News Release Details

IndianOil signs Memorandum of Collaboration with National Centre for Catalysis Research, IIT Madras
New Delhi   11-Sep-2007
The Research & Development (R&D) Centre of IndianOil and the National Centre for Catalysis Research (NCCR), Indian Institute of Technology Madras have signed an agreement at Chennai on 10.09.07 for the joint development of process for preparation of alumina with special characteristics. Alumina is a key constituent of various refining catalyst. Depending on its applications, the phycico-chemical properties of alumina are tuned by various preparation and modification approaches. The alumina required for each application is tailormade, as it is not commercially available. The alumina prepared by this collaboration will be used for making cost effective and state-of-the-art hydroprocessing catalysts. The agreement was signed by Mr.S.Makhija, Executive Director (R&D), IndianOil and Mr.T.T.Narendran, Dean, ICSR, IIT Madras in the presence of Mr. Sarthak Behuria, Chairman, IndianOil, Prof.M.S.Ananth, Director, IIT Madras and Mr.Anand Kumar, Director (R&D), IndianOil. On this occasion Mr.Sarthak Behuria, Chairman, IndianOil announced a contribution of Rupees fifty lakhs to IIT Madras for setting up a “Centre for Asphalt Science & Technology”. The Centre is being established by IIT Madras with funds from the Oil Industry as well as ‘Intensification of research in high priority area Scheme’ of the Department of Science & Technology. Such centres of excellence like National Centre for Catalysis Research and the Centre for Asphalt Science & Technology are essential for the promotion of scientific research in India. These will not only lead to setting up a vital infrastructure, in turn leading to basic and applied research in catalysts and asphalt, they will also help in creating proof of specialized research scientists and engineers for R&D institutions in the R&D. Mr.Sarthak Behuria in his address stated that continuous innovation, effective management and optimisation of resources are the key for not only sustaining the business but also to maintain the market leadership. He also stated that the collaboration with NCCR will enable IndianOil to join a select league of companies for the development of high end catalysts for refining applications. IndianOil R&D Centre has generated considerable expertise within a relatively short period for the development and commercial exploitation of refining catalysts, viz. FCC catalysts, additives, select hydroprocessing catalysts and adsorbents. IndianOil has recently formed a joint venture company, Indocat with Intercat, USA for manufacturing of FCC catalysts and additives. NCCR at IIT Madras, setup under the aegis of Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India is a premier research centre working in the frontier areas of catalysis. The Centre, under the stewardship of Prof.B.Viswanathan, has considerable expertise in the areas of synthesis of materials having catalytic applications like alumina, zeolites and various catalysts and also in fundamental science of catalysis.