In California, Chevron has fueled energy innovations for more than 100 years through its Richmond Technology Center (RTC). The RTC is the research home for many of Chevron’s worldwide operations, and it is also home to top-tier laboratories and research facilities. The RTC is a collaborative, integrated facility that conducts R&D and technology services for upstream and downstream, providing leading-edge solutions that create superior value for the business and help position Chevron to compete in the future energy landscape.
Currently, a workforce of nearly 1,200 are on-site in Richmond (75 percent employees and 25 percent contractors), with more than 170 Ph.D. scientists and approximately 125 patents filed annually (about 50 percent of Chevron’s patents worldwide in total). The RTC has a diverse workforce with both inter-national and local community origins, all supporting Chevron’s global operations.
“I am proud to be associated with the team of scientists in Richmond who are conducting leading-edge research to help transform how the world uses energy,” said Ashok Krishna, vice president of Downstream Technology & Services.
A unique aspect of the RTC is the physical infrastructure that enables energy research to occur. The RTC has 30 pre-commercial pilot plants and 185 bench scale units in a laboratory/campus setting that includes:
- Automotive vehicle and engine testing.
- Fuels and lubricants blending and testing.
- Catalyst formulation and assessment.
- Process automation and simulation.
- Materials of construction.
- Rock mechanics and improved oil recovery.
- Analytical sciences.
Chevron’s Techron was also developed in the RTC and continues to be internationally recognized as one of the best fuel additives on the market. Techron is Chevron’s revolutionary fuel additive that helps its gasoline products minimize deposits, keep engines clean, keep exhaust emissions low and maximize performance.
Because engine technologies are constantly changing and the regulatory environment is increasingly getting tougher, Chevron and the RTC’s teams of scientists must constantly evaluate products (fuel, lubricant, coolants and additives) to ensure they meet the specifications of advancing engine technologies. Chevron is also developing advanced catalysts and processing technologies to enable efficient processing of an increasingly challenging variety of crude oils.
“My favorite part of my job is coming to work each day and knowing the products we work on help keep engines running clean, which in turn minimizes gaseous emissions and maximizes mileage,” said Peter Fuentes-Afflick, senior staff engineer at the RTC.
Chevron uses technology created in its Richmond laboratories to help the Richmond refinery produce high-quality, high-performing products. The technology developed in Richmond not only benefits Chevron’s operations, but it is also being applied by many other companies around the world to help improve their own refining processes and products.
Chevron, which operates a nearby refinery, and its RTC are also committed to investing in the surrounding Richmond community. Since 2011, Chevron has committed $130 million to STEM education in the U.S., and in 2014, Chevron contributed more than $6.6 million to help improve local schools, drive economic development and provide opportunities for youth in Richmond. Last year, 257 RTC employees volunteered for a total of 1,787 hours in the Richmond community.
For more information, visit http://richmond.chevron.com or call (925) 842-0031.
