Processing .....please wait.. 
The article has been forwarded.... 
News >> Technology >>
Overseas refineries seek IndianOil's high yielding LPG technology
Friday, 08 December 2006, 18:30 IST
Faridabad: Several refineries from the Middle East have shown interest in state-owned Indian Oil Corporation's indigenously developed technology for increasing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) production from heavy oil.
Developed in its own research and development centre in this township near Delhi, IndianOil's fluidised catalytic cracking (FCC) technology has been patented in the US, EU, India and China and has already been deployed at its Guwahati Refinery, leading to increased LPG or cooking gas production and improved profit margins.
IndianOil's decision to use its patented FCC technology at its own upcoming Paradip Refinery is expected to swing some of the overseas deals for technology transfer, with tangible evidence of its benefits becoming more evident.
"Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Iran's national oil company are some of the overseas refineries that have expressed interest in acquiring our FCC process," IndianOil chairman and managing director S. Behuria told media.
"The fact that a large plant like Paradip will use this technology that offers direct conversion of heavy petroleum fractions to high yields of LPG and high octane gasoline will be an added advantage."
Called Indmax process, the improved FCC technology has helped Guwahati Refinery to reap tangible benefits amounting to 
400 million per annum and enhance LPG production to 100,000 tonnes per annum since June 2003.
The new technology is expected to improve profit margins of the 15 million-tonne Paradip Refinery once it commences operation.
"The deployment of this indigenous technology, besides giving a boost to our research and development efforts, would save us over 400 million (in royalty and technology licensing fee) in addition to perpetual savings on catalysts, which are going to be produced in India through a joint venture with US-based InterCat," said Behuria.
The refinery and marketing major is planning to deploy the technology in some of its other refineries to raise the LPG production to seven percent of its product mix by 2011, by when its refining capacity would have reached 81 million tonnes from over 59 million tonnes, inclusive of its two subsidiaries.
Enhanced LPG production would help India to reduce its imports from current levels of 10 million tonnes. IndianOil plans to raise its production of LPG using the new technology from 0.1 million tonnes to 3.9 million tonnes by 2011.
In the case of Paradip Refinery, the new technology will not only help to increase LPG production but also generate feedstock like paraxylene, polypropylene and styrene for the petrochemical unit for production of polymers.
Source: IANS
400 million per annum and enhance LPG production to 100,000 tonnes per annum since June 2003.
The new technology is expected to improve profit margins of the 15 million-tonne Paradip Refinery once it commences operation.
"The deployment of this indigenous technology, besides giving a boost to our research and development efforts, would save us over 400 million (in royalty and technology licensing fee) in addition to perpetual savings on catalysts, which are going to be produced in India through a joint venture with US-based InterCat," said Behuria.
The refinery and marketing major is planning to deploy the technology in some of its other refineries to raise the LPG production to seven percent of its product mix by 2011, by when its refining capacity would have reached 81 million tonnes from over 59 million tonnes, inclusive of its two subsidiaries.
Enhanced LPG production would help India to reduce its imports from current levels of 10 million tonnes. IndianOil plans to raise its production of LPG using the new technology from 0.1 million tonnes to 3.9 million tonnes by 2011.
In the case of Paradip Refinery, the new technology will not only help to increase LPG production but also generate feedstock like paraxylene, polypropylene and styrene for the petrochemical unit for production of polymers.
Source: IANS