Future Plans
Specific areas in which R&D has been carried out by the company
- Catalytic Processes
- Development of Catalysts and Catalyst additives.
- Technology for Clean Fuels.
- Detailed Crude evaluations and Crude compatibility studies.
- Value added products.
- Modelling and Simulation of refinery processes.
- Corrosion and fouling.
- Advanced Tech support to Refinery & Marketing Operations.
- Alternate fuels.
- Passenger Car Engine Oil for major OEM.
- Synthetic Gear Oils.
- Customer specific Metal Working Fluid.
- High Performance Greases.
- Defence specific grades.
- Alternate formulation for existing grades.
The following are the benefits derived as a result of the above R&D
- Optimum catalyst/additives for Fluid Catalytic Cracking Units (FCCU) through laboratory and pilot plant studies resulting in improved yields/quality of distillates.
- Commercial Sweetening Catalyst for LPG jointly developed by BPCL and Indian Institute of Petroleum Dehradun. This catalyst produced based on the above technology is in use at Mumbai Refinery.
- Cost effective CO promoter catalyst additive for FCC units developed and being used in Mumbai Refinery.
- Process for adsorptive desulphurization of fuels for special applications such as fuel cells, using in-house developed sulfur selective adsorbent.
- Detailed crude evaluations aided in enhancing value realization and enlarging crude basket. Crude blend compatibility studies helped in processing opportunity crude.
- Additive for the production of Bharat Metal Cutting Gas (BMCG) for cutting gas applications developed and commercialized, resulting in substantial savings.
- Implementation of selected antifoulant with optimal dosage for CDU exchangers resulted in improved heat recovery.
- Advanced Tech support to Refinery and Marketing operations for resolving technical problems/effecting improvements, such as, (a) optimized the pump-around flow rates in the crude column of HCP for increase in net energy savings, (b) commissioning of the Biturox unit at Kochi refinery for the production of various grades of improved quality bitumen, (c) development of cost effective additives for improving the fuel quality, (d) Tech support for producing modified bitumen products, viz., CRMB and PMB, (e) production of natural rubber modified bitumen and bitumen emulsion in Kochi Refinery and (f) alternate bitumen packaging by polymer film at Mumbai Refinery.
- A process developed for conversion of non edible oils with high free fatty acid (FFA) content to bio-diesel.
- New grade of Passenger Car Engine Oil developed would help in increasing our market share in this segment besides providing a viable alternative to the customer.
- Fully Synthetic Gear Oil 75W-90 developed. This grade helps in extending the oil life.
- OE specific Metal Working Fluid for heat treatment application would provide benefits in terms of cost & performance to customers.
- High Performance Grease has been developed for Steel Plant and would provide a viable alternative to the customer.
- The Defence grades developed would provide indigenous alternatives to Defence.
- Developed alternate formulations for 7 existing grades. These formulations would help in reducing the input cost besides providing flexibility in operation.
Future Plans
- Intensifying and enlargement of activities in the area of Refinery processes and residue upgradation.
- Development of catalyst/additive for refining processes.
- Development of new process technologies using additive approach for improving the product quality.
- Enlargement of crude basket and identification of opportunity crudes and crude blends.
- Value added Products/Solvents from the refinery streams.
- Bio-technological processes.
- Coal to Residue Technologies.
- Alternate Fuels and Energy Devices.
- Developing the following grades/products:
- Long life Diesel Engine Oil for heavy commercial vehicles.
- Passenger Car Engine Oil for the latest models.
- Bio-degradable Cutting Oil.
- High Performance Grease.
- Defence specific grades.
- Alternate formulation for existing grades.