Conference Program

Olefins products are essential to life itself. They preserve food, deliver safe drinking water, package sterile medical supplies, and reduce greenhouse gases by light weighting vehicles and packaging. Yet, this industry is at a cross roads. The industry has a remarkable safety and environmental record, yet its few incidents are often dramatic. Olefins production processes themselves are energy intensive, impacting climate change. Plastics waste is landfilled far too often, or worse yet, ends up in our oceans. Companies have set aggressive environmental, social, governance (ESG) goals from 2030 to 2050. The industry must quickly improve its carbon footprint and the recycling of its products to survive going forward. To meet these demands the industry must dramatically accelerate innovation. Risk adversity and sluggish procurement practices are the enemies of innovation. Artificial Intelligence deep learning process control, digital tools and other disruptive technologies that are ready now can improve short term carbon footprints more than 10 percent with low investment if we can remove those barriers. Such projects have short-term payouts and no regrets. Step changes beyond 15% carbon footprint improvement require more innovation and investment. Governments and customers demand real progress. To win the hearts and minds of our future work force we need to win these key battles. Shareholders demand efficient and profitable solutions as well. Can bio-based feedstocks, carbon capture and utilization or storage, plastics recycling and disruptive technologies really delivery a carbon neutral olefins future by 2050. The answer is yes, but only if we make real changes soon. This address will discuss key changes needed to succeed.

The multifold increases in computing speed, communications capability, and increased data storge capacities at a fraction of traditional costs has enabled deployment of Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Cloud Computing, 5G, IoT, Extended Reality, Voice Recognition technologies and Drones. Judicious combinations of these technologies can transform the way plants are being operated to tremendously improve efficiency, reduce safety risks, and make operations more reliable and environmentally friendly (sustainable). However early implementations of these technologies have seen a fair share of expensive failures. Most failures are not on account of the technology but on account of the implementation strategy. Over the past two decades Ingenero has helped Ethylene manufacturers in the GCC and USA make better use of their data using advanced data analytics and first principle-based modeling. With the criteria of “failure-is-not-an-option”; the experience Ingenero has gained in deploying digital AI-based solutions for process manufacturers has led to a best practices approach to get it right the first time. These technologies are driving the enhanced future of manufacturing operations and evolving operating paradigms as these technology-based solutions are utilized. Companies able to implement and utilize these technologies have a tremendous profitability advantage. The amount of activation energy in the form of time and money to get it going will vary significantly. This keynote will review successful strategies for Ethylene manufacturers for choosing and synthesizing the right technologies, their implementation, and, perhaps most importantly, for their ongoing effective use.

Introductory Remarks: Mark Eramo, Global Senior Vice President, Oil Markets, Midstream, Downstream, and Chemicals, S&P Global Commodity Insights