Refining technology unveiled at Honeywell UOP India center

The Indian Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, introduced a new refining technology at Honeywell’s India Technology Center. The company has invested $40 MM at the facility, which is one of the main technology development hubs for Honeywell UOP outside the US and for other Honeywell businesses in the region.

The technology is a pilot plant specifically designed to develop advanced hydrocracking catalysts that can more efficiently produce higher yields of clean-burning diesel fuel from crude oil. The technology can allow Indian refiners to get more from each barrel of oil, helping reduce imports of crude oil while producing higher-grade, environmentally preferable diesel fuels.

“The Hon’ble Prime Minister’s visionary call to realize a 10% reduction in the country’s crude imports by 2022 has already set a challenge before the Indian hydrocarbon sector, making this advanced hydrocracking technology the solution of choice to help meet this goal and meet the growing demand for energy in India,” said Steven C. Grime, managing director, UOP India Private Ltd.

According to Honeywell UOP, its technologies are deployed in every refinery in India. More than half the country’s oil and more than 70% of the country’s gasoline are made with Honeywell UOP processes, and more than 85% of the nation’s biodegradable detergents are produced using Honeywell UOP technologies. More recently, Honeywell UOP entered into a collaboration agreement with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) to develop a range of biofuels technologies. 

Honeywell, which has operated in India since 1931, maintains a significant “Make in India” footprint with seven manufacturing facilities in Chennai, Dehradun, Gurgaon, Pune and Vadodara, and five technology and engineering centers in Bangalore, Gurgaon, Hyderabad and Madurai.