The Hindu Business Line : `Expert advice must for oil & gas issues'

Hydrocarbon panel: The Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Mr Murili Deora, with the CSIR Director-General, Dr R.A. Mashelkar, in the Capital on Monday. - Kamal Narang

New Delhi , March 6

The Petroleum Minister, Mr Murli Deora, has stressed the need for establishing closer linkages between research organisations, academia and industry, particularly in the hydrocarbon sector.

At the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) on Hydrocarbons, here on Monday, Mr Deora said there were several technical issues in the oil and gas sector, which require continuous guidance and direction from experts, for the development of world-class technology in the country.

The committee on hydrocarbon was set up in 1981 and has been making suitable recommendations to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in respect of development of indigenous technologies, fuel quality improvement and other issues relevant to the technological upgradation of the hydrocarbon sector.

Top honours

On this occasion, Mr Deora honoured the distinguished personalities for making invaluable contributions in the development and modernisation of the oil and gas industry.

The late Lovraj Kumar, who was the Chairman of Scientific Advisory Committee on Hydrocarbons from 1991-1993, was honoured for his commitment to support commercialisation of indigenous technologies.

Prof Man Mohan Sharma, who was the Chairman of the committee from 1981-1989, and later from 1994-2001, was honoured for his ceaseless contributions in the growth and development of the hydrocarbon industry in the country.

Dr Srinivasan Varadarajan, who had played an important role in advising the Government of India for the formation of SAC and who continues to be its member from 1981, was honoured for his commitment to the application of research and development in India and his invaluable contributions to the Scientific Advisory Committee on Hydrocarbons, in particular.

In his address, the Petroleum Secretary, Mr M.S. Srinivasan, elaborated the important role that the committee on hydrocarbons has played since its inception.

He said the committee has been working uninterrupted and hoped that SAC would continue to provide guidance and direction especially in view of the several challenges faced by the hydrocarbon sector today.

Issues such as upgrading refinery yield assumes significance as the crude oil prices have been going northward, making them unaffordable to many countries. The shrinking refinery margins, environmental issues such as affluent treatment, improving fuel quality to reduce emission, upgrading refinery residues and using alternative fuels require R&D support and do not allow us to relax on this front.