Breakthrough: MRPL receives patent for process distillation

• MRPL has been awarded a patent on process distillation of petroleum fractions

• MRPL's distillation process reduces water consumption and sour water generation in product stripping and fractionation operations

New Delhi: ONGC's subsidiary company Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) has been awarded a patent on process distillation of petroleum fractions by making use of fuel gas-hydrocarbon vapours instead of steam. The certificate was awarded on October 1 by the patent office of the Central government, a press release issued by the MRPL on Thursday said. The invention has the potential to reduce water consumption and sour water generation in product stripping and fractionation operations. This was achieved through in-house research conducted by the research and development wing of MRPL.

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The innovation offers an avenue to reduce water requirement, reduction in steam system size for a refinery and achieving energy efficiency at the same time. As the invention had economic benefits, MRPL had applied for its patent in August 2018.

MRPL

MRPL, a subsidiary of ONGC is an oil refining company based out of Mangalore. MRPCL was established in 1988. As of June 2020, 71.63% shares were held by ONGC, 16.95% shares were held by HPCL, and the remaining shares were held by financial institutions and the general public. Before its acquisition by ONGC in March 2003, MRPL was a joint venture oil refinery promoted by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), a public sector company and IRIL & associates (AV Birla Group). MRPL was set up in 1988 with an initial processing capacity of 3.0 million metric tonnes per annum which was later expanded to the present capacity of 15 million metric tonnes per annum.

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