Marking the next step in Shell’s expansion into developing technology in Asia, the corporate has taken the first step in setting up a brand new technology facility in Bangalore.

The bespoke research and technology site will house up to 1,500 technology specialists who will work on some of Shell’s key projects globally.

The project cements Bangalore and Asia, as playing a key role in driving Shell’s aspiration to be the most competitive and innovative energy company, the company has said.

Murugesh Nirani, Minister for Large and Medium Scale Industries of Karnataka Government, and Matthias Bichsel, Director, Projects and Technology, Royal Dutch Shell, unveiled the foundation stone of the facility.

Matthias Bichsel said: “This world-class technology hub, encompassing much of Shell's innovative scientific and engineering capability, will be the largest centre of its kind in this part of the world and fits with our strategy of building a company which is led by technology.”'

Stating that the company sees a clear need to align its technology capabilities with its future growth markets, Bichsel added, “Both India and China, where we recently strengthened our technology footprint, are exciting prospects for us, as well as Asia more broadly.”

Shell currently employs around 900 research and development staff in two separate facilities. This new development, spread over 40 acres at Devanhalli, Bangalore, will expand that number to around 1,500 and provide new opportunities for collaboration across discipline and departmental boundaries.

It will become one of Shell’s three global technology hubs, which will be supported by other research centres across the organisation’s portfolio.

The teams in Bangalore currently support Shell's pioneering floating, liquefied natural gas facility, and also giant projects such as Majnoon in Iraq, Sakhalin in Russia, Abadi in Indonesia, and Arrow in Australia.

Aligning with Shell’s growth strategy for integrated gas, a new 20-strong LNG team has also been established.

“Shell has been a technology pioneer for more than a century, with a history of several ‘firsts’ in India since 1928,” said Yasmine Hilton, Chairman, Shell Companies in India, in a statement. “This technology centre is a first for Shell, not just in India but in Asia and Oceania. Shell’s business model in India has proved to be very robust: it is more than just selling products to India. The innovation developed at new technology centre in Bangalore will be vital to Shell’s success.”

The new site’s services will span upstream exploration and production activities; technology for downstream refinery and chemical operations and products and computational science and fundamental research.

> amritanair.ghaswalla@thehindu.co.in

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