IOCL Interview Questions

These interviews are compiled by Chirag Jain (LinkedIn). I claim no ownership of them and they are
compiled here from publically available resources,

General Tips for the Interview

 Watch the presentation video of the IOCL which is shown before the Interviews begin as one question can be
asked of them.
 Prepare a brief explanation of your Project and Internship of about 2 minutes.
 Make sure that you are aware of the questions that can be asked specifically related to your Project and
Internship.

Interview Questions (Technical)

1) What is Dittus-Boelter Equation?

2) What is the significance of Dimensionless numbers like Pr, Sc, etc?
3) What are the different modes of Heat Transfer and their differences?
4) What is the significance of the Reynolds Number in calculating the Heat Transfer Coefficient?
5) Explain HTU, NTU, and HETP.
6) What is Newton Raphson Method?
7) Why do we need a Vacuum Distillation Unit instead of an Atmospheric Distillation Unit?
8) Explain in detail the types of Pressure drops in a Distillation Column.
9) If Reboiler Duty is constant then how can we improve the purity of the product?
10) When do we use Triangular, Square, and Rotated Square Pitch?
11) What changes will you observe if you increase or decrease the pressure in a distillation column?
12) Explain Affinity Law and Performance Curve.
13) What will happen if you increase or decrease the RPM of a Centrifugal Pump?
14) Draw a control valve in a vessel and explain its working.
15) Explain the difference between a Pump and a Compressor.
16) What are the different types of Pumps?
17) Classify different types of Pumps for the type of fluid used.
18) What are the types of cooling towers?
19) Where will a cooling tower work more efficiently, in low humidity or high humidity and why?
20) What is the Range and Approach of a Cooling Tower?
21) What is Dry Bulb Temperature, Wet Bulb Temperature, Adiabatic Saturation, and Dew Point Temperature?
22) What’s the difference between BS-4 and BS-6 engines and Fuels?
23) Explain various properties of Crude Oil.
24) What Is API and how is it calculated?
25) What is Octane no. and Cetane no. and how do Aromatic and Aliphatic compounds affect them?
26) Explain various quality parameters of petroleum products
27) What are the assumptions of the McCabe-Thiele Method?
28) How to calculate no. of Trays in a Distillation Column?
29) What is Flooding, Weeping, Coning, Dumping?
30) What changes should be done to avoid Flooding/Weeping/Dumping in a distillation column?
31) What if Minimum Reflux Ratio?
32) What is the Optimum Reflux Ratio?
33) What is Total Reflux?
34) Explain the purities of the distillate Minimum Reflux, Optimum Reflux, and Total Reflux Ratio.
35) How to find Optimum Reflux Ratio in a distillation column?
36) What are the types of heat exchangers?
37) What are the different components of heat exchangers and their significance?
38) Explain the fluid allocation in a Shell and Tube heat exchanger.
39) What is a Temperature Cross in a heat exchanger?
40) What is Pinch Analysis?
41) What is fouling in Heat Exchangers?
42) On which side of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger can we easily find the heat transfer coefficient?
43) What’s the use of baffles in a Heat Exchanger?
44) Apart from increasing velocity and promoting cross-flow what else do baffles do?
45) What are the methods to design a Heat Exchanger?
46) Explain Kerns's Method.
47) When do we use Pinch Analysis?
48) What is NPSH?
49) What is Cavitation?
50) What is Priming?
51) Do you need priming in Positive Displacement Reciprocating pumps?
52) What are the different types of flow meters?
53) What type of flow meter do you use to calculate point velocity?
54) How can we troubleshoot the centrifugal pump?
55) What is Shut-Off Head?
56) How will the pump performance curve change when we change the RPM and Diameter of the impeller?
57) How does liquid get transported in a pipeline? What’s the driving force for the same?
58) If your pump is not working then what will you change on the suction side and delivery side?
59) What are the various units in a Refinery?
60) Explain Atmospheric Distillation, Vacuum Distillation Unit, Desalter, Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit, Hydro cracking
Unit, Reforming Unit, Delayed Coking Unit, etc.
61) Explain about Regenerator, Riser, and Reactor in Fluid Catalytic Cracking.
62) Is Hydrogen Desirable in Catalytic Reforming?
63) In the Fluid Catalytic Cracking unit from which equipment will the air flow into the regenerator?
64) What’s the difference between Pump back and Pump around reflux?
65) How is heat generation managed in Hydro cracking Unit?
66) How do you create a vacuum in a refinery?
67) What is a steam jet ejector?
68) What is the basis of Distillation?
69) Explain about DHDS (Dehydro-Desulphurization) Unit.
70) What is coke, how will it form and how can we remove it?
71) How do you calculate NPSH available?
72) How do you calculate Suction Head?
73) What are the types of Condensation? Which happens when? Which gives a higher heat transfer coefficient?
74) For highly viscous fluids which type of Pump do we use?
75) For High and Low Flow rates of liquid what types of pumps do we use?
 76) What are the problems associated with the pump when we want to transfer some material from Vacuum
Vessel?
77) What are Pneumatic and Electrical Signals?
78) What are the different units you have seen in the refinery in your training?
79) What are the different equipment that you have seen during your training?
80) What is Reynolds No? and its significance.
81) Draw Laminar Velocity Profile in Pipes and Flat Plates.
82) Explain TBP (True Boiling Point) Curve, ASTM Distillation.
83) Explain Le-Chatelier Principal.
84) What is Refrigeration Cycle?
85) How does an Air-Conditioner work on the Refrigeration Cycle?
86) Is a reboiler used in ADU or VDU?
87) Types of Lube-Oils and their Properties.
88) What is the density of Petrol, Diesel, and LPG Pumps?
89) What are the types of trays in the distillation column?
90) What are the most commonly used trays and Why?
91) What is the turndown ratio?
92) What is the efficiency of a tray?
93) What are the sections in a distillation column?
94) Explain the recycle ratio of a reactor, Tell about the effect of Recycle Ratio on the Product and Rate of Reaction.
95) How does renewable energy affect Refinery and Petrochemical Business?
96) How do we incorporate digitalization in a refinery?
97) What will happen if you put Diesel in Petrol Engine and Vice Versa?
98) Who are the Petroleum Minister and Chairman of IOC?
99) What is the difference between Petrol Engine and Diesel Engine?

100) What’s the difference between Tray Tower and Packed Tower?

Interview Questions (HR)

1) Introduce Yourself.
2) Why IOCL?
3) Tell me about your family.
4) What do your parents do?
5) Do you have siblings and what do they do?
6) Why you chose Chemical Engineering?
7) Why don’t you go for Higher Studies?
8) What do you know about IOCL?
9) What is the total pipe layout of IOCL?
10) What are the throughput capacities of different IOCL Refineries?
11) Are pipes used in Gas Transportation only or also for Liquid Transport?
12) What is the meaning of the IOCL Symbol and Logo?
13) What is the motto, vision, and mission of IOCL?
14) What will you do after joining IOCL?
15) What is CSR? What is the budget of CSR in IOCL?
16) What do you think about the future of the oil market?
17) Oil and Gas are going to get exhausted, why do you want to work in IOCL?
18) If Crude Oil gets finished what will happen to IOCLs Existing Infrastructure?
19) What is inventory management?
20) If Industry is running at a loss then how will you manage it?
21) Are you familiar with any of the economics-related terminology?
22) What are your strength and weaknesses?
23) What are the things one should have in their personality to lead the company?
24) What are your hobbies?
25) How do you think your hobbies can you help you in your job?
26) Who’s your favorite cricketer and why?
27) Where do you see yourself in the next 5-10 years?