Closer linkages with reasearch needed for hydrocarbon sector, Deora

New Delhi, Mar 6 (UNI) Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora today said, there is a need for establishing closer linkages between research organisations, academia and industry in hydrocarbon sector.

Speaking at the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) on Hydrocarbons here, Mr Deora said that there are several technical issues in the oil and gas sector which require continuous guidance and direction from the experts for the development of world-class technology in the country. The SAC on Hydrocarbon was set up in 1981 and has been making suitable recommendations to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for development of indigenous technologies, fuel quality improvement and other issues relevant to the technological upgradation of the hydrocarbon sector.

Petroleum Secretary, M S Srinivasan elaborated the important role that SAC on Hydrocarbons has played since its inception. The issues like upgrading refinery yield assumes significance as the crude oil prices have been going northward making them unaffordable to many countries, he said.

The shrinking refinery margins, environmental issues like affluent treatment, improving fuel quality to reduce emission, upgrading refinery residues and utilizing alternative fuels require R&D support and do not allow us to relax on this front.

Dr R A Mashelkar, DG, CSIR and the Chairman of SAC on Hydrocarbons, spoke about contribution of the SAC and the role it can play in the times ahead. He referred to recommendations of SAC for utilizing the natural gas for value added products to extract petrochemicals which played a significant role in looking at this resource in the sector.

UNI RT ARB BD1921