< PreviousSulphur 2020 IMO 2020 highlights the importance of energy used by ships. Obviously, the shipping sector is essential for a sustainable future. Hence, maritime activities themselves need to be sustainable – and an important part of IMO’s role is to ensure that shipping continues to make its contribution to global trade and development in a sustainable way. This means that the fuels of the future used by ships need to come from sustainable energy sources and sustainable feedstocks “However, the huge enormity of such a regulatory game changer has never been attempted before and needs to be understood by all stakeholders.” Simon Bennett, deputy secretary general of the International Chamber of Shipping STAKEHOLDERS PREPARE FOR A SEA CHANGE FROM 1 JANUARY 2020 From 1 January 2020, sulphur oxide emissions from ships will be re- duced considerably under a forth- coming International Maritime Or- ganization (IMO) rule. This will have significant benefits for human health and the environment – but also represents a challenge for the industry. The preparedness of all stakeholders for this significant change – as well as its challenges – were highlighted during a symposium on ‘IMO 2020 and Alter- native Fuels’, held at IMO, during 17-18 October 2019. The symposium brought together a range of speakers, including those from member governments, as well as from shipping, refineries, fuel oil suppliers and legal professionals. Collaboration is the key “Collaboration among key stakehold- ers is essential for the smooth landing of IMO 2020,” IMO secretary general Kitack Lim said, opening the symposium, which was attended by over 300 delegates. He limit is 3.50%; so, the change is signifi cant and – for most ships – will mean a switch to new types of compliant fuel oils, so-called very low-sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), or marine gas/diesel oil. The VLSFO blends are new to the market. Member states speaking at the sympo- sium, including representatives from Den- mark, Japan, Marshall Islands and Singa- pore, said that they were ready as fl ag and port states to implement and enforce the sulphur 2020 limit. Stakeholder meetings were a feature in many countries, bringing together industry and government offi cials to ensure preparedness. Supply of IMO 2020 compliant fuel In terms of supply of the new fuel oil need- ed to meet the 2020 limit, representatives from IPIECA (International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation As- sociation), representing the oil and gas industry, and IBIA (International Bunker Industry Association), representing the bunker industry, confirmed that supply of the low-sulphur fuel oil was expected to be readily available in most locations and is already available in some. highlighted the tremendous amount of work undertaken to prepare for IMO 2020 by all stakeholders, since the 2020 date was confirmed in 2016, including a series of guidance and guidelines for ship owners as well as flag and port states. From 1 January 2020, the ‘IMO 2020’ rule means that the limit for sulphur in fuel oil used on board ships operating outside desig- nated emission control areas will be reduced to 0.50% m/m (mass by mass) – while in designated emission control areas (ECAs) the limit will remain at 0.10%. The current IMO secretary general Kitack Lim opened the symposium on ‘IMO 2020 and Alternative Fuels’. Knowledge Partner 30 Refi ning & Petrochemicals Middle East November 2019www.refi ningandpetrochemicalsme.com“The adoption of the Initial IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG emissions from ships last year has sent a clear signal to the shipping and relevant industries that the sector will need to decarbonise in this century. IMO has set a goal of at least a 50% reduction in GHG emissions from international shipping by 2050, which means averagely more than 80% reduction of GHG emission from each ship.” Kitack Lim, secretary general of International Maritime Organization Many ships will be looking to load com- plaint fuel oil well before the end of 2019. However, there was an expectation of price volatility and supply and demand would have to fi nd a new balance, which could take time – especially given that this involves many dif- ferent actors, from refi ners, to bunker suppli- ers, to ships and the shipping industry. “It is all going to be about market dynam- ics – but supply and demand will get in bal- ance. It will not be an easy transition, but we will get there,” said Eddy van Bouwel, chair, marine fuels committee, IPIECA. Speakers touched on the challenges new blends of fuel oil might bring, including potential quality issues providing challenges, in particular to the ship’s engineers, and the need for pre- paredness was reiterated, including crew train- ing and reviewing clauses in charter parties. IMO 2020 will be a success Simon Bennett, deputy secretary general of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) said that the ship owner organisation was confi dent that IMO 2020 will be a suc- cess. “However, the huge enormity of such a regulatory game changer has never been at- tempted before and needs to be understood by all stakeholders.” A representative from the International Standardization Organization (ISO) out- lined the recently issued standard: ISO/PAS 23263:2019, which addresses quality con- siderations that apply to marine fuels in view of the implementation of the sulphur 2020 limit and the range of marine fuels that will be placed on the market in response. Other speakers explained how scrubbers (which will be installed on around 4,000 ships) and – to a lesser extent – LNG, are be- ing used to meet the sulphur 2020 limit as well as the potential to reduce other emis- sions from ships. The symposium on ‘IMO 2020 and Alternative Fuels’ was attended by over 300 delegates. Summing up the first day, IMO’s Hi- royuki Yamada, director of marine en- vironment division, reiterated the im- portance of cooperation among all stakeholders and encouraged member governments, shipping, refinery, fuel oil supply and relevant industries, as well as charterers, to finalise their preparations for IMO 2020. IMO will make every effort to support the consistent implementation of IMO 2020 on sulphur limit. Day two of the symposium focused on the role of alternative fuels in the decarbonisa- tion of international shipping. 31 Knowledge Partner Refi ning & Petrochemicals Middle East November 2019www.refi ningandpetrochemicalsme.comDownload the new Interface White Paper at interface.magnetrol.com ©2019 Magnetrol International 4 types of interface. 16 process streams. 150,000 barrels per day. Zero margin for error. Reliable interface level measurement keeps poduction flowing. If water and oil are not separated effectively, you face processing problems, equipment failures, production loss, fines and shutdowns. That’s why Magnetrol® matters. Our technologies are proven to accurately measure total level and emulsion layers, from upstream gun barrel tanks to downstream boots. So you get effective separation and true process optimization. That’s critical. Because when it comes to interface, level matters. This is why level matters. STAND 11550Oil, gas and petrochemical projects, valued at more than $859bn, are ei- ther underway, or planned in the Middle East and North Africa, of these $283bn are projects, which are being implemented, as the region gets ready to meet the forecast increases in demand for en- ergy over the next two decades. According to industry forecasts, global oil demand will increase by at least 10 mil- lion barrels per day by 2040, while natu- ral gas demand is set to grow by 40% and petrochemicals by 60%. The expansion in demand for petroleum and petrochemicals in particular is driving downstream invest- ment across the MENA region. Christopher Hudson, president, dmg::- events, organisers of ADIPEC, said: “Break- through technologies, the growing global pop- ulation and rising consumer spending are all combining to create new demand for energy, much of which will continue to be met by the oil and gas industry up to and beyond 2040.” “While producers in the Middle East con- tinue to maximise value from existing fi elds, there is heightened interest in developing new resources, both off shore and onshore, as well as investing in upgrading and diver- sifying both infrastructure and products downstream to create new products lines and revenue streams. “ADIPEC 2019 will be a catalyst for future growth and prosperity in the oil and gas in- dustry, not only providing companies across the hydrocarbons value chain with a forum to gather fi rst-hand knowledge of the dynamic changes taking place in regional oil and gas investment decisions but also enabling them to make the connections necessary to forge new partnerships and tap into the emerging commercial opportunities those investments are creating,” Hudson added. ADIPEC has become the place to be to learn about new trends in the industry, with digitalisation tak- ing centre stage in oil and gas, as the downstream sector shifts gear looking to the future. Abdulaziz Al Hajri, director of ADNOC’s Down- stream Directorate, speaks at the Gas, Refi ning and Petrochemicals Forum hosted by ADNOC during the 2018 edition of ADIPEC. In common with previous years, ADI- PEC’s conference and technical sessions continue to evolve to refl ect the changes taking place in the energy sector. Oil & Gas 4.0, the strategic conference at ADIPEC 2019, will feature conference sessions that will explore the nexus of technology and en- ergy. Other sessions will examine the agile business models and new partnership eco- systems that are at the core of the global en- ergy conversation. Meanwhile, the ADIPEC exhibition will host the ADIPEC Digitalisa- tion Zone, a dedicated area that will provide a platform for companies at the forefront of today’s technology trends and the industry’s journey of digital transformation. Greg Cross, artifi cial intelligence pioneer, serial entrepreneur, co-founder and chief busi- ness offi cer of Soul Machines, was confi rmed to headline the event as a keynote speaker at Oil & Gas 4.0. “Accepting change, understand- ing the unknown, can always be a challenge. In today’s fast-paced digital world, artifi cial intelligence is enhancing the business envi- ronment, helping corporations to become more effi cient and connected. Digital Humans change how we interact with customers and can facilitate everyday assignments in a more productive and cost-eff ective manner. At Oil & Gas 4.0, I will be discussing how digital humans can become an integral part of the workforce, and the ethics, liability and governance behind today’s digital society,” Cross said. Since its inauguration in 1984, ADIPEC has continued to grow, gaining worldwide recognition as the premier oil and gas indus- try exhibition and conference. The exhibi- tion brings together over 2,200 international exhibiting companies across 155,000 gross square metres, with 29 country pavilions, attracting over 145,000 global attendees and 42 national and international oil companies. The conference hosts over 980 strategic and technical speakers across more than 160 ses- sions, covering the full energy value chain and attracting over 10,400 delegates. Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, hosted by ADNOC, and supported by the UAE Ministry of Energy, the Abu Dhabi Chamber, and the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, ADIPEC 2019 will take place during 11-14 November, at ADNEC. ADIPEC 2019 BRINGING TOGETHER INDUSTRY THOUGHT LEADERS TO EXPLORE THE NEXUS BETWEEN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND ENERGY ADIPEC 2019 will once again be a platform for the global oil and gas industry to engage in dialogue, conduct business, and source the creative solutions and strategies that will shape the industry in the years ahead as well as identify the commercial opportunities from the MENA and Asia regions Refi ning & Petrochemicals Middle East November 2019www.refi ningandpetrochemicalsme.com 33ADIPEC PreviewDIGITALISING A BROWNFIELD RIG, OR PLANT? LET US MOVE THE MOUNTAIN WITH THE HELP OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE! Beyond the overly stretched ‘Digital Twin’ in colourful 3D animation, one may wonder how to derive actual value from it, knowing that a rig, or plant consists of hundred thousands of pieces of hardware, designed, assembled, and turned around a few times before the arrival of digitally charged CAD and CAE. Hence, is it possible indeed to transform existing P&IDs of a brownfi eld plant into a fully integrated digital twin, with each element logically and digitally connected to all other relevant elements? The simple answer is yes. However, the immediately raised question is: “At what eff ort, and is it worth the invest- ment of capital, human resources and frustration-making sense of symbols, attri- butes and missing information?” Prior to an- swering that question, let us look at why a digitally connected plant is more than a 3D- animated model of the asset. First, a digitalised plant off ers optimisation potentials from engineering to operations and maintenance. Management of P&IDs (Piping Based on the conversion of P&IDs into graphs, it is possible to identify the most im- portant equipment and therefore optimise maintenance strategy. In addition, one can semi-automatically defi ne ‘communities’ in the graphs, which serve as foundation for equipment modules. Module-based engineering has gained sig- nifi cant importance for engineers but now it is fi nally possible to use existing P&IDS for a fi rst robust defi nition of these modules using machine learning. An additional side benefi t Signifi cantly enhance P&ID conversion based on artifi cial intelligence. (Image courtesy: Bilfi nger Digital Next GmbH) and Instrumentation Diagrams) is central- ised and effi cient. There is only a single truth, always the right information available, no search time, easier collaboration with subcon- tractors, and foundation to merge with Com- puterised Maintenance Management System (CMMS) and other systems. Optimise maintenance strategy using machine learning Second, it allows a deep graph analysis for engineering and maintenance optimisation. 34 Refi ning & Petrochemicals Middle East November 2019www.refi ningandpetrochemicalsme.com Suppliers You Should KnowFrom legacy documentation to a digital twin. (Image courtesy: Bilfi nger Digital Next GmbH) Bilfi nger is a full-scale engineering and industrial services provider. is the automated completeness check of P&ID, when receiving from third parties, respective- ly automated risk analysis of old confi gura- tions vs new ones. And third, even process-based analytics for actionable insights are possible. Identifying causal relationships between equipment is one of the prerequisites when it comes to pre- dictive maintenance. Here, the graph serves as foundational layer connecting the relevant tags and their values with each other. Moving from P&IDs with individual symbol standards to commonly used CAE systems As becomes evident by now, digitalised P&IDs are the foundation of any meaningful Digital Twin. Coming back to the eff ort required to reap those benefi ts: The digital subsidiary of global industrial services provider Bilfi nger has collaborated with the most advanced ex- perts on artifi cial intelligence based engineer- ing document processing, such as the German Research Center for Artifi cial Intelligence (DFKI), and developed a solution (PIDGraph), which recognises symbols, connections, text and attributes on a P&ID, and merges this information into a graph-based fi le structure. This in turn is exported via a specialised API (Application Programming Interface) into commonly used CAE (Computer Aided Engi- neering) systems, or data analytics solutions for further utilisation. This process is seam- less, accurate, fast and cost effi cient. 35 Refi ning & Petrochemicals Middle East November 2019www.refi ningandpetrochemicalsme.com Suppliers You Should KnowDIA33 BUILDS KEY PARTNERSHIPS Realising the Middle East capacities and projections of giant players in the regional market, DIA33 is working on its expansion plans for the refi ning and petrochemicals industry, bringing more business partners, and adding more suitable and unique products into the company’s portfolio related to the industry Since 1988, the Middle East is the world’s biggest oil producer. Howev- er, when it comes to oil refi ning, the Middle East remained behind Asia Pacifi c, North America and Europe. Indeed, despite the impressive growth of oil refi ning capacities in the region, the local refi neries were capable of processing only around 30% of the crude oil produced here. The situation is now changing. As the global crude oil prices remain unstable, the oil producing companies are forced to seek deeper integration with refi ning. As a result, in the period from 2010 till 2016, the Middle East was the region with the fastest growing refi ning capacities of 2.7% AAGR. The Middle East petrochemical producers are racing to expand. Saudi Arabia – already the region’s largest producer – is leading the charge. In January 2019, Saudi Aramco unveiled a deal with France’s Total and Dae- lim of South Korea to build a new 80,000 tonnes per year polyisobutylene plant by 2024. Polyisobutylene is used for adhesives and lubricants. The deal comes as Saudi Aramco pursues a tie-up with SABIC – the world’s third larg- est petrochemicals producer. Saudi Aramco and Total are also planning to construct a huge petrochemicals complex in Jubail. The state-controlled upstream giant is also working with SABIC on another major proj- ect to convert crude oil to chemicals at Yan- bu on the eastern Red Sea coast. Key supplies for oil, gas and petrochemicals sectors Major items supplied by DIA33 for the oil and gas downstream sector are gas sweet- ening MDEA specialty solvents, chlorinated solvents (perchloroethylene), drag reducers, antifoulants, crude oil tank cleaning sol- vents, asphaltene inhibitors, scale inhibitors and corrosion inhibitors. with a focus on green chemistry. The com- pany manufacture green chemical products for applications in the upstream processes in the oil and gas industry. These processes range from exploration, well drilling, and production. Chemrez off ers an assortment of products derived from eco-friendly and biodegradable natural sources and produced in accordance with the principles of green chemistry. By using these green products, clients are placed in the forefront of global eff orts in greening the oil and gas industry. A technology-driven company, Chemrez has invested in a state-of-the-art bio-petro- leum plant with fractionation capability and the latest technologies, making the com- pany’s facilities most comprehensive and advanced in Asia. Green chemistry Green chemistry is a new way of thinking in designing chemical products and processes that eliminate, or reduce the use and gen- eration of harmful substances. Chemrez is guided by the principles of green chemistry in the engineering and formulation of plant- based specialty products as safe alternatives to minerals and petrochemical-based equiv- alents. Fuel enhancers and injector clean- ers are specially formulated to enhance the quality and effi ciency of fuels, promoting better motor performance derived from nat- ural raw material. Chemrez is utilising plant-based chem- istry to address the following concerns in diesel and heavy fuel oil: (i) faster start-up and acceleration response with lesser auto- ignition delay due to higher cetane value (68 to 70); (ii) prevents engine breakdown and downtime with improved boundary lubricity and cleaner fuel system and com- bustion chamber; and (iii) mitigates cli- mate change through lower NOx and diesel soot emissions. Abdulaziz Alkhamis is business manager for oil, gas and petrochemicals, DIA33, Saudi Arabia. Key solutions supplied by DIA33 for the petrochemical sector are antioxidants, sta- bilisers, lubricants and plasticisers. Important products supplied by DIA33 for the oil and gas upstream segment are mutual solvents, gelling agents, H2S scaven- gers, biocides, asphaltene inhibitors, scale inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, surfactants, iron reducing agents, iron chelating agents, anti-foaming agents and guar gum slurry. Partnerships drive business In order to capitalise on the Middle East ca- pacities and projections of giant players in the regional market, DIA33 is working on its expansion plans for the refi ning and petro- chemicals industry, bringing more business partners, and adding more relevant and unique products into the company’s port- folio related to the industry. One of the key partnerships in this drive is the collabora- tion with Chemrez Technologies. Chemrez is one of Asia’s leading oleochemicals and surfactants companies, 36 Refi ning & Petrochemicals Middle East November 2019www.refi ningandpetrochemicalsme.com Suppliers You Should KnowThe green solutions from Chemrez have started penetrating the Middle East market intermediately through channels such as DIA33 by improving operational effi cien- cies in oil production and by enhancing the mitigation and control of asphaltene fl oc- culation and deposition in production wells and pipelines. Chemrez is currently collaborating with DIA33 in developing greener solutions for Saudi Aramco’s operational concerns and its service providers from upstream to down- stream applications. Abdulaziz Alkhamis, business manager for oil, gas and petrochemicals, DIA33, Saudi Arabia, comments: “As Chemrez green solutions (plant-based, biodegradable, non- carcinogenic, non-hazardous and non-toxic) are uniquely distinguished for performing well, and meeting their job requirements at most harsh operational conditions at the best possible environmentally friendly manners, following added values are guaranteed: total control over industrial cleanliness problems by using sophisticated plant-based solvents and specialty additives; new generation of super environmental-friendly off shore and onshore drilling fl uids; and oil spill disper- sants that lead to master oil spill eff ectively and without any backfi res for environment.” Madiha Naz, director, technical support and product development, DIA33, says: “As technology is new, so market is very niche now, but future has a high potential as aware- ness towards environment and health has started and people are also taking it seriously due to climate and health concerns, and our current key account is Saudi Aramco.” Non-fl ammable green solvents, which can be used as base ingredients to make demul- sifi ers and low-VOC maintenance cleaning products that promote operational effi ciency and safety are some of the key Chemrez solu- tions for refi neries and petrochemical plants. “Drilling fl uids, fuel enhancers, injec- tor cleaners, green solvents and cleaners, lubricants and specialty fl uids are the key products Chemrez is active into and all product-lines are environmentally friendly and green. Green solvents and cleaners are the best products as of now for the Middle East region, which are organic, plant-based solvent cleaners for various industrial appli- cations. The key customer for these products is Saudi Aramco,” Madiha adds. “The Middle East holds 65% of world oil reserves and is at the heart of evolving oil- fi eld technology, where Chemrez is seeing a niche for its green solutions, especially as Saudi Aramco has been seriously looking forward to meet the world’s energy needs and preserving environment simultane- ously. This leads to a conclusion that this promising and expanding oil and gas mar- ket demands meet our distinctive and en- vironmentally friendly industrial capabili- ties,” remarks Alkhamis. Surge in refi ning and petrochemicals sector “As a result of Saudi Vision 2030 economic implementations, we can confi dently assure that there is great success in the refi ning and petrochemicals sector,” opines Alkhamis. For example, petrochemical production capacity increased in last three years from 80 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) to 100mtpa and is expected to reach 120mtpa by 2022. Refi ning capacity is expected to be doubled by 2030 (for example, $12.5bn Sau- di Aramco Jazan Refi nery start-up sched- uled for 2020, and $15bn deal between Sau- di Aramco and Reliance Industries in 2019). New business lines, investments and ac- quisitions are worth mentioning here such as the start-up of full commercial operations of the $20bn Saudi Aramco-Dow joint ven- ture (Sadara Chemical Company) in 2017, and the acquisition of 70% stake in SABIC for $69.1bn by Saudi Aramco in 2019. Downstream business is very well-de- veloped in Saudi Arabia, for example the start-up of the $13.3bn Saudi Aramco Fad- hili gas plant is planned for 2020. The king- dom is also boosting development of new technologies and R&D eff orts, for example, Saudi Aramco and KFUPM are establishing a world-class petroleum engineering and geosciences college in 2022. As a cumulative result of all these activi- ties, it is expected that the kingdom’s refi n- ing and petrochemicals industry will make a 5% growth in next year. “DIA33 is planning to expand its refi n- ing and petrochemical industry portfolio in the Middle East in the near future by providing specialty chemicals for oil and gas upstream and downstream sectors, and petrochemicals. In this drive, prin- ciples with special techniques, futuristic technologies and environmental friendli- ness will be favoured among others as Sau- di Vision 2030 supports such competency edges,” observes Alkhamis. “We will establish professional sales and technical teams to maintain ongoing busi- ness requirements and develop future ones, to develop long-term supply contracts, to keep in touch with last updated develop- ments, and to align with the future of these sectors. There might be a need for local manufacturing facilities as Saudi Vision 2030 supports such moves very much.” “We are currently working on bringing other suppliers on board to keep pace with the industry’s growth in the kingdom,” con- cludes Madiha. “DIA33 is planning to expand its refi ning and petrochemical industry portfolio in the Middle East in the near future by providing specialty chemicals for oil and gas upstream and downstream sectors, and petrochemicals.” Madiha Naz is director, technical support and product development, DIA33. 37 Refi ning & Petrochemicals Middle East November 2019www.refi ningandpetrochemicalsme.com Suppliers You Should KnowUnder the patronage of Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, minister of oil, Bahrain, and with the support of the National Oil & Gas Authority (NOGA), and Bapco as principal sponsor, BBTC MENA has become one of the most insightful conferences for the refi ning industry in the Middle East, especially as more and more focus is given to residue upgrading BBTC: THE SINGLE LARGEST GATHERING FOR RESIDUE UPGRADING IN REFINERIES WITHIN THE MIDDLE EAST The increasing demand for transportation fuels and the decrease in demand for residual fuel oil together with the low sulphur limits worldwide make ‘squeezing out’ the maximum distillates from every barrel of crude oil refi ned critical. Competition in the petroleum refi ning industry remains strong. In order to reduce fuel oil production, refi ners are looking into changing their asset confi gurations by integrating deep conversion processes. Established 18 years ago, Euro Petroleum Consultants’ BBTC – Bottom of the Barrel Technology Conference – series remains, to this day, the only event focusing on technologies, project trends and equipment innovations relating to residue upgrading in refi neries. The MENA edition will take place during 10-11 December 2019 at Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel in Manama, Bahrain. A key driver for residue conversion projects is the new International Maritime Organization (IMO) sulphur specifi cation for bunker fuels, which will come into force one month following the BBTC technology conference. The interest for developing new technologies that upgrade heavy oils has continuously been increasing. Carbon rejection and hydrogen addition processes are the principal categories when looking to upgrade these heavy materials. However, when it comes to extra heavy oils, these two commercially proven technology routes show certain limitations and therefore need to be developed further and/or improved. Carbon rejection, used since 1913, remains to this day a preferred conversion route; it includes residue catalytic cracking (RCC) and thermal conversion processes such as delayed coking, visbreaking and thermal cracking. When it comes to converting oil residues, delayed coking is the most popular process. During BBTC, there is a session dedicated to delayed coking with presentations from The 2018 BBTC MENA Conference was attended by a distinguished gathering from the refi ning industry. The 2018 edition of Bottom of the Barrel Technol- ogy Conference progressing in Bahrain. Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, minister of oil, Bahrain, visits Axens’ exhibition stand dur- ing the 2018 BBTC MENA Conference. Wood and MOL Group. Also, ExxonMobil will present on FLEXICOKING process, which is another type of carbon rejection. The other main conversion route is hydrogen addition, which consists of reducing the carbon-to-hydrogen ratio by adding hydrogen. These technologies (including hydrocracking, ebullated bed and slurry hydrocrackers) produce a high yield of products and upgraded crudes with a commercial value larger than that of the carbon rejection technology, but require a larger investment and more natural gas availability to produce the amounts of hydrogen and steam required for these processes. Technology providers are constantly looking at ways to improve conversion through innovation, better performing catalysts and also by combining diff erent technologies for greater fl exibility and products slate. Simple refi nery confi gurations are no longer competitive and the drive for residue upgrading is continuously increasing, whatever be the crude type processed. However, there is no ‘one fi ts all’ solution for refi neries. Numerous factors such as market trends, local demands, oil/product prices, refi nery confi guration, physical/chemical properties of the available heavy oil/residue, and various other factors must be taken into consideration to defi ne a specifi c upgrading process scheme. Delegates attending BBTC MENA 2019 will become updated with the latest innovations and developments in the fi eld of residue upgrading. They will hear from major producers – Bapco, Satorp, ADNOC, MOL and SOCAR. They will also hear from analysts, licensors and other solution providers, including Nexant, Honeywell UOP, Axens, ExxonMobil, Wood, HTI, Air Liquide, TechnipFMC, Fluor, and many others. Refi ning & Petrochemicals Middle East November 2019www.refi ningandpetrochemicalsme.com 38 Event Preview10-11 DECEMBER 2019THE DIPLOMAT RADISSON BLU HOTEL, MANAMA, BAHRAIN SUPPORTED BY ORGANISED BY SPONSORS SPEAKERS CONFERENCE & EXHIBITIONUNDER THE PATRONAGE OF HIS EXCELLENCY SHAIKH MOHAMMED BIN KHALIFA AL KHALIFAMINISTER OF OIL, KINGDOM OF BAHRAINBBTC MENA ADVISORY COMMITTEESteve BeestonVice PresidentTechnology Licensing,Process Technology & Consulting WOOD Mubarak Al-MutairiManager TechnicalServices MAB KNPC Hilal Ali IsmaeelDirector Manager ofPetroleum R&D Center MINISTRY OF OIL IRAQ Hafedh Al-QassabBMP Project Director BAPCO Stefan ChapmanVice President EURO PETROLEUMCONSULTANTS Thomas HeinrichSenior Consultant NEXANT REGISTER NOW!www.bbtc-mena.bizCall: +971 (0)4 421 4642 or email: office@europetro-me.com BBTCMena_205x275_advert 07/10/2019 15:26 Page 1Next >