• Pradyut Kumar Dhar

The enforcement of Bharat Stage VI (BS-VI) fuel specifications in India has imposed ultra-low sulfur limits and stringent fuel quality requirements, leading to a substantial increase in hydrogen consumption in petroleum refineries. Hydrogen is a critical and high-cost utility, predominantly consumed in hydrotreating and hydrocracking processes for impurity removal and product quality enhancement. This study presents an analytical methodology to estimate hydrogen requirements in Indian petroleum refineries under BS-VI norms, based on sulfur mass balance, reaction stoichiometry, and industrial process losses. A national-level case study for the year 2020 is presented, along with an assessment of the relative contribution of sulfur removal and aromatic saturation to total hydrogen demand. Results indicate that removal of approximately 2,910 ktpa of sulfur requires nearly 550 ktpa of hydrogen, while aromatic saturation consumes an even larger fraction in deep hydrotreating operations. The analysis highlights that refinery hydrogen demand accounted for nearly 40% of India’s total hydrogen consumption in 2020 and is projected to increase significantly toward 2050. The study underscores the importance of catalyst selectivity, process severity optimization, and hydrogen network integration for sustainable refinery operations.

Hydrogen demand; BS-VI fuels; Petroleum refining; Hydrotreating; Hydrodesulfurization; Aromatics saturation; Hydrogen optimization

"Hydrogen Requirement Estimation in Indian Petroleum Refineries under BS-VI Fuel Norms: An Analytical Assessment", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 12, page no.c786-c790, December-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2512292.pdf

"Hydrogen Requirement Estimation in Indian Petroleum Refineries under BS-VI Fuel Norms: An Analytical Assessment", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 12, page no. ppc786-c790, December-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2512292.pdf