Energy is a vital input for all economic activities and improved quality of life. Therefore, demand for energy continues to grow all over the world. Since the onset of the industrial revolution, humanity has consumed fossil energy amounting to some 200 Gt (109 tonnes) of carbon (Grubler, 1993). World energy consumption increased almost 600 percent between 1900 and 1965 and is projected to increase another 450 percent by the year 2000 (El-Hinnawi, 1982). Petroleum products continue to dominate as the single largest source of energy (Anon., 1994a). The world is now 17 percent more energy efficient than at the time of the first major oil crisis in 1973 (Anon., 1992a).

The first important use of petroleum was as an illuminating fuel to replace whale oil in lamps. The first oil well was drilled at Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1859. Within a few decades, oil drilling was widespread in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia. The development of the automobile gave petroleum a new and swiftly expanding role as the primary source of gasoline. Petroleum is also the source of kerosene, gas oil, lubricating oil, and residual fuel oil. It is refined and processed into numerous other products, such as solvents, paints, asphalt, plastics, synthetic rubber, fibres, soaps and other cleansing agents, waxes and jellies, medicines, explosives, and fertilizers (Anon., 1988).

• India's Energy Scenario
   

• Proposed Hydrotreatment Plant At Bongaigaon
   

• Development Projects And Environmental Concerns
   

• Scope Of Work