Research and Development:
CPCL established an in-house R&D Centre in 1986, the first of its kind in India, to provide technological support to refinery operations and to carry out research in the development of processes and catalysts related to petroleum refining in collaboration with National laboratories and Academic Institutions. CPCL has invested about Rs. 20 crore to establish pilot plants and analytical facilities in the last two decades and has been recognized as a leading research facility in the area of Petroleum refining in India.

Major Research Facilities Available at Manali Refinery
Pilot Plants

• TBP Distillation Unit for carrying out detailed Assays on Imported and Indigenous Crudes.
• Lube Extraction Demonstration Pilot Plant (RDC and Packed Column)
• Hydrocarbon processing Pilot Plants

• Single reactor with gas recycling facility (Vinci, France)
• Two Reactors in series (Xytel India)

• FCC Micro activity Test Unit (Xytel, India)

Analytical facilities for Crude assay, Hydrocarbon type analysis of petroleum fractions and Catalyst characterization

• Gas chromatographs for PIONA, SIMDIST and RGA
• GC-PFPD for Sulfur compounds in Fuel products
• XRF and Antek Total Sulfur/ Nitrogen Analysers
• ICP-AES for trace element analysis
• Differential Scanning Calorimeter and Thermogravimetric Analyser
• UV-Visible Spectrophotometer
• Fourier Transform IR Spectrophotometer
• Petroleum Testing Equipments
• Catalyst characterization facilities such as Surface area analyzer, Particle size analyzer, Crushing strength apparatus etc.,

The research centre provides valuable inputs to refinery operations in terms of Crude assay, selection of catalysts and feed-stocks for various process units such as FCC, DHDS, Lube, Wax Hydrofinishing etc., The Centre also provides analytical support for optimization and trouble shooting of various process unit operations.

Achievements & Recognitions
The Centre has about six Patents in the areas of catalyst formulation and lube extraction and has also published about 25 papers in International Journals and Symposiums.

The R&D Centre has the recognition of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research since its inception and has also been recognized by Anna University and IIT Madras for carrying out research work.

The efforts of R&D Centre in establishing a demonstration Pilot Plant for Lube Extraction has won the National Award in 1995 by DSIR for its achievement in Technology Absorption.

The R&D Centre in collaboration with IIP, Dehradun and EIL has developed a technology for lube extraction which has been commercialized at IOC Haldia in its 0.35 MTPA lube plant. In recognition of this achievement, CPCL has won the technology award of CSIR.