New Delhi: The Uran Plant of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC), India’s Energy Maharatna, has entered into an agreement for research and development (R&D) with the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B). The aim of this collaboration is to create a novel gas sweetening method utilizing nano-fluids. 

By incorporating nano-fluids into the amine solvent of the Gas Sweetening Unit (GSU), the project intends to decrease the amount of solution needed for absorption during the gas sweetening process, ultimately leading to considerable savings in both material and steam usage.

Typically, natural gas must undergo a sweetening process in Gas Sweetening Units (GSU) before being sent to LPG units. This procedure involves the reaction of tertiary amine solvent with natural gas, which requires a significant amount of energy.

For ONGC's Uran Plant, the gas sweetening process plays a vital role as it receives natural gas from the Arabian Sea. Since its establishment, the Uran Plant has always been committed to discovering and implementing advanced technologies. This collaboration with IIT-Bombay, renowned for its excellence in research and development, is a continuation of the Uran Plant's pursuit of cutting-edge technologies.

Through the ONGC-IITB collaboration, there is an opportunity to conduct integrated experiments on absorption and desorption that could lead to substantial reductions in energy consumption and material usage, resulting in cost-effective benefits for the Uran Plant's operations. Additionally, this project may also introduce new possibilities for innovative gas sweetening methods, which could have significant advantages for the wider national energy industry. /BI/