Technical Stream

10:30 am - 11:00 am

Decarbonizing your Fired Heaters with Hydrogen Fuel

Direct fired heaters are typically considered large emission sources of carbon dioxide in a petrochemical plant. In searching for ways to decarbonize a fired heater, the use of hydrogen as fuel is gaining a lot of attention. However, making the switch from natural gas or fuel gas to hydrogen comes with its unique challenges including flame temperatures and speeds, corrosion mechanisms, safety, etc.

In this presentation, a high-level overview of these challenges will be described when switching to full or partial hydrogen firing, along with a general discussion of some of the recent experience of Wood.

11:00 am - 11:30 am

Petrochemical facilities face the challenge of balancing sustainability and profitability goals in a competitive and regulated market.

To address this challenge, it is critical that an optimization model integrates supply chain and sustainability equations for petrochemical facilities through multi period, multi plant linear programming. The model should considers multiple periods, multiple variables and plants, pricing of raw materials, cost of production, scope 1 and scope 2 emissions, synergies, and furnace counts. In the presentation, a case study of such an implementation multiple petrochemical facilities will be done and and compared to its performance with their current practice. One of the main issues identified is that lack of collaborative and digital workflows lead to value leaks across a supply chain reducing avenues of probability and sustainability.

11:30 am - 12:00 pm

Closing the Skills Gap with Knowledge Automation

Our industry is dealing with a major challenge, which is growing every day: The Skills Gap. Plants are challenged in recruiting, onboarding and maintaining an effective workforce. The traditional way of onboarding new hires and relying on a few SMEs (Subject Matter Experts) on critical operations is not working. Knowledge Automation, deployed by the world’s biggest companies, is proven to solve this challenge, leading to safer, more productive operations. Learn about real examples and data on how Knowledge automation platform will:

Capture & transfer critical operator knowledge

Make onboarding efficient and effective

Reduce unplanned events

Increase revenues

Prevent operations personnel being overwhelmed

12:00 pm - 12:30 pm

Heated Sample Lines – A Critical Link to Compliance! 

It is often perceived that sample lines can be field created and that all factory manufactured sample lines and components are all the same, when in fact, it is far from accurate – from the tubing, insulation, heating source, outer weather-proof barrier, control options and method of manufacturing.  Some lines may be permanent installations and some may be temporary for calibration or RATA testing.  For a sample  analysis to be accurate, the sample mode of transport must be critically designed, manufactured, installed and maintained.  There are many tubing option types and sizes to consider, depending on the application.  Permeation can also be of concern.  The type of heating method must be designed to cover the heat loss and maintain the sample properly.  Many systems require the calibration or blowback tubes to be installed within the same line.  The type of control shall also be taken into consideration – no control, mechanical thermostat, electronic control with RTD or Thermocouple.  Some lines require a multi-circuit design.  The area classification must also be considered.  Finishing off the sample line is the type of weather-proof outer jacket.  Jackets must fully cover the line and components, have a UV stabilizer and be flexible for installation, expansion and contraction.

2:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Revolutionising the Global Sealing Industry - Introducing the Flexitallic Change Gasket  

During this presentation we'll discuss:

• Testing comparison in cyclic thermal service with other sealing products used in industry including Spiral Wound, Kammprofile, Double Jacket and Corrugated metal styles. Sealing performance of change based on Helium Leakage rate testing showing tightness achieved.
• Introduction to the new variations of Change HF / Change SF used in Petrochemical /chemical sealing industry
• Provide case studies of successful sealing with he technology on troublesome applications
• Where previous attempts using semi metallic technology failed
• The use on chemical severe service end

2:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Digitalization in External Workforce Management

Currently, nearly 50% of workers for asset-intensive companies, are external workers. The idea of “Engineer-to-Pay” addresses this growing demand for external workers and provides insight into how companies can address the following:

• How to centralize the management and oversight of contract labor population to gain visibility and control.
• Improve execution of tasks across the contract labour management lifecycle (end-to-end).
• How to generate cost savings through digitalizing the contractor management process.

3:00 pm - 3:30 pm

Electric Cars Need Roads

Carbon + Innovation = Carbovate Development Corp., based at the Sarnia Research Park, formed 2018.  We will address the future of production of consistently high quality, environmentally friendly asphalt cement binder.  Too much of today’s Asphalt production results in short product life, crumbling roads, wasted taxes, excessive emissions, lost productivity, and  driving stress.  We can do better!  Others are!  This will describe a new patented process designed to produce asphalt as the primary product developed to minimize environmental impacts and help enable the circular economy.  It will also touch on Carbovate’s zero emission flare replacement technology being developed.