3rd AIChE Regional Process Technology Conference, Galveston, TX

October 6-7, 2011 Moody Gardens Hotel Galveston, TX

Conference Description
The South Texas Section of the AIChE, in partnership with AIChE HQ, is hosting its 3rd Regional Process Technology Conference at the Moody Gardens Hotel in Galveston, October 6 & 7, 2011.  This conference will attract hundreds of chemical engineers living in the Greater Houston and Gulf Coast region to provide them with both technical sessions and industry solutions in process technology. With 400 attendees in both 2009 and 2010, this year's conference is expected to be even bigger and better with more regional participation from the largest concentration of petroleum refining, chemical processing, engineering and technology firms in the U.S.

Sponsorship & Exhibitor Opportunities
Don’t miss this opportunity to reach out to the largest concentration of chemical engineers in the United States and reserve your spot today. See below for a list of sponsors.  View the current list of exhibitors.  Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities are still available. For more information, click here. 

Keynote Speaker
We are delighted to announce that John Lienhard, Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering and History at the University of Houston and the author and voice of KUHF’s "The Engines of our Ingenuity" has agreed to be our keynote speaker and give a presentation titled "The Art of Invention: Slipping Free of our Mind-Made Manacles."

Engineering Ethics & Professionalism
We are also pleased to announce that C.W. Clark, P.E., Director of the Compliance & Enforcement Division of the Texas Board of Professional Engineers, will be giving a presentation on engineering ethics and professionalism. 

Technical Program at a Glance
PDH credits will be offered for technical sessions .

Thursday, October 6


8:30am - 9:15am

• Opening Keynote Address
  Chair: Alan P. Rossiter
  
  • The Art of Invention: Slipping free of our mind-made manacles - John Lienhard

Morning Sessions (9:30pm - 12:00pm)

• Track 1: Energy Efficiency
  Chair: Kathey Ferland, Project Manager, Texas Industries of the Future, The University of Texas at Austin
  Co-Chair: Frank Roberto, Energy Advisor, ExxonMobil
  • BRCP Energy Initiatives & Critical Exchanger Cleaning Program - Stacy Wilson, ExxonMobil
  • Energy Savings for Centrifugal Compressors - Alicia Pollard, Elliott Group
  • CHP - System-Wide Optimization - Quin Dennis, Rockwell Automation
  • Reducing Energy in Plant Flaring Operations - Brian Duck, Callidus technologies by Honeywell
• Track 2: Catalysis and Reaction Engineering
  Chair: Gary Gildert, New Business Technology Manager, Johnson Matthey Catalysts
  Co-Chair: Carol Schmidt, Process Engineer, Waldemar S. Nelson
  • Modular MicroReactor Technology - A Novel Approach for Process Intensification from Lab to Production - Bharat Marwaha, Bayer Technology Services and Maria Krusche, Ehrfeld Mikrotechnik BTS GmbH
  • The State of the Working Catalyst on Alkali-Promoted Pt/Al2O3 and Pt/TiO2 for the Water Gas Shift Reaction - Jorge H. Pazmino, Purdue University
  • Accurate Estimation of Si Accumulation in Coker Naphtha Hydrotreaters Using an Improved Direct Injection ICP (ICPDIN) Analysis and Hot Loop Feed Sampling - Thienan Tran, Criterion Catalysts and Technologies
• Track 3: Carbon Capture and Storage Workshop
  Chair: Gerald Hill, Senior Technical Advisor to the Southern States Energy Board
  • CCS Overview, Carbon Capture and Pipeline Transportation - Gerald Hill, Southern States Energy Board
  • Storage Site Characterization and CO2 Injection Well Design - Dwight Peters, Schlumberger Carbon Services
  • CO2 Monitoring, Verification and Auditing - Michael Young, Bureau of Economic Geology

Afternoon Sessions (1:30pm - 4:30pm)

• Track 4: Developments in Process Safety
  Chair: Jack Chosnek, Principal, KnowledgeOne
  Co-Chair: Victor H. Edwards, Director of Process Safety, Aker Solutions
  • The Need for Constructive and Rational Dialogue on Risk - Dr. M. Sam Mannan, Texas A&M University
  • Accident Investigations of the United States Chemical Board - John Bresland, United States Chemical Safety Board
  • Assuring Protection of Health, Safety, and Environment in Engineering Projects - Ralph Ellis, Alan English, Victor H. Edwards, Kvaerner; Jack Chosnek, Knowledge One
  • Not All HAZOPs Are Created Equal: How to Ensure HAZOP Quality? - Sanjeev Saraf and Subodh Medhekar, Exponent Inc.
• Track 5: Distillation and Separation
  Chair: José Bravo, Chief Scientist Separations, Shell Global Solutions
  Co-Chair: John Super, Rennovia
  Co-Chair: Waldo DeVilliers, Shell
  • Extending the Operating Range of Cross-Flow Trays - Izak Nieuwoudt, Koch-Glitsch
  • Dividing Wall Column - Reliable Solution for Efficient Refinery Separations - Bhari Bhujan Singh and Bill Townsend, KBR
  • Divided Wall Columns - Tray Technology - Daniel R. Summers, Sulzer Chemtech USA
  • Troubleshooting and Improving Operation of a Main Fractionating Tower - Lowell Pless, Tracerco; Shane LaCasse, CHS Refinery
  • Thoughts on Troubleshooting: Tips from Those Who Do It Best - Ruth Sands, DuPont Engineering Technology

Bonus Session (4:45pm - 5:45pm)

• Track 6: Engineering Ethics and Professionalism
  Chair: Alan P. Rossiter
  • TBPE Board Update, Professional Practice, and Engineering Ethics - C.W. Clark, P.E., Director of Compliance and Enforcement Division of the Texas Board of Professional Engineers

Evening (6:00pm - 8:30pm)

• South Texas Section Social Hour and Dinner Program (ticketed event)
  Chair: Kenneth R. Cox, Rice University
  Co-Chair: Alan P. Rossiter
  • The First Professor of Chemical Engineering in Space - Professor Al Sacco, Dean, Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering at Texas Tech University and Former NASA Astronaut

Friday, October 7


Morning Sessions (8:30am - 11:30am)

• Track 7: Chemical Process Technology
  Chair: Ravi Dixit, Fellow, Dow Chemical Company
  Co-Chair: John Pendergast, Fellow, Dow Chemical Company
  • Algenol's Direct to Ethanol Process - Ben McCool, Pradeep Sharma, Algenol
  • Ultra-low NOx Burner Arrangements in Furnace Revamps: Utilization of CFD Modeling to Prevent and Mitigate Adverse Furnace Flow Patterns - Jaime Erazo, John Zink Company
  • Exceptional Events Management Applied to Continuous Pharmaceutical Manufacturing - I.M. Hamdan, G.V. Reklaitis, V. Venkatasubramanian, Purdue University
  • Improving Ethylene Charge Gas Compressor Performance - Wendy Young, GE Water & Process Technologies
  • An Introduction to Intellectual Property and Patent Law - Aron Griffith, Osha Liang LLP
• Track 8: Petroleum Refining Technology, Part 1
  Chair: Syamal Poddar, President, Poddar & Associates
  Co-Chair: Ramon Farach, LyondellBasell
  • Latest Advances in Hydrocracking Catalysts: Exceed Your Hydrocracker Potential - Raul Adarme, Criterion Catalysts and Technologies
  • Processing Heavy Crudes in Existing Refineries - Kevin Turini, James Turner, Arthur Chu, and Shankar Vaidyanathan, Fluor Corporation
  • Gasoline Blending Automation - Clint Dolby and Robert B. Hawkins, LyondellBasell
  • Step-Out Improvements in Heavy Oil Conversion - Irv Wiehe, Soluble Solutions

Afternoon Sessions (1:00pm - 4:00pm)

• Track 9: Petroleum Refining Technology, Part 2
  Chair: Kevin Turini, Process Engineer, Fluor
  Co-Chair: Alison Fowler, ExxonMobil
  • Advances in Digital Automation: Lowering Refinery Operating Costs - Tim Olsen, Emerson Process Management
  • Examining the Value Chain in Production of Renewable Diesel - Bob Riley, Grace
  • UOP FCC Innovations Developed Using Sophisticated Engineering Tools - Lisa Wolschlag, UOP
  • Maintain Peak HEN Performance Under Fouling Conditions Using New Approach for Optimum HX Cleaning Strategy - Jimmy D. Kumana, Kumana & Associates; Simon J. Pugh, Process Engineering Technology, IHS-ESDU
• Track 10: Thermodynamics and Process Simulation
  Chair: Kenneth R. Cox, Rice University
  Co-Chair: Amrit Kalra, Research Thermodynamicist, Shell Global Solutions
  • Insight Into Phase Behavior of Complex Fluids - Walter G. Chapman, Rice University
  • Infinite Dilution Revisited: Filling Predictive Gaps in Physical Property Models - Kenneth R. Cox, Rice University
  • Prediction of Mineral Sealing Using a Comprehensive Thermodynamic Model - Anderko, P. Wang, R.D. Springer, M.M. Lencka, J.J. Kosinski
  • Use of API Standards for Phase Equilibrium and Thermophysical Properties in the Simulation of Refinery Process - Calvin F. Spencer, KBR; Arjun Gujar and Todd Willman, EPCON International
  • Thermodynamic Modeling of Composition Dependence of Relative Volatility - Kai Fischer, Elaine Kuhne, Eric Hendriks, Shell

Bonus Session (1:00pm - 3:00pm)

• Track 11: Technical Sessions for Young Professionals
  Chair: Jayce Mathews, KBR
  • Introduction to Process Safety Principles - Julie D. White
  • Delayed Coking Basics - Matthew Johnson, Foster Wheeler USA
  • Process Simulator Basics...that sometimes you need to learn on your own - David Hill, Chemstations
  • Selective Catalytic Reduction Reactors and Their Uses - Bryan Pourchot, Haldor Topsoe, Inc.

Post Conference Mixer at Murphy’s Pub

Stop by for an evening of networking and fun at Murphy’s Pub in Galveston. Everyone is invited but prior registration is required to attend this event. Drinks and appetizers will be provided. What a way to end the conference, we hope to see you all there!

Venue: Murphy’s Pub (http://www.galveston.con/murphyspub/)
Address: 213 22nd St., Galveston, TX 77550
Date: October 7, 2011 (Friday)
Time: 4:30 – 7PM
Cost: $10.50 (on-site registration will be $12)
Registration: http://sts.aiche.org/content/post-conference-mixer-murphy%E2%80%99s-pub
Sponsored by: Young Professionals of STS-AIChE

Thanks to Our Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsor

 

Lanyard Sponsors

 

Track Sponsors

Thermodynamics and Process Simulation:

Energy Efficiency: