Repsol YPF

Gas / LPG

This field of work covers the technological needs of the LPG and natural gas business activities, in the process chain relating to distribution, sales and end-use, both in the household and commercial and industrial sectors.

The scope of this activity can be better understood if we consider the main lines of action. The first is related to the quality of the gases and the installations, for their distribution and delivery to the end users. In this sense, work is carried out on the evaluation of the physical and thermodynamic characteristics of the gas and on the improvement of the properties and differentiation of the commercial products, for example, through additivation.

Likewise, technological support is carried out relating to installations and gas appliances. It is directed at improving the quality and safety of their components, as well as carrying out the technical specification, regulation and certification of products, using equipment and experimental levels that cover the majority of the rules and regulations applicable in Europe.

Our Centres collaborate in the certification of applications and the monitoring of products in the process of manufacture and those that are already on the market, both in terms of consumer appliances and installation components. For this purpose, the Technology Centre in Madrid (Official Centre for the Ministry of Industry and notified to the European Commission for boiler efficiency) has a UNE EN ISO 17025 certified laboratory, with the necessary means to carry out tests for practically all of the applicable rules, regulations and Directives.

Likewise, the Centre collaborates with government administrations and national and international associations on the subject of safety regarding the use of gas, including accident reports. The second line of action is the development of new applications for gaseous fuels and the improvement of those that already exist, with the aim of finding new niches in the market.

In this field we should highlight the activities relating to air conditioning, with projects directed at improving energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions, and the R+D that is carried out on energy generating systems and distribution elements, such as advanced cogeneration technologies or the simultaneous use of gas and solar energy. The development of agricultural and stockbreeding applications and the use of gas in the automotive sector are also dealt with.

The third line is related to LPG bottling plants and distribution logistics. The company has its own technology that enables it to reach higher levels of productivity, resulting from development and the constant optimization of our installations and processes. 

Some examples of development that should particularly be highlighted are the new materials for the production circuits, the application of systems that guarantee the traceability of containers, storage using telemeasurement and weighing systems, or, in areas relating to distribution logistics, the development of models in order to optimize the logistics chain, order prediction and the optimization of bulk distribution operations.