IIT-Kharagpur partners HCLTech for collaboration in petroleum engineering

IIT-Kharagpur inked an agreement with HCLTech for collaboration in the field of petroleum engineering and earth sciences.

HCLTech and IIT-Kharagpur will jointly develop innovative and sustainable solutions to address critical challenges of the petroleum industry, including reduction of carbon footprint, and provide significant sustainable solutions towards net zero, a statement said on Thursday.

"We are pleased to work with HCLTech on this path-breaking initiative. Academia and industry need to forge such symbiotic partnerships that will be instrumental in advancing research and innovation in technology, besides creating a skilled workforce," IIT-Kharagpur's Dean (R&D) Chandan Chakraborty said.

"Joint activities in research and knowledge development have tremendous potential for creating economic and social impact on society," he added.

Under the agreement, HCLTech will provide opportunities to students and research scholars from IIT-Kharagpur to undertake projects and internships at the company, and use state-of-the-art technologies to develop digital solutions in the exploration, drilling and production of hydrocarbons, the statement said.

Both IIT-Kharagpur and HCLTech will initiate collaboration on programmes of sustainability that includes discussions, podcasts and joint presentations at international fora on transformative initiatives in the oil and gas sector, it said.

"We are pleased to announce our partnership with IIT-Kharagpur, which is focused on developing advanced solutions for the oil and gas industry using cutting-edge technologies such as AI/ML, IoT, Industry 4.0, digital engineering, and cloud computing," said Ajay Bahl, HCLTech's Chief Growth Officer, Americas -- Mega Industries.

"We aim to introduce eco-friendly solutions that promote innovation, optimise value and prioritise low-carbon sustainability within the industry," he added.