HYDROGEN INITIATIVES OF THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS

Hydrogen is a clean source of energy for the future. It can be an important pillar of energy security of the country. While India has to continue in R&D efforts to bring down the cost of production as well as storage and transportation, it has to be ready for pilot scale production and use for various applications.

The Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG) is undertaking few initiatives with respect to the greater use of hydrogen in the energy mix. The first pilot is based on Grey Hydrogen[1], or Hydrogen CNG (H-CNG) initiative, where hydrogen is blended with compressed natural gas (CNG) to the extent of 18%, for use as transportation fuel at Rajghat Bus depot. Under this pilot, 50 buses in Delhi are plying on blended Hydrogen in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).

Secretary P&NG convened a meeting of the petroleum sector oil and gas marketing companies with prominent solar power producers to explore the possibility of utilization of solar power to generate hydrogen.  As an outcome of these deliberations, five other pilots are planned based on Green Hydrogen[2]where hydrogen produced is to be used as transportation fuel as well as an industrial input to refineries.

Following Pilots based on Green Hydrogen are being planned:

1. Two Pilot for Setting up of Solar hydrogen refueling station at two locations (locations to be identified upon consultation with the Green Hydrogen suppliers) for demonstration of fuel cell vehicles at tourist sites like Delhi-Agra, Gujarat (Statue of Unity), etc.
2. One Pilot for setting up a green hydrogen plant to explore an opportunity of replacing conventional hydrogen in refinery with green hydrogen.
3. One Pilot for production of green hydrogen and its blending with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) at an appropriate site in Rajasthan for dispensing at retail outlets.
4. One Pilot for setting up of green hydrogen infrastructure and pipeline injection of green hydrogen in City Gas Distribution (CGD) network.

These pilots are at preliminary stage of preparation and different modalities are being worked to achieve the purpose of pilots mentioned above.

MoP&NG has a Hydrogen Corpus Fund (HCF).  The Fund participates in funding R&D projects which are led by the oil industry.  Among the projects currently being funded are for finding Multiple Pathways for production of hydrogen; H-CNG; and hydrogen production through decomposition of natural gas.  Academic institutions are involved in these projects to leverage their knowledge in frontier areas. 

The Multiple Pathways project is an ambitious R&D project, with an outlay of approx.  ₹296 crore, of which one third each is contributed by the HCF, IOC and other participating entities (original equipment manufacturers).  This is the first scientific project in India to address all aspects of value chain of hydrogen-based mobility.  For this purpose, IOC R&D is procuring 15 indigenously manufactured/integrated hydrogen fuel cell buses to conduct 20,000 km field trial in Delhi NCR.  4 demo units of hydrogen production units amounting to 40 tonnes per day will also be set up.  Of these, 3 plants are based on renewable sources (biomass gasification, reforming CBG and solar PV based electrolysis) producing green hydrogen.

IOC R&D has joined hands with the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru to develop biomass gasification technology, which is the most economical pathway to the hydrogen economy.

Furthermore, MoPNG has constituted an expert committee headed by Director, IOC (R&D) to study various techno-economical aspects of hydrogen production, storage and transportation.

Results from these pilots will be utilized for scale up of these systems for use of Hydrogen as a clean energy source in the country.

Reduction in Water Footprint

Objective: To carry out a detailed study on water balance in the refineries, to develop water consumption norms and suggest action plan for reduction in water footprint.

Executive Committee on 12.06.2018 approved the proposal for carrying out the above study through EIL for 13 PSU refineries at a cost of Rs 5.95 crore excluding GST. MRPL, BPCL-M and NRL have already taken up the study separately and not included in the study.

Status

• EIL submitted its final report for all the 13 refineries (IOCL-9, HPCL-2, BPCL-K, CPCL). Workshop was held at CHT on 26^th and 27^th Feb 2020, to finalize the water reduction roadmap based on final reports submitted by EIL.
• Short term savings (Completion by Mar 2022) is 2612 m3/hr which is 22.6% of net water consumption in 2018-19.
• Long term savings (Completion beyond Mar 2022) is 2576 m3/hr which is 22.3% on base year.

The total saving (including short and long term) is 44.9% on base year.

in consultation with refineries 4 new technologies have been identified for piloting in refineries to enable commercialization.

EIL in consultation with the refineries/suppliers shall prepare a customized scope of work along with specific deliverables indicating the fund requirements (cost estimate) in the proposal for piloting. Post submission of proposal by EIL, CHT may fund such pilot projects to enable commercialization.

Performance Benchmarking Study of PSU Refineries through M/s Solomon Associates

Performance Benchmarking of PSU fuel refineries (including 4 lube refineries) is being carried out bi-annually by CHT regularly since 2010 through by Solomon Associates (SA). Benchmarking study of Cycle 2018 is already complete along with the final presentation to the Ministry in Nov 19.

Current status of CY 2020 study:

The Data Co-ordination Seminar involving refineries was completed on 3^rd and 4^th Dec 2020. The schedule for remaining activities is as under;

Pipeline benchmarking

• EC (24^th June’20) advised to carry out Pipelines Benchmarking in line with refinery benchmarking for CY 2020. Agreement signed on 10^th Nov’ 20.
  • Contract value: ~ Rs 3.44 crore
  • CHT’s contribution: ~ Rs. 1.46 crore (50% of base fee excluding GST)
  • The study shall be completed within 9 months after Agreement.
    • 6 crude pipelines (8,412 out of total 10,419 km)
    • 24 product pipelines (11,607 out of total 14,727 km) 
    • 5 LPG pipelines (2,584 out of 3,544 km)
    • 6 gas pipelines (9,145 out of 16,575 km)
    • 5 SPM systems
• Data Co-ordination Seminar completed virtually in Jan’21.
• Final Study Results shall be available by July’21.
• Long Term contract for Pipelines will be taken up after completion of two cycles and upon obtaining consent from all the participating companies.