and patented by IOCL received the CII Award.

IndianOil's R&D Centre has signed an agreement with L&T for production of gasifiers based on its patented "Integrated Gasification' concept The Corporation has also joined the consortium on the Government's National Mission on Clean Coal Technologies (NMCCT) for further collaborative research on gasification with DRDO, CII, L&T and Thermax.

A separate Centre for Alternative and Renew-able Energy is also being planned by the company in Manesar to come up with innovative technologies, which may help in promotion of alternatives which are crucial for energy security of the country.

Recent recognitions, felicitation and awards in the area of R&D:

R&D innovation and deployment by IndianOil has been acclaimed and felicitated both globally and nationally during the recent years. The prestigious Hart Energy Global Award for "Refining & Energy Company of the year" in 2012 was awarded to IndianOil R&D centre. IndianOil has been conferred the SCOPE Meritorious Award for R&D Technology Development & Innovation 2012 by the President of India. The prestigious Environment Leadership Award 2012 was awarded to SERVO Agrospray Oils by the Prime Minister of India. The company was recently awarded the CII Award for innovative product design for its solar charged multipurpose LED lantern. At an individual level, the prestigious Rudolf A Erren Award instituted by the International Association for Hydrogen Energy (IAHE) was awarded in recognition of my work done for promotion of Hydrogen research in India.