Message from the Director's Desk

CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology, located in Jorhat, Assam, is a prestigious constituent establishment of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. Since its establishment in 1961 as one of CSIR's multidisciplinary laboratories, the institute has been dedicated to multidisciplinary research and development activities that are relevant to the entire country and specifically to the North Eastern Region.

The primary focus of CSIR-NEIST is to develop indigenous technologies by harnessing India's abundant natural resources. The North Eastern Region, known for its wealth of resources such as petroleum, natural gas, minerals, tea, aromatic and medicinal plants, and these are the significant area of research under government mandate for an Atmanibhar Bharat. We have undertaken extensive research to develop know-how for various technologies and have successfully generated over 100 technologies in areas such as agro technology, biological and oil field chemicals, and natural products chemistry, among others.

In view of the immense research potential in the area of petroleum research in North-Eastern region, CSIR-NEIST established the “Centre for Petroleum Research” in 2019. The centre aims to conduct research in areas of high relevance and importance to address current issues in petroleum research and the oil sector. We have forged strong partnerships with oil industries and signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with companies such as NRL, OIL, APL, BCPL, IOCL, ONGC, and others in the North Eastern region for industry relevant R&D and technological work. CSIR-NEIST has also started to work with Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and Central Pollution Control Board under sponsored R&D work. The centre has established an “Centre of Excellence for Petroleum Research” under DCPC.

In line with the advancements in the global landscape, we recognize the importance of embracing Industry 4.0 and preparing for the future Industry 5.0. The digital revolution and emerging technologies are transforming industries across the world, including the petroleum sector. At the Centre for Petroleum Research, we are keen on exploring the potential of these technologies and their applications in enhancing efficiency, sustainability, and innovation in the oil industry. The major objectives of our centre are to establish innovative testing and research infrastructure to address the challenges faced by petrochemical and oil industries, collaborate proactively with oil, petroleum, and petrochemical industries to identify and resolve issues related to their processes and products, and coordinate efforts in the North Eastern petrochemical and oil sector by leveraging the technical, R&D, and logistical support of other CSIR institutes.

Our mission encompasses the development of polymeric products for sustainable development, including the use of polymeric membranes for wastewater treatment to protect the environment, enable water recirculation, gas separation etc. We also focus on the development of polymer additives to improve crude flow, ensuring a constant supply of petroleum and addressing factors that impact crude flow, value addition of industrial by-products etc. Additionally, disaster management and seismic hazard assessment in the petroleum sector are key areas of interest.

Our dedicated team of 25 scientists and 40 research staff at the Centre for Petroleum Research are actively engaged in various research areas, including crude oil research, waste to wealth, bioremediation, green and sustainable processes for value addition, membranes for petroleum research, polymer engineering for sustainable development, effluent treatment, and characterization of petroleum products etc.. CSIR-NEIST has world class infrastructure for petroleum research.

We invite you to explore our website, where you will find detailed information about our research activities, infrastructure, and the expertise of our team. We also encourage collaboration and welcome opportunities to work with industry partners, researchers, and professionals in advancing the field of petroleum research and embracing the challenges and opportunities of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0.

Thank you for your interest in the Centre for Petroleum Research at CSIR North East Institute of Science and Technology. Together, let us contribute to the sustainable development of the petroleum industry.

Dr. G. Narahari Sastry, Director

CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat