Bharat Petroleum and Tata Motors To Setup 7,000 Public EV Charging Stations By Next Year

Fortune Global 500 Company, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), which is the second largest Indian Oil Marketing Company and one of the premier integrated energy companies in India, aims to install 7,000 electric vehicle charging stations by next year. For this, BPCL has signed an MOU with Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd. (TPEM), a subsidiary of Tata Motors, to collaborate in establishing public charging stations across India.

The collaboration will leverage BPCL’s widespread fuel stations network and TPEM’s insights from over 1.15 lakh Tata EVs on Indian road, to set up chargers at locations frequently visited by Tata EV owners. Additionally, BPCL will gather insights on charger usage to improve customer experience.

This agreement between TPEM and BPCL aims to improve the overall experience for EV owners across India. The two companies are also exploring the possibility of introducing a convenient payment system through a co-branded RFID card, making payment easier for Tata EV users and to encourage more people to adopt electric vehicles in the country.

BPCL boasts a nationwide network of over 21,000 Fuel Stations and is committed to a sustainable future by amalgamating strategy, investments, and environmental goals. BPCL aims to install 7,000 electric vehicle charging stations by next year. To alleviate electric vehicle owners’ range concerns, BPCL has initiated over 90 Electric Vehicle Fast Charging Highway Corridors across the nation, ensuring a fast-charging station approximately every 100 kilometers on both sides of major highways. These corridors span more than 30,000 kilometers across various highways, assuring enhanced EV convenience and accessibility.

According to Santosh Kumar, Executive Director In charge Retail, BPCL said “BPCL is constantly striving to align with the nation’s vision to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040. BPCL steadily moving closer to goal to converting 7000 of our conventional retail outlets into energy stations which is a part of a comprehensive decarbonization strategy to support and prioritize sustainable initiatives. BPCL has already set up a very large network of fast charging stations across highways. EV is a field of collaboration and we believe that the joining hands with TPEM shall take the EV game of BPCL and TPEM to the next level.”

TPEM is the market leader in EVs in India, commanding a market share of over 71% in electric passenger vehicles. With more than 115,000 Tata EVs on Indian roads, where 75% are used as primary vehicles, TPEM continues to lead the way in India’s electric mobility revolution.

According to Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd., and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd., “EV adoption is a key imperative to combat the deteriorating air quality in Indian cities. Wide-spread and reliable charging infrastructure will be a key catalyst for accelerating EV adoption in India. In line with our commitment to develop the charging ecosystem in India, we are delighted to announce our strategic collaboration with BPCL, which is aimed at accelerating India’s journey towards e-mobility. This collaborative partnership epitomizes our shared vision of fostering positive change – an enabling infrastructure for the growing EV customer base. It will benefit from TPEM’s unparalleled EV usage insights, and BPCL’s formidable nationwide network. It has the potential to reshape the landscape of charging infrastructure in the country.”

Case studies from across the world show that ubiquitous and convenient charging infrastructure is a prerequisite for driving EV adoption, and that growth in charging infrastructure results in an exponential growth in EV adoption. The collaboration between two leading companies is expected to accelerate the growth of charging infrastructure in the country, and thus contribute to mainstreaming EV adoption in India.

Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) To Invest ₹1.5 Trillion in Next 5 Yrs Towards Project Aspire; Draws Net-Zero Roadmap with Additional Capital Outlay of ₹ 1 Lakh Crore

BPCL plans to invest ₹1.5 Lakh Crore in the next Five years towards Project Aspire; Draws Net-Zero Roadmap with additional capital outlay of ₹ 1 Lakh Crore

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (“BPCL”), a prominent 'Maharatna' and Fortune Global 500 Company, unveiled its ambitious roadmap for the next five years at the 70th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held today. “The company has planned a capex outlay of around ₹ 1.5 Trillion or ₹ 1.5 Lakh Crore ( ~ $18 billion) in the next five years. We believe this will enable BPCL to create long-term value for its stakeholders while preserving the planet for future generations”, said G. Krishnakumar, Chairman & MD, BPCL.

Speaking at BPCL's annual shareholders meeting, Mr. Krishnakumar said, “We have consciously taken deliberate steps in reassessing and re-prioritizing our focus areas in light of the latest industry trends and governmental policies. Introducing 'Project Aspire' - our new strategy that is built on eight pivotal pillars. These pillars are clubbed under two main themes: 'Nurturing the Core' and 'Future Big Bets'. 'Nurturing the Core' has three foundational pillars: Refining, Marketing and Upstream. 'Future Big Bets' is anchored on five key areas: Gas, Non-fuel Retailing, Petrochemicals, Green Energy Businesses, and Digital Ventures. This aspiration is our roadmap to the future, and together, we will journey through this transformative era.”

Mr Krishnakumar – Chairman & MD, BPCL

BPCL has recently approved an Ethylene Cracker Project at Bina. With an investment of ₹ 49,000 crores, this project marks a historic milestone as the largest single investment in BPCL's history. As a part of the project, the capacity of Bina Refinery is being enhanced from 7.8 MMTPA currently to 11 MMTPA, which is expected to go a long way in securing BPCL’s markets in the Northern and Central India. “We believe that this project will drive the production of essential petrochemicals - increasing the share of petrochemicals in BPCL’s product portfolio to approximately 8%. This investment dovetails well with the government mission to make India a self-reliant and globally competitive petrochemical manufacturing hub.”, added Mr. Krishnakumar.

“With an aim to expand BPCL’s infrastructure network, BPCL will be setting up POL (Petroleum Oil & Lubricants) & LOBS (Lube Oil Base Stock) installations along with receipt pipelines at Rasayani, with investments of approximately ₹2,753 crore. This is expected to debottleneck the evacuation of products from Mumbai Refinery and ensure seamless supplies, particularly to the Northern markets”, said Mr. Krishnakumar.

BPCL is also diligently expanding its CGD networks across 25 Geographical Areas covering 62 districts in the country.

Towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2040 for both Scope 1 & Scope 2 emissions, BPCL has drawn a net-zero roadmap which encompasses the Green Energy Businesses, Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS), efficiency improvement, and the offset procurements. This would require an estimated phased capital outlay of approximately ₹ 1 lakh crore till 2040 and BPCL is geared for the same.

In E-Mobility, BPCL plans to provide electric vehicle charging facilities at 7,000 energy stations in the next five years. Certain highways are already equipped with BPCL’s Rapid Charging EV Corridors.

In the Biofuel space, having achieved 10.6% ethanol blending in petrol in 2022-23, BPCL plans to increase the blending to 12% in FY 2023-24 and endeavors to reach 20% blending by 2025. BPCL is also setting up an integrated 2G + 1G Ethanol Bio-refinery at Bargarh, Odisha which is scheduled for completion by March 2024.

In the renewables space, BPCL aspires to build 1 gigawatt (GW) of renewable energy capacity by 2025 and 10 GW by 2040 - through both organic and as well as inorganic routes. BPCL will be investing approximately ₹ 1,000 crore to set up two 50MW captive wind power plants in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh to support the refineries in Mumbai and Bina.

In line with the government efforts towards boosting Green Hydrogen capacity, BPCL is also setting up a Green Hydrogen Plant at the Bina Refinery to meet the hydrogen requirements of the refinery.

Speaking about BPCL’s plans for the forthcoming rights issue, Mr. G. Krishnakumar said, “The initiatives under Project Aspire and the Net-Zero targets require substantial investments and the same are proposed to be funded through a combination of equity and debt, in addition to internal generations. In pursuit of this, BPCL has proposed a rights issue of equity capital of upto ₹ 18,000 crore towards funding of projects relating to Energy Transition, Net Zero and Energy Security Objectives”.

About Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL):

Fortune Global 500 Company, Bharat Petroleum is the second largest Indian Oil Marketing Company and one of the premier integrated energy companies in India, engaged in refining of crude oil and marketing of petroleum products, with a significant presence in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry. The company attained the coveted Maharatna status, joining the elite club of companies having greater operational & financial autonomy.

Bharat Petroleum’s Refineries at Mumbai, Kochi and Bina Refinery have a combined refining capacity of around 35.3 MMTPA. Its marketing infrastructure includes a network of installations, depots, energy stations, aviation service stations and LPG distributors. Its distribution network comprises over 21,000 Energy Stations, over 6,200 LPG distributorships, 525 Lubes distributorships, 123 POL storage locations, 53 LPG Bottling Plants, 70 Aviation Service Stations, 4 Lube blending plants and 4 cross-country pipelines.

Bharat Petroleum is integrating its strategy, investments, environmental and social ambitions to move towards a sustainable planet. The company has chalked out the plan to offer electric vehicle charging stations at around 7000 energy stations over next 5 years.

With a focus on sustainable solutions, the company is developing a vibrant ecosystem and a road-map to become a Net Zero Energy Company by 2040, in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Bharat Petroleum has been partnering communities by supporting innumerable initiatives connected primarily in the areas of education, water conservation, skill development, health, community development, capacity building and employee volunteering. With ‘Energising Lives’ as its core purpose, Bharat Petroleum’s vision is to be the most admired global energy company leveraging talent, innovation & Technology.

Sustainable Fuel: Bharat Petroleum Pioneers Ethanol Blended Diesel and Flex Fuel Program

• BPCL showcases commitment to sustainable fuel solutions by promoting alternative fuels and reducing carbon emissions
• Flag off event features motorcycles fueled by Flex Fuel (Petrol blended with 27% ethanol, E27 & Petrol blended with 85 % ethanol) and bus fueled by ED7 (Diesel blended with 7% ethanol), demonstrating the potential of these innovative fuel options
• The pilot program marks an important milestone in this journey, showcasing BPCL's leadership and innovation in the pursuit of a cleaner and more sustainable future

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd., a leading provider in the energy sector, and Ashok Leyland have initiated a pilot program to test the effectiveness of ED7 (Diesel blended with 7 % Ethanol) fuel. This program aims to transform India's bio-fuel economy and achieve a stable energy mix.

The ED7 (Diesel blended with 7 % Ethanol) fuel blend, developed by BPCL-R&D, consists of 93% diesel and 7% ethanol. The blend has undergone rigorous testing and validation on engine test bench in collaboration with Ashok Leyland.

Shri G. Krishnakumar, Chairman & Managing Director, BPCL, said, “In pursuit of India’s commitment towards NET ZERO, BPCL is developing sustainable fuel options under the clean fuel development program in association with leading automotive OEM’s, Ashok Leyland and Hero MotoCorp is committed towards developing sustainable fuel options. BPCL has commenced supply of E20 in many cities across the nation. Today’s flag off of the Pilot ED7(Diesel blended with 7% Ethanol) for buses with Ashok Leyland and flex fuels (E27&E85) for two wheelers along with Hero Mototcorp is a step by BPCL towards our country's aim of reducing import bill & providing sustainability. Increased use of Ethanol enables farmers transforming from अन्नदाता से उर्जादाता। This world environment day, BPCL takes a lead to move towards cleaner fuels for a better tomorrow.”

Shri Sukhmal Jain, Director (Marketing), BPCL, said, “BPCL has been a pioneer in Fuel Retailing initiatives, leading the transformation towards a sustainable future. The field pilot of ED7 (Diesel blended with 7% Ethanol) and Flexi Fuel is an ambitious initiative to enhance the economic prosperity of large farming population and its contribution in India’s GDP, as well as drive a change to a cleaner and greener future.”

Ashok Leyland conducted extensive laboratory trials on their engines using the ED7 (Diesel blended with 7 % Ethanol) fuel. The ED7 (Diesel blended with 7% Ethanol) fuel blend showcases a remarkable reduction in pollution levels, including Particulate Matter and Nitrogen oxides (NOx). The blend can be seamlessly adopted by diesel vehicles without requiring any significant modifications in engine. After pilot program, a comprehensive report will be submitted to ARAI, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, and the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, for developing roadmap for commercial implementation of the fuel. With ethanol readily available in India, the study targets to establish ethanol blend in diesel to the tune of 7%, with an aim to reduce energy bill for the country.

Hero MotoCorp, in alignment with its vision of being the future of mobility, has developed a Flex-Fuel Prototype at its Centre of Innovation and Technology (CIT) in Jaipur. The vehicle, equipped with a 125cc BS6 engine, can run on ethanol-blended petrol mixtures ranging from 20% (E20) to 85% (E85) ethanol blends. The Flex-Fuel Prototype utilizes advanced software to detect the ethanol blend in the fuel and adjust engine control parameters accordingly, ensuring a trouble-free riding experience. The engine's performance and emissions remain uncompromised across the entire blend range.

BPCL, Ashok Leyland, and Hero MotoCorp's initiatives mark significant milestones in India's journey towards a greener and more sustainable future, aligning with the Government of India's vision to promote renewable fuel technologies, reduce carbon emissions, and foster economic stability.

About Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL):

Fortune Global 500 Company, Bharat Petroleum is the second largest Indian Oil Marketing Company and one of the premier integrated energy companies in India, engaged in refining of crude oil and marketing of petroleum products, with a significant presence in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry. The company attained the coveted Maharatna status, joining the elite club of companies having greater operational & financial autonomy.

Bharat Petroleum’s Refineries at Mumbai, Kochi and Bina Refinery have a combined refining capacity of around 35.3 MMTPA. Its marketing infrastructure includes a network of installations, depots, energy stations, aviation service stations and LPG distributors. Its distribution network comprises over 21,000 Energy Stations, over 6,200 LPG distributorships, 525 Lubes distributorships, 123 POL storage locations, 53 LPG Bottling Plants, 70 Aviation Service Stations, 4 Lube blending plants and 4 cross-country pipelines.

Bharat Petroleum is integrating its strategy, investments, environmental and social ambitions to move towards a sustainable planet. The company has chalked out the plan to offer electric vehicle charging stations at around 7000 energy stations over next 5 years.

With a focus on sustainable solutions, the company is developing a vibrant ecosystem and a road-map to become a Net Zero Energy Company by 2040, in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Bharat Petroleum has been partnering communities by supporting innumerable initiatives connected primarily in the areas of education, water conservation, skill development, health, community development, capacity building and employee volunteering. With ‘Energising Lives’ as its core purpose, Bharat Petroleum’s vision is to be the most admired global energy company leveraging talent, innovation & technology.

With 164 Patents Filed, Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) R&D Center Revolutionizes the Fuel Industry with Breakthrough Innovations

• BPCL Introduces Ethanol-Diesel Blend for Cleaner Emissions
• The R&D division has filed 164 patents for cutting-edge innovations
• Adopts Innovative Approach to Valorizing Bio-refinery Waste
• BPCL Unveils Groundbreaking Technologies for rapid crude oil sourcing and Real-Time Refinery Monitoring and Optimization
• BPCL R&D Develops High-Efficiency LPG Burner for Energy Conservation

BPCL R&D Centers have been at the forefront of technological advancements. Since its establishment in 2001, the Corporate R&D Centre has provided a platform for breakthrough research and development. Together with the Lubes R&D Centre, a leading hub in lubricant research, BPCL R&D continues to contribute to a greener and cleaner fuels. Its research areas have evolved over the years, focusing on carbon capture and utilization, green hydrogen, biofuels, advanced clean fuel, petrochemicals, and business sustainability. These strategic focus areas align with the company's commitment to environmental stewardship and energy transition.

In view of this, Bharat Petroleum's Research & Development (R&D) division proudly presents its state-of-the-art facilities and strategic focus areas at the Corporate R&D Centre in Greater Noida. With a commitment to innovative and sustainable solutions, BPCL R&D has gained international recognition as a leading research center.

Over the years, the division has achieved remarkable milestones, including 164 Patents filed for cutting-edge innovations, 87 Patents granted across multiple countries, 17 Technologies/products commercialized and over 230+ Scientific papers and Book chapters. Notable innovations include the development of "Green Silica" from rice straw-based 2G Bio-refinery ash, compostable biomaterials, and Superabsorbent Polymer (SAP) products.

Aligned with Bharat Petroleum's sustainability agenda and Net Zero Mission, BPCL R&D has undertaken initiatives like the Diesel-Ethanol blend to reduce emissions. The division's digital advancements and collaborations with renowned institutions have fostered the knowledge economy and innovation culture.

Shri G. Krishnakumar, Chairman & Managing Director, BPCL, said, “With ‘Energising Lives’ as our core purpose, our mission is leveraging talent, innovation & technology and always being the first choice of customers. Our dynamic R&D team, brimming with creativity, has successfully developed a multitude of cutting-edge technologies, innovative products and processes that have not only increased our profitability but also significantly reduced our environmental footprint. Their continuous pursuit for excellence has led us to attain numerous accolades such as an extensive patent portfolio”.

Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Hon'ble Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said, "Under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Modi, BPCL is remarkably pushing the boundaries of technology and sustainability through its cutting-edge R&D initiatives. I congratulate the team BPCL for continuous pursuit for excellence, contributing significantly to India's energy landscape and reinforce our position as a global leader in innovation."

Focused on carbon capture, green hydrogen, biofuels, clean fuels, petrochemicals, and business sustainability, BPCL R&D drives excellence and innovation in these areas. Its cutting-edge facilities, Motivated team of Scientists, Engineers and Administrative Staff, and strategic partnerships are at the forefront of technological advancements.

BPCL-R&D has also achieved a significant milestone in the digital space. It has developed two novel technologies, namely the K Model for crude compatibility and BPMARRK® for quick and accurate real-time crude assay. BPCL is the only company at the global level to achieve this milestone in the oil and gas sector. Recently, a collaboration agreement was inked with the world leader in Refinery Software business, M/s Aspen Technology Inc. USA, to provide a unique solution to the refinery world for real-time monitoring and optimization of refinery units, along with BPCL BPMARRK® software.

To address India's import dependency for gas, which currently caters to 50% of the country's 44MMTPA gas demand, BPCL-R&D is working on the development of an energy-efficient PNG burner. Notably, BPCL-R&D has successfully developed a PNG burner with an efficiency of 70%, surpassing the reported 55% efficiency so far. The plan is to conduct a pilot and roll out the energy-efficient PNG stove during FY 2023-24, contributing to a reduction in import dependency.

We are investing heavily in these upcoming areas both in terms of manpower and infrastructure. I believe innovations in these areas can not only give BPCL competitive advantage and also create sustainable business environment; while contributing for the nations net zero ambition and thus making the world better place to live for the future generation.

About Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL):

Fortune Global 500 Company, Bharat Petroleum is the second largest Indian Oil Marketing Company and one of the premier integrated energy companies in India, engaged in refining of crude oil and marketing of petroleum products, with a significant presence in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry. The company attained the coveted Maharatna status, joining the elite club of companies having greater operational & financial autonomy.

Bharat Petroleum’s Refineries at Mumbai, Kochi and Bina Refinery have a combined refining capacity of around 35.3 MMTPA. Its marketing infrastructure includes a network of installations, depots, energy stations, aviation service stations and LPG distributors. Its distribution network comprises over 21,000 Energy Stations, over 6,200 LPG distributorships, 525 Lubes distributorships, 123 POL storage locations, 53 LPG Bottling Plants, 70 Aviation Service Stations, 4 Lube blending plants and 4 cross-country pipelines.

Bharat Petroleum is integrating its strategy, investments, environmental and social ambitions to move towards a sustainable planet. The company has chalked out the plan to offer electric vehicle charging stations at around 7000 energy stations over next 5 years.

With a focus on sustainable solutions, the company is developing a vibrant ecosystem and a road-map to become a Net Zero Energy Company by 2040, in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Bharat Petroleum has been partnering communities by supporting innumerable initiatives connected primarily in the areas of education, water conservation, skill development, health, community development, capacity building and employee volunteering. With ‘Energising Lives’ as its core purpose, Bharat Petroleum’s vision is to be the most admired global energy company leveraging talent, innovation & technology.

Bharat Petroleum Launches Low Smoke Superior Kerosene Oil for the Indian Army

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), a ‘Maharatna’ and a Fortune Global 500 Company, today announced the launch of Low Smoke Superior Kerosene Oil (SKO) for the Indian Army in Jammu.

BPCL has emerged as the first OMC to commence the supply of the new LSLA grade SKO supplies to the Army, which will go a long way in improving the serving environment and alleviate the issues related to smoke and smell in use of SKO.

Normal Kerosene emits substantial smoke, which poses health hazard to the Army personnel who use it at higher altitudes, where oxygen level is very low. Hence, the low smoke kerosene is a big step towards providing a cleaner fuel to our soldiers operating in very tough terrains.

LSK launch pic

Shri Vetsa Ramakrishna Gupta, Director (Finance) with additional charge of C&MD and Director (HR), BPCL, reflected on BPCL’s proud association with the Army which has strengthened over the years and expressed confidence that the same will grow over the years with the strong partnership and value adding initiatives. Lt Gen M K S Yadav, echoed the sentiments and fondly remembered BPCL’s special efforts in commencing HSD (Winter Grade) supplies in Eastern Command. He complimented BPCL for launching the LSLA grade which will surely go a long way in improving the conditions for our forces at forward locations.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Sukhmal Jain, Director (Marketing) at Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, said, “The courage, valour, and dedication of our army, to protect Mother India's honour is incomparable. For the difficult conditions and the height at which they work as a shield to protect and serve our motherland and their selfless dedication, we can only salute them! Supplying Low Smoke Superior Kerosene Oil to the army at a high altitude is our way to thank them for their service to the nation and a small gesture to make their life a bit easy.”

Speaking on the occasion, Shri S. Jena, Executive Director (Industrial & Commercial), BPCL said, “Currently BPCL has a share of about 16% with the Indian Army, supplying close to 70 TKL of petroleum products annually and BPCL has partnered with Indian Army in provision of over 100 consumer pumps and “Scattered Storage locations” at strategic locations besides actively pursuing key initiatives.”

The first lorry carrying the LSLA grade SKO, from our Jammu Depot, was flagged-off today virtually by Lt Gen Manoj K S Yadav, SM, Director General of Supplies & Transport, Integrated HQ of MoD and Mr V R K Gupta, Director (Finance) with additional charge of C&MD and HR in the presence of Mr Sanjay Khanna, Director (Refineries), Mr Sukhmal Jain, Director (Marketing) and Maj Gen Ashok Choudhary, VrC, ADGST (FT).

SKO supply to the Army is vital as it is consumed as fuel in the room heaters (Bukhari) at the high altitude camps. The Army consumes about 70 TKL/A of SKO for their Northern & Eastern commands. Northern command consumes higher quantity of about 45 TKL/A. The low smoke kerosene is a big step towards providing a cleaner fuel to the Nation’s Bravehearts.

During the product innovation process, BPCL’s Industrial and Commercial (I&C) SBU in association with the Corporate Research & Development Centre (CRDC) and Mumbai Refinery offered the upgraded SKO with tailored parameters related to smoke point & Aromatic content and conducted field trials at Karu ( Leh -Ladakh) and Gangtok.

Upbeat with the results of the successful trials, BPCL’s I&C unit has embarked on a tailored logistics arrangement and accordingly a batch has been moved to the Jammu depot. Regular supply of the upgraded SKO to Indian Army shall commence soon. BPCL is also proudly associated with Army Core 14 at Leh, where the Corporation has installed ‘Eternal flame’ wherein continuous supply of LPG is provided.

About Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL):

Fortune Global 500 Company, Bharat Petroleum is the second largest Indian Oil Marketing Company and one of the premier integrated energy companies in India, engaged in refining of crude oil and marketing of petroleum products, with a significant presence in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry. The company attained the coveted Maharatna status, joining the elite club of companies having greater operational & financial autonomy.


Bharat Petroleum’s Refineries at Mumbai & Kochi and Bina at Madhya Pradesh have a combined refining capacity of around 35.3 MMTPA. Its marketing infrastructure includes a network of installations, depots, energy stations, aviation service stations and LPG distributors. Its distribution network comprises over 20,000 Energy Stations, over 6,200 LPG distributorships, 733 Lubes distributorships, and 123 POL storage locations, 54 LPG Bottling Plants, 60 Aviation Service Stations, 4 Lube blending plants and 4 cross-country pipelines.

Bharat Petroleum is integrating its strategy, investments, environmental and social ambitions to move towards a sustainable planet. The company has chalked out the plan to offer electric vehicle charging stations at around 7000 energy stations over next 5 years.

With a focus on sustainable solutions, the company is developing a vibrant ecosystem and a road-map to become a Net Zero Energy Company by 2040, in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Bharat Petroleum has been partnering communities by supporting innumerable initiatives connected primarily in the areas of education, water conservation, skill development, health, community development, capacity building and employee volunteering. With ‘Energising Lives’ as its core purpose, Bharat Petroleum’s vision is to be the most admired global energy company leveraging talent, innovation & technology.

Bharat Petroleum Develops Novel Technology to Test Crude Oil Quality

The country's second largest national oil marketer Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd has developed a novel technology to test the quality of crude oil at a fraction of the cost and time that it takes now through the lengthy lab tests.

The technology, which has a number of patents including those from the US and the EU, is a 'crude horoscope predictor tool' called BPMarrk, which can optimise varied properties from the crude.

The company is also in talks with leading international players in the crude assaying industry like Aspen, the largest in the segment, Honeywell, and Emerson, R Ramachandran, Director (Refineries), at BPCL said.

"The traditional way of assaying takes 30-45 days for a complete testing and the cost averages at Rs 25 lakh. But the BPMarrk takes around 30 minutes for a four-stage test. We can offer it at a fraction of the present cost but we haven't decided on the pricing part yet," he told PTI.

Ramachandran also said the company is planning to use the technology as an advance control product for product optimisation and is going to apply for patents for this as well.

On talks with American bodies, he said, "we have made presentations to Aspen, Emerson and Honeywell but no deal has been finalised yet".

BPCL has been developing the technology since FY16 and reached commercial production stage two years ago.

Since then, it has made a detailed presentation to the American Petroleum Institute which is the global body that codifies the testing standards for the industry. The institute was keen to develop this tool as an alternate standard, provided BPCL shared the entire details, but the company refused, a source at the company said.

A salient and industry-friendly use of the tool is that it can help update the crude assays of oil wells wherein the properties get changed with ageing, according to Ramachandran.

"Gone are the days of lengthy laboratory tests called assaying for crude. The R&D team of Bharat Petroleum has developed a crude horoscope predictor tool called 'BPMarrk' to correctly predict crude oil properties," he said.

Describing their innovation as a game-changer, Ramachandran said BPMarrk can predict around 500 properties of any crude using four parameters and can help generate the output within an hour compared to the other conventional processes which require three-four weeks of laboratory testing.

The tool has been built by testing more than 100 types of crudes from different regions.

This universal tool can be used by multiple stakeholders across the crude value-chain for fast business and operational decisions related to crude buying/ booking and price negotiations.

BPMarrk can also enable oil suppliers, international trades and supply-chain optimisation for advanced planning, crude selection and also for process engineers for unit-level optimisation of refinery operations.

BPCL is in the process of partnering with a leading international consultant for real-time optimisation.

The development could be highly useful for small downstream players like domestic companies and standalone refiners, given the fact that industry majors like Aramco, Exxon, Shell, Total or BP would have their own independent tools to do faster assaying as they are all into the entire value chain of the oil and gas sector, say analysts. PTI BEN

Bharat Petroleum Forays into Swappable Li-ion Battery supply for Electric 3-Wheelers

Eyeing opportunities in the wake of disruption expected from electric vehicles, oil major Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited on Monday launched 'e-drive initiative' an electric three-wheeler mobility model.

Partnering with electric vehicle-maker Kinetic Green Energy and Power Solutions and IIT Madras for technology support, the public sector oil marketing giant brought on stream a supply of swappable lithium-ion batteries at its retail outlets in Kochi and Lucknow in the first phase for
electric three-wheelers.

According to the business model touted as unique, fleets of three-wheelers, also known as 'e-rickshaws,' are deployed in the two cities by Kinetic Green which also owns them and drivers pay rental for use of vehicles and a fee for energy provided by BPCL. There is, however, no maintenance cost.

Chairman and managing director, BPCL, D Rajkumar said rising air pollution, increasing disposable incomes and rapid urbanisation would drive future mobility in India.

"Electric vehicles would be having an increasing share of the urban transportation canvass in the years to come," he said adding: "We are happy to have collaborated with two strong partners, the IIT Madras for technological support and Kinetic Green as a mobility partner."

The operations in Kochi and Lucknow were inaugurated through video conferencing from here and a giant screen beamed e-rickshaws lining up to change batteries at BPCL outlets and the process of swapping was over in a matter of few minutes, similar to the time taken for filling petrol or diesel.

The three-wheelers are powered by two batteries and when the charge drains, it could be brought to the BPCL outlets where it would be replaced with fully charged ones.

CEO, Kinetic Green, Sulajja Firodia Motwani said the electric vehicle with swappable battery technology reduced upfront the cost of vehicle by 50 per cent. "Customers never have to worry about battery charging and replacement."

General Manager, BPCL, Rahul Tandon told reporters, "we are in active discussion with Kinetic to launch it in seven more cities in the next phase depending on licencing (for e-three wheelers)."

The cost of two batteries, needed to run a single e-rickshaw is Rs 60,000 to Rs 65,000 and it is borne by the BPCL, he said answering a question.

The usage fee for drivers is between Rs 350 and Rs 400 for a single swap of two batteries and the twin Li-ion batteries provide a range of 50-55 kms, he said.

On investments for this venture, he said: "It is too early and too small at this stage but we have huge plans of going forward."

Also, he said this was only a first initiative to be prepared for any change that may happen in the
market.

Motwani said the rollout at Lucknow and Kochi was on a pilot basis. A fleet of 20 vehicles each in Kochi and Lucknow is in place and it would be expanded to 100 later and the investment for a single e-rickshaw is about Rs one lakh sans battery. "This is a new concept and we are promoting it."

In Kochi, while operations would only be at metro rail stations, at Lucknow it covers Metro and other urban areas as well, she told reporters.

"We have a special agreement with Kochi Metro and they want to promote electric three-wheelers for connectivity." E-rickshaws normally charge Rs 10 for commuters and the model will also address the last mile connectivity issue for users of Metrorail, she said.

Electric vehicles are expected to cause disruption in the present automobile and auto component ecosystem and in 2018 Indian Oil had partnered with Fortum India for electric vehicle-charging stations.

Last year, the Central government notified the second phase of the FAME India scheme with a Rs 10,000-crore outlay to encourage electric and hybrid vehicles.

Bharat Petroleum Launches Startup Grand Slam with Mega Prize Money

Bharat Petroleum Corporation India leading fuel retailer has launched BPCL Startup Grand Slam Season#1; a Grand Challenge for startups in India. Under this challenge BPCL has publicized 6 problem statements across IoT Analytics AI-ML Asset Performance Management Mobility Solutions CRM etc. consisting BPCL business challenges and invited visionary and innovative startups in India to propose solutions for these problem statements.

Winner of each challenge statement shall be given a grant of Rs. 50 Lacs and also an opportunity to carry out the PoC (Proof of Concept) of the same with BPCL. BPCL also plans to release additional funds of up to Rs. 1.5 Cr to the winning startups if the proposed solution is scalable and required additional funds to do so.



Startups from can apply for BPCL Startup Grand Slam Season#1 on Startup India portal. The last date for applications is 2nd February 2020.Winners shall be selected through a two round process. Finalists shortlisted from the first round have to pitch their solutions in the final round to a jury panel consisting of eminent personalities from startup incubators accelerators VC firms other investors academia as well as experts from Oil Gas industry.

The Startup Grand Season#1 is being organized by BPCL under its Startup support initiative Ankur. Launched in 2016 with the aim to promote promising start-ups and nurture an eco-system conducive for innovations in the country BPCL Ankur initiative has supported 25 startups thus far with a cumulative grant funding of Rs. 25 Cr.

Realizing that although providing grants is really helpful Startups need more support beyond finance to find their footing and commercialize their products BPCL Ankur also offers

• Collaboration and mentoring support for product development


• Access to test facilities labs and business challenges to turn your ideas into fine products and solutions


• Connect with partner eco-systems industry peers and many B2B customers to expand your business


• Challenges campaigns networking events meet ups to build a thriving and connected startup eco-system

Along the way Startups supported by BPCL Ankur have developed many innovative products and solutions. Bandicoot - a robotic system developed by Genrobotic Innovations for manhole and sewer line cleaning aimed at the complete elimination of manual scavenging Inspection of underwater structures tanks through submersible robots by Planys technologies drone based inspection technique developed by Detect Technologies for refinery stack inspection aresome of these innovative solutions that are transforming their respective spheres of activity.

BPCL Ankur is turning a new leaf with Startup Grand Slam Season#1 expanding the outreach of the program and exploring innovative engagement models with startups to make positive impact on the overall Startup eco-system in the country.

~ Newsvoir