Satyen Kumar Das | Petroleum Refining, sustainability & Circularity | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Satyen Kumar Das | Petroleum Refining, sustainability & Circularity | Best Researcher Award

Chief General Manager at Indian Oil Corporation Limited, R&D Centre, India

Dr. Satyen Kumar Das is an accomplished chemical engineer and a senior research leader with nearly three decades of expertise in petroleum refining technology, sustainability, and circular economy initiatives. Currently serving as the Chief General Manager at the IndianOil R&D Centre, he leads the Refinery Technology area and has been instrumental in driving innovation, commercialization, and strategic deployment of advanced refining technologies. His groundbreaking work in residue upgradation, crude-to-chemicals conversion, and plastic circularity solutions has significantly contributed to energy transition goals and environmental sustainability in India’s refining sector.

Profile

Scopus

Education

Dr. Das obtained his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, after completing his M.Tech in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur. His foundational studies began with a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from Calcutta University. These prestigious academic credentials laid the groundwork for his exceptional research capabilities and technical leadership in the domain of refining technologies.

Experience

Since joining the IndianOil R&D Centre in 1995, Dr. Das has steadily advanced through technical and leadership roles, amassing nearly 30 years of experience in industrial R&D, troubleshooting, pilot-scale validation, and full-scale commercialization. Between 1995 and 2013, he played a pivotal role in developing and implementing a range of catalytic and refining processes, such as INDMAX, INDALIN, DIST-Extra, and Fischer Tropsch synthesis. From 2014 to 2025, he has spearheaded the Refining Technology division, driving the development of strategic technologies including Ind-Coker for residue upgradation, Needle Coke Technology, INDEcoP2F for plastic circularity, and novel methods for waste-to-energy and CO₂ valorization. His hands-on involvement spans across the development pipeline—conceptualization, R&D, scale-up, plant design, and commercialization of technologies now operating in several IndianOil refineries.

Research Interests

His research interests are multidisciplinary, encompassing catalytic cracking, heavy oil upgradation, production of light olefins and aromatics from crude oil, needle coke synthesis, isomerization, and bio-oil and plastic waste processing. More recently, his focus has expanded to circular economy solutions like INDEcoP2F, aiming to convert waste plastics into fuels, and Crude-to-Chemical technologies that align with future net-zero and energy-efficient refinery configurations. Dr. Das’s intellectual rigor is demonstrated through over 210 patents (144 granted globally), more than 90 journal and conference publications, and numerous collaborative industry-academic R&D projects.

Awards

Dr. Das’s distinguished career is recognized through a series of national-level accolades. He received the National Petroleum Management Program (NPMP) award twice (2002–03 and 2003–04) for INDMAX and Needle Coke technologies, respectively.

In 2004, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) awarded him for INDMAX commercialization. He was honored with the AIMA Breakthrough Innovation in R&D award in 2017 and again in 2025 under Business Model Innovation for IV-IZOMaxCATR technology.

Among his most recent accolades are the 2019–20 Innovation Award for Delayed Coker Technology, the 2022–23 Innovation Award for INDEcoP2F plastic-to-fuel technology, and the 2023–24 Innovation Award for IV-IZOMaxCATR.

In 2025, he was also conferred the “Jewel of India” award by the KTK Outstanding Achievers and Education Foundation for his remarkable contributions to the petroleum sector.

Publications

Among his notable publications are:

“CO-Hydrogenation over silica supported iron based catalysts: Influence of potassium loading” in Applied Energy (2013); “Silica supported Fe-Cu-K catalysts for Syngas conversion to fuel” in Fuel Processing Technology (2014);

“Molecular Level Structural Insight into Clarified Oil by NMR Spectroscopy” in Energy & Fuels (2017);

“Study of thermal cracking kinetics and co-processing of bio-crude” in Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry (2023); “Experimental study on feasibility of using delayed coking for high acidic crude oil” in Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis (2025);

“Octamax®: IndianOil technology for olefinic C4 valorization” in Oil Gas & Power Magazine (2025); and “Co-conversion of Biomass and Petroleum Vacuum Residue” submitted to Fuels (2025).

These contributions have been cited in numerous academic and industrial studies, reflecting his impact across research communities.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Dr. Satyen Kumar Das exemplifies technical excellence, innovation, and leadership in refining science. His work not only aligns with the strategic goals of energy security and sustainable development but also advances the Indian oil refining industry’s global competitiveness. His unparalleled achievements in research, technology development, and commercialization make him an outstanding candidate for any award recognizing excellence in engineering innovation and impact.

Jingye Liu | Future of Fossil Fuels and Energy Transition | Best Researcher Award

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Dr. Jingye Liu | Future of Fossil Fuels and Energy Transition | Best Researcher Award

Doctoral Student at China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), China

Jingye Liu is a promising early-career scholar in the field of management science and engineering with a focus on energy systems and supply chain security. Currently pursuing his doctoral studies at the School of Management, China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Liu demonstrates a strong commitment to addressing critical issues in global energy supply chains. His research integrates complex quantitative models and real-world policy relevance, contributing meaningful insights into China’s crude oil security strategies. Despite being at the early stages of his academic journey, Liu has already authored several influential publications in prestigious journals and is actively engaged in collaborative, policy-driven research that tackles geopolitical energy challenges.

Profile

Scopus

Education

Jingye Liu is undertaking a Ph.D. in Management Science and Engineering at the China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), which commenced in September 2023 and is expected to conclude in June 2027. Under the supervision of Professor Rijia Ding, his doctoral work is rooted in multidisciplinary methodologies, combining systems engineering, energy economics, and data-driven decision-making. His academic foundation supports an applied approach to analyzing the energy sector, particularly focused on crude oil supply chain dynamics and national energy security frameworks.

Experience

Although still a Ph.D. candidate, Liu has accumulated substantial experience through collaborative academic research and publication efforts. Working alongside faculty and other researchers, he has been integrally involved in national-level studies evaluating the structure and vulnerabilities of China’s energy systems. His role often includes constructing evaluation models, analyzing large datasets, and interpreting policy implications based on empirical outcomes. Through his research, Liu has developed a nuanced understanding of strategic petroleum reserves, maritime logistics, and risk mitigation strategies. His capacity for teamwork, quantitative analysis, and strategic thinking has earned him recognition among peers and mentors alike.

Research Interest

Jingye Liu’s primary research interests lie in the areas of energy policy, supply chain security, and risk assessment in the context of geopolitical and domestic variables. He is particularly invested in exploring the vulnerabilities and optimization strategies within China’s crude oil supply chain. His work involves employing life-cycle analysis, DEA-like models, and system dynamics to evaluate security performance and provide evidence-based recommendations. Liu is also interested in renewable energy integration, international energy cooperation, and the development of early-warning systems for energy risk monitoring, aligning with global efforts toward sustainable and resilient energy infrastructures.

Award

While still building his academic career, Jingye Liu has earned early recognition through participation in national research projects and contribution to high-impact publications. His co-authored article in Energy Strategy Reviews, a leading journal in energy policy and strategy, stands as a testament to his growing influence in the field. Though no formal awards are listed in the resume, his selection to work on national-level energy risk evaluation projects reflects a form of institutional acknowledgment and academic trust that reinforces the merit of his contributions.

Publication

Jingye Liu has published impactful research in peer-reviewed journals, notably contributing to the following article:

Accessing the security of crude oil supply chain: The case of China, published in Energy Strategy Reviews, Volume 59, May 2025 (Cited by: [data not specified]). Co-authored with Fengqi Guo, Ying Shi, Rijia Ding, and Zhen Chen, this study presents a comprehensive life-cycle risk assessment model to evaluate China’s crude oil supply chain from 2012 to 2022.

The article offers policy recommendations to mitigate upstream vulnerabilities and enhance national energy resilience through expanded strategic reserves and maritime autonomy.

Although this is his most prominently documented publication, Liu is actively engaged in research that is expected to yield further high-quality outputs, reinforcing his academic trajectory and potential impact on the field.

Conclusion

Jingye Liu represents the next generation of researchers committed to securing global and national energy systems through rigorous analytical methods and policy-relevant research. His doctoral journey is already marked by meaningful contributions, including a major journal publication and active participation in strategic research collaborations. With a foundation in management science and engineering and a focus on real-world energy challenges, Liu is well-positioned to contribute significantly to academic and policy discussions in the coming years. His nomination for this award is supported by his academic rigor, innovative research focus, and evident potential to shape the future of energy system analysis and management.