The current environment of elevated energy costs has reinvigorated the drive for increased efficiencies across refinery and petrochemical complexes. There is a new-found and urgent pursuit of technological advances to yield cost savings. These can take the shape of modified processes, improved product separations, conversion of waste streams to useful products, etc.  Not only are new R&D initiatives underway, but decades old developments, achieved during an earlier era of skyrocketing energy and fuel costs (of the late 70's - early 80's) are being re-considered and improved upon. These initiatives can lead to sizeable gains and, when applied broadly, more than offset the R&D and evaluation expenses required for their implementation. 

In its multi-client series of three (3) reports, entitled "Efficiency Gains Through Catalyst and  Process Technology Advancements in the Refining and Petrochemical/Chemical Industries," TCGR proposes to provide a comprehensive and updated assessment of the most meaningful, and potentially commercially applicable advances, documenting which companies are making strides, what targets have been achieved (through case studies) and assessing, via benchmarking, the potential competitive implications which may result.  Not only do we expect that there are potential co-development and/or licensing in/out possibilities, but there are certain to be commercial-scale implementations across production complexes.  Sharing this experience more broadly will help facilitate more rapid adoption and progress for the entire industry. 

Topics will include improved catalyst formulations (active materials, supports, co-catalysts, etc.), reactor design and operation (including reactor internals), membranes and separations techniques, process intensification (PI) and/or modularization, and waste- or by-product stream minimization or utilization (including off-gases, steam, heat, flare gas, etc.).

Study deliverables will consist of three (3) individual, but related, "segment report" assessments addressing three (3) areas where technological advancements have led to the greatest efficiency gains, as follows:

(1) Separations techniques, including membranes;

(2) Process intensification (PI) and/or modularization, plus reactor design/internals; and

(3) By-product and waste minimization or utilization/conversion

Segment reports will be available individually or the series may be purchased, at a discount, as a whole.  Although each segment report will be stand-alone, all three will be integrated based on common or overlapping findings as well as recommendations/strategies.  Overall study results which apply across segments and affect such common issues as energy, productivity and competitive/strategic implications, will appear in all three segment reports.

Identifying barriers to commercialization, whether technical or economic, will be a critical component of these segment reports.  In addition, the reports will assess whether the current environment (high raw material/energy cost) is enough to overcome the barrier or if there remains an unwillingness to make step changes.

The study is available in printed format as well as electronically (as a PDF file),
allowing unlimited use/distribution of the report on a site-license basis. For more information, contact Jeanne Drahos (Jeanne.M.Drahos@catalystgrp.com) or John Murphy (John.J.Murphy@catalystgrp.com) at 215-628-4447.