MRPL Secures 4th Consecutive Best Refining Innovation Award at ETM 2025
Mangalore: Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL), a subsidiary of ONGC and a prominent Category-I Miniratna CPSE under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, has received the Innovation Award 2024-25 for Best Innovation in Research & Development in Refining Technology at the 28th Energy Technology Meet (ETM 2025). This recognition marks MRPL’s fourth consecutive win at these prestigious Government of India–sponsored awards, highlighting its sustained leadership in driving indigenous innovation within the refining sector.
The award recognizes MRPL’s development of “Gradual Olefins and Aromatic Technology (GOAT),” a groundbreaking Crude-to-Chemicals process conceived and developed indigenously by MRPL’s dedicated R&D team. The GOAT technology exemplifies India’s expanding capabilities in directly converting crude oil into high-value petrochemicals. This innovative process significantly enhances energy efficiency, diminishes carbon intensity, and propels the nation forward on its trajectory toward sustainable refining practices.
The award was formally presented by Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, in the presence of Shri Pankaj Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, during a ceremony organized under the auspices of the Centre for High Technology (CHT) at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC).
Accepting the award on behalf of MRPL were Shri Nandakumar V. Pillai, Director-Refinery, and Chief Managers Shri Karthick R. and Shri S. Nirmal Ganesh, representing the Innovation Centre Team of MRPL.
The 28th Energy Technology Meet, themed “Green Energy Horizons: Advancing Sustainable Refining & Energy Innovation,” stands as India’s premier forum for downstream and energy technology stakeholders. Organized by CHT under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, ETM 2025 convenes refiners, petrochemical producers, technology licensors, equipment manufacturers, and service providers from both India and abroad. Participants engage in the exchange of advancements and best practices in sustainable refining and decarbonization technologies.
ETM 2025, held from October 28–30, 2025, serves as a pivotal platform for showcasing innovations that are driving India’s energy transition and circular-economy initiatives.
During the event, Shri Nandakumar V. Pillai, Director-Refinery, remarked, “MRPL has consistently demonstrated foresight in adopting advanced technologies. I am incredibly proud that our Innovation Centre is not only developing but also commercially implementing transformative technologies such as GOAT—a forward-looking and competitive Crude-to-Chemicals process that many in the industry are still endeavoring to realize. Our Innovation Centre continues to position MRPL at the vanguard of technologies that are critically needed by the nation and the world. I extend my sincere congratulations to the Innovation Centre team for earning the Innovation Award from the Government of India for the fourth consecutive year, a testament to their unwavering dedication and exceptional performance. I wish the team continued success in their future endeavors.”