Shell opens technology centre in Bengaluru

Leading oil producer Shell on Friday opened the Shell Technology Centre here with experts, laboratories and technology units.

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the centre.

"Shell is developing a waste-to-fuel technology called IH2 at the Technology Centre in Bengaluru that takes only a few minutes to achieve what nature requires a million years to do. This IH2 technology can be one of the game changers that can make my country a net exporter of energy," Pradhan said in a statement.

As the third of its kind in the world, after the similar centres in the Netherlands and the US, the Bengaluru centre has experts, labs and technology demonstration units.

It also has expertise in liquefied natural gas, sub-surface modelling, data analysis, engineering design, bitumen, distillation, water technology and enhanced computational research.

Specialists at Shell Technology Centre, Bengaluru, work closely with experts from external industrial partners, universities and institutes.

These collaborations help to ensure a healthy influx of new ideas and speed up the deployment of new technology in our operations.

"Collaboration is essential to meet our biggest challenge: timely development and deployment of the best and affordable energy solutions, for today and for the future as the world transitions to a low carbon energy system," said Harry Brekelmans, Shell's Projects & Technology Director.

"Our new Bengaluru technology hub brings together the right people in a city that is synonymous with innovation," Brekelmans said.

The centre is helping pioneer efforts, using its IH2 (waste to fuel) technology, to turn forestry, agricultural and municipal waste into transportation fuels, with a new demonstration plant being built at the site.

"The centre is slated to play a prominent role in Shell India's aspiration to custom-build a portfolio of new energy solutions specifically suited to India's energy challenges," Nitin Prasad, Chairman of Shell Companies in India, said.

"The IH2 -- waste to fuel -- technology that we are currently piloting here in Bengaluru, among other automotive solutions in fuels and lubricants, is an example of that vision coming to life," Prasad said.

--IANS

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