Indian Oil plans to tie up with US-based UOP, for technical collaboration for quality improvement of its products like petrol and diesel, along with setting up a coker LPG treatment plant at its Gujarat Refinery.
The company has submitted the proposal to the commerce ministry for approval by the secretariat of industrial assistance under the department of industrialpolicy and promotion.
Engineering India Ltd, a domestic consultancy firm, also bid for providing technical know-how for the project. However, after techno-commercial evaluation, Engineering India's offer was found less attractive, Indian Oil sources said.
UOP has experience in providing commercially proven technologies not available in India, according to IOC. Other renowned companies which have similar expertise include Axen from France and US-based companies like Chevron and Exxon Mobil. However, UOP was chosen as the fee quoted was the lowest among all bidders.
In addition, UOP has provided technical assistance to Indian Oil before, for the process licensor for coker LPG treatment unit at Panipat Refinery.
Gujarat Refinery, with a capacity of 13.70 million tonnes per annum has been undertaking quality improvement programmes for quite some time.
It was the first refinery to complete the diesel hydro de-sulphurisation project in June 1999, when the refinery started production of diesel with a low sulphur content of 0.25 per cent.
A project for production of high value linear alkyl benzene -- a raw material used in manufacturing detergents -- from kerosene streams has been implemented.
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