Prof. Ganapati Dadasaheb Yadav, Emeritus Professor of Eminence, Institute of Chemical Technology will be chairman of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) on Hydrocarbons constituted by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. 

The mission of SAC is to promote application of science and technology in the hydrocarbon sector (excluding upstream sector). The committee is reconstituted for a period of three years with effect from date of publishing in the Official Gazette of India. 

The terms of reference of the committee are:

- To identify and promote development and development of technologies related to hydrocarbons for production of fuels and feedstocks for chemicals and petrochemicals.

- To ensure optimum processing of hydrocarbons raw material for use as fuels and chemicals.

- To ensure reduction in carbon footprint of hydrocarbon sector and energy efficient operations.

- To promote application of alternate energy sources in hydrocarbon sector.

- To identify long term technological needs of hydrocarbon sector.

- To facilitate collaborative research programmes among oil and gas organizations and other stakeholders.

- To examine and deliberate on R&D project proposals submitted by various R&D organizations and academic institutions for funding by OIDB through Centre for High Technology (CHT).

- To formulate mechanism for demonstration and fast track commercialization of indigenously developed technologies.

- To promote dissemination of information on latest developments in hydrocarbon sector. 

The members of the committee are: Dr. Ashish Lele, Director NCL, Pune; Prof. Sanjay M. Mahajani, Professor IIT, Mumbai; R. Ramachandran, Former Director (Refineries) BPCL; Prof. K. K. Pant Director, IIT, Roorkee; and Dr. Ajay Mathur Professor of Practice IIT, Delhi. Member Secretary will be Executive Director, CHT. 

Ex-officio members of the committee are: Director (Refineries), IOCL; Director (R&D), IOCL; Director (Refineries), BPCL;

Director (Refineries), HPCL; Director (Technical), EIL; Director (BD), GAIL; Director (Refinery), MRPL; Secretary, OIDB; Director, ARAI; Director, CSIR-IIP; Directorate General, DGH; Director General, ONGC Energy Centre; and Director (Exploration), ONGC. 

Permanent members of the committee are: Joint Secretary (Refineries), MoPNG; Joint Secretary (BR), MoPNG; Head (R&D), BPCL; Head (R&D), HPCL; Head (R&D), EIL; Head (R&D), GAIL; and Head (R&D), CPCL. 

The chairman may also invite any other persons to attend the meeting of the committee or to assist the committee. Other Joint Secretaries of MoPNG would be invited as per agenda requirements. The committee shall meet as often as necessary and will make suitable recommendations to the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas from time to time.