Sinopec Research Institute of Petroleum Processing Co., Ltd. (RIPP), founded in 1956, is a comprehensive R&D organization subordinated to SINOPEC Group. It is mainly devoted to the development and application of technologies for petroleum refining, while laying stress on Petroleum refining-petrochemical integration and petrochemical technologies as well. In recent years, it has been reinforcing its innovation in new alternative fuels and renewable energy fields. RIPP’s eight key research fields include petroleum refining, petroleum products, petrochemicals, materials, new energy, environmental protection, Intellectualization and resources recycling.

Over the years, RIPP has paid great attention to the driving role of market demand and knowledge innovation, strengthened the industry-academia-research collaboration and innovation, and has established an integrated oil refining technology platform with its own independent IP. With the comprehensive capability to support and lead the construction, operation and development of modern refinery, RIPP is now the main technology provider for Chinese domestic oil refining enterprises.

The 18 research departments, 11 functional divisions, 5 support services divisions and 2 subordinate companies in RIPP have nurtured a comprehensive and professional scientific research team. Totally 1,203 staffs sharing the future with RIPP. Among them, there are 4 members of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, 10 specialists receiving the special government allowance from The State Council, 3 winners of SINOPEC Science and Technology Innovation Award, 1 Sinopec Chief Scientist, 2 Sinopec Chief Specialists, 7 Sinopec Senior Specialists, and 20 SINOPEC Outstanding-Contribution Specialists.

With many national and Sinopec research centers and laboratories based in RIPP, it is responsible for Chinese petroleum products and lubricants standardization, and Chinese petroleum products quality inspection. Three professional journals, ACTA PETROLEI SINICA, Petroleum Processing and Petrochemicals and China Petroleum Processing and Petrochemical Technology (English version), are edited and published here. In terms of education and training, RIPP has a post-graduate school and conducts post-doctoral research program, and is authorized by the state to confer PhD degrees in chemical technology and applied chemistry as well as Master's degrees in chemical technology, applied chemistry, industrial catalysis and chemical engineering.

By the end of 2023, RIPP has received 134 State Prizes and 1,065 awards above ministerial level for its scientific and technical achievements. Among them there are 1 State Top Science and Technology Award, 2 State Technology Invention Awards (First Class), 2 Science and Technology Advancement Awards (Special Prize), and 8 National Science and Technology Advancement Awards (First Class). To this day, RIPP has applied for 12,102 domestic patents with 8,963 granted, and 1,996 foreign patents with 1,182 granted. It has won 9 Gold Awards, 1 Silver Awards and 21 Excellence Awards jointly issued by China National Intellectual Property Administration and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). And it is the winner of the Top Award of International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva.

In different historical periods, RIPP has developed outstanding technologies that played important roles and greatly accelerated the evolution in Chinese petroleum refining industry. In the 1960s, RIPP was engaged in the development of Fluid Catalytic Cracking, Catalytic Reforming, Delayed Coking, Urea Dewaxing and new types of catalysts and additives, which marked the great breakthrough in the development of Chinese modern oil refining technology from nothing. In the 1970s, RIPP developed Riser Catalytic Cracking Process, Zeolite FCC Catalysts, Semi-regeneration Reforming Process, and Bi-metallic Reforming Catalysts that maintained the advancing trends of Chinese oil refining technology. In the 1980s, a large amount of technologies and catalysts were developed, such as new generation of Resid FCC Catalyst, USY Zeolite and REHY Zeolite, RN-1 Hydrogenation Catalyst, Pt-Re Series Reforming Catalysts, SKI Xylene Isomerization Catalysts, Full Daqing AR RFCC Technology, Needle Coke Production Technology, High Power Tank Engine Oil, etc. RIPP began to establish its own dominant technologies, and many technologies approached the international level from then on, playing a key role in self-sufficiency of Chinese oil refining technologies and catalysts. In the 1990s, RIPP developed its FCC family technologies, among which the DCC technology won the only First Prize of National Technology Invention Award in the year of 1995, and fulfilled the exportation of Chinese oil refining technology since then. Moreover, a series of technologies were developed, such as new type of ZRP zeolite, Heavy Oil Processing Integrated Technology, Medium Pressure Hydro-Upgrading Technology, Medium Pressure Hydrocracking Technology, Low Pressure Combined-bed Catalytic Reforming Technology, Aromatic Extraction Technology with New Solvent. These technologies basically achieved the international standard; some of them attained international advanced level and even international leading level. Since then, RIPP has made great progress in overseas marketing with a serial of technologies and products successively sailing to Southeast Asia, Middle East, Europe and the U.S.

Nowadays Chinese oil refining industry is facing various challenges such as the production of clean fuels, adjustment of product pattern and reduction of operating costs. Having foreseen this, RIPP has carried out related R&D projects in advance. It has now successfully developed and commercialized many technologies, such as the production of clean gasoline and diesel, deep processing of heavy crudes, increasing the yield of light oil, the processing of sour crudes, high total acid number (TAN) crudes, heavy and inferior crudes. These technologies not only support the development of refining industry, but also provide RIPP with necessary technology reserves. Among them, GOR series catalysts for reducing olefin content in FCC gasoline, MIP technology maximizing isoparaffin production, as well as CGP technology for producing clean gasoline and increasing propylene yields have been widely applied as clean gasoline production technology package, enabling Sinopec refineries to make remarkable economic and social benefits with relatively low investment and cost at a short time.

Facing the future and following Sinopec guidelines, RIPP, with the goal of building a world-class scientific research institute engaged in green and low-carbon energy and chemical industry, will continue to enhance its innovation capability, fully play the role of a propeller in science and technology innovation, and endeavor to provide all-around technical support to SINOPEC.