Mumbai: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has announced the commercial deployment of its indigenously developed FCC Bottoms Cracking Additive, 'BHARAT BCA', at its Mumbai Refinery. The additive is designed to improve the efficiency of the Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) process, converting heavy clarified oil, or "bottoms", into lighter, higher-value products. This move aligns with BPCL's ongoing efforts to integrate sustainable and cost-effective technologies into its refining processes.
The BHARAT BCA catalyst was developed by BPCL’s Corporate Research and Development Centre (CRDC). The project represents a significant advancement in refining technology, delivering financial savings by enhancing operational efficiency and reducing overall costs.
At the launch event, Executive Director of Mumbai Refinery, Abhai Raj Bhandari, highlighted the importance of this innovation for BPCL's operations, noting that the new catalyst would have a positive impact across the industry. He acknowledged the contributions of the CRDC team and expressed optimism for continued technological breakthroughs.
The formal introduction of BHARAT BCA was marked by the inauguration of a catalyst additive loader. Senior officials, including the heads of research and development, operations, and maintenance, attended the event. They reflected on the collaborative efforts that led to this achievement, noting that other indigenous catalysts, such as the CO combustion promoter additive and the gasoline sulfur reduction catalyst, have also been developed at the Mumbai Refinery.
The journey of BHARAT BCA began in 2017, with the aim of creating a cost-effective catalyst for the FCC process. BPCL’s research team successfully scaled up production, manufacturing 50 tons of the catalyst for use at the Mumbai Refinery. This 'Made in India' product is now set to be implemented in other refineries across the country, boosting India’s position in the global refining sector.
BPCL has a strong track record of developing indigenous refining solutions. In addition to BHARAT BCA, the company has pioneered other key catalysts that support its focus on sustainable and efficient refining. BPCL’s leadership in innovation underscores its commitment to delivering value through advanced research and environmentally friendly practices.
Bharat Petroleum is one of India’s largest oil marketing companies, with a refining capacity of over 35 million tonnes per annum across its refineries in Mumbai, Kochi, and Bina. BPCL is also involved in both upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry, with a vast network of fuel stations, LPG distributors, and aviation service stations.
In line with its sustainability goals, BPCL is working towards becoming a Net Zero Energy Company by 2040, focusing on reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. It has also committed to expanding its electric vehicle charging infrastructure, with plans to introduce EV charging stations at 7,000 fuel stations in the next five years.
BI Bureau
