ONGC’s Green Leap: The DME Revolution Starts at Hazira

ONGC and CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL) are preparing to launch a three-year industrial pilot project focused on producing dimethyl ether (DME) as an alternative fuel to LPG.

The pilot plant will be set up at ONGC’s Hazira facility in Gujarat with an initial production capacity of 2.5 tonnes, while research and technology development activities will be carried out by CSIR-NCL in Pune. ONGC will fund the operational expenses of the project.

The initiative is intended to assess the viability of DME for industrial heating and processing applications by studying production efficiency, cost economics, and supply chain performance under real-world operating conditions. If the pilot proves successful, it could lead to the development of commercial-scale plants with capacities ranging from 100 to 500 tonnes per day, with early discussions also exploring larger facilities of up to 1,000 tonnes per day.

As India faces infrastructure limitations in domestic LPG production, DME is being evaluated as a potential alternative fuel option. The project will also test indigenous technology developed by CSIR-NCL for possible large-scale commercial deployment.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.