Mohammad Umer Ansari

Mohammad Umer Ansari is Senior Technologist for FCC in Shell Global Solutions US Inc. In this position, he is responsible for technical services for optimization, troubleshooting & catalyst selection for FCC units in the Americas region and design of grass root & revamp projects for FCC units. He has been working in refining and petrochemical industry for 25 years and has been with Shell for 15 years, holding variety of process engineering and process control positions at manufacturing sites and central organization. Umer holds Master of Chemical Technology degree from Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, India.

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: Designing Cyclones for Process and Mechanical Performance - Case Studies

Carlos Antonio Ahumada Morales

Carlos Antonio Ahumada Morales has been a Mechanical Engineer at the Ecopetrol Cartagena Refinery for 12 years. He has a Master’s degree in mechanical Integrity and corrosion, and is certified in API 510/570/653 and Level II in MT/PT and Thermography.

Coking Hall

Presentation: Challenges and Lessons Learned in the First Repair of Coke Drums at the Ecopetrol-Cartagena Refinery

André Luiz Dranka Bach

André Luiz Dranka Bach is a Process Engineer at Petrobras Getulio Vargas Refinery.  He has been working 17 years with Delayed Coking Unit. His experience includes 6-year technical coordination/support of refinery new DCU project, construction, commissioning, automation and DCS configuration, operational training, and start-up. After, working with DCU Optimization, Troubleshooting and Debottlenecking projects.  He hods a B.S. of Chemical Engineering.

Coking Hall

Presentation: DCU Main Tower LOPC: Integrity Operating Windows Analysis

Matthew Bailey

Matt joined Optimized Gas Treating, Inc. (OGT) in 2014, bringing more than 20 years of experience to the company.  During his tenure with OGT, he has focused on becoming an expert in the field of sulfur recovery. In addition, Matt supports and represents the sales team through his position as a Senior Application Engineer, providing clients with knowledge in gas treating and sulfur recovery techniques.  He assists OGT with marketing and licensing support for ProTreat® and SulphurPro® worldwide by attending conferences, publishing papers, and giving presentations. Matt holds a bachelor of science in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University, a master of business administration from the University of Houston, and he a registered PE in the state of Texas.

Sulfur Hall

Presentation: Sour Water Strippers-Reliable Tools Translate to Reliable Designs

Ben Belton

After ten years as a design engineering with General Kinematics, Ben Belton transitioned into the role of Technical Director supporting application sales to provide custom designed solutions to meet various process needs around the world. With more than a dozen years of experience with vibratory process equipment, Ben and General Kinematics are able to support coke handling by providing a vibratory solution to dewatering Petcoke. Ben received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin Platteville.

Coking Hall

Presentation: Mechanically Dewatering PetCoke using Heavy Duty Vibratory Technology

Gabi Bergeron

Gabi Bergeron is the Coker Process Engineer for LyondellBasell at the Houston Refinery. Gabi has five years of technical refining experience between LyondellBasell and Phillips 66. The majority of her experience has been in operation engineering roles for hydrotreating and delayed coker units. Gabi holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Business Administration from Louisiana State University.  

Coking Hall

Presentation: Design and Process Considerations when dealing with Low Temperature Drums

Joe Brindle

A chemical engineer by training, since 2004 Joe has specialized in sulphur recovery, tail gas treating, as well as support to amine treating and sour water stripping. Prior to becoming a consultant, he worked as an engineer and technical supervisor in in Canada’s Heavy Oil sector. His experience includes project review and approvals, plant design and construction, commissioning and start-up, turnaround planning and execution, failure investigations, as well as plant optimization. He has a special focus on process safety and PHA support for gas treating and sulphur recovery units. He has worked at locations throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Joe has presented at international conferences in North America, the Middle East, and South America. He is a co-presenter of Sulphur Experts’ Sulphur Recovery Technical Training Course and provides virtual and on-site training for engineers and operators around the world.

Sulfur Hall

Presentation: SRU Overpressure: A Practical Discussion of Risks and Mitigations

Neal Cammy

Neal Cammy is currently Manager of the Engineering Department at BLAC INC., a manufacturer of high performance electro-hydraulic actuator systems for Coker, FCC and other applications. Prior to joining BLAC INC. in 2011 as a Project Manager, Neal spent 31 years with UOP, a major licensor of FCC technology. Neal has a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the New York University Polytechnic School of Engineering.

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: Overview of Husky Superior FCC Explosion (April 26,2018) - CSB Final Report

Mohan Dhas

20 Years of working with refinery clients across SE Asia, Middle East, North Africa, Europe and North America.

Coking Hall

Presentation: Coker - Feed Preheat Optimization

Taras Dykun

Taras Dykun joined MEA, INC. in 2014 after graduating from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a chemical engineering degree. Taras’ experience began as a Field Service Engineer where he gained valuable expertise as a technical specialist in electro-hydraulic technology. Taras was then promoted to Applications Engineer where he applied his knowledge of chemical processes to customer needs and solutions. Taras was then promoted to Sales Engineer, where he is currently working with MEA’s customers and engineers to help advance the ways electro-hydraulic actuation technology can improve process efficiency, decrease cost of operation and maintenance, and improve safety for our existing and new customers.

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: IIOT and Safety with MEA’s FCCU Plug Valve Actuation Technology

Brandon Forbes

Brandon Forbes has worked in the process heating and sulfur industry for over 15 years with a focus on product development and engineering design. He has helped develop and support CSI’s most successful products including the bolt-on heating product suite and the SxSeal above-ground sulfur sealing device.

Sulfur Hall

Presentation: Sulfur Run-down Lines

Stephen Forry

With more than a decade of experience with Emtrol-Buell, Steve has been involved in every aspect of FCC cyclone system design.  In addition to cyclone design, he provides troubleshooting and inspection expertise for clients that are experiencing elevated catalyst losses or mechanical failures.  Steve has been involved in the cyclone system design for both the smallest and largest FCCU’s in the world, and he enjoys working closely with clients to solve problems and improve FCC operation.  Steve earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Messiah College.

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: Cyclone Metallurgy:  Material Selection to Optimize the Reliability and Useful Life of the FCC Cyclone System

Gustavo Garcia

Gustavo Garcia has been around the bottom of the barrel processing technologies over the last 28 years and since 2017 is the Coking and Visbreaking Technical Advisor at BP, providing technical and operational support and oversight on heavy oil technology to 6 operating sites across the world. Prior to that he held different positions at BP’s Castellon Refinery including Coker Operations Superintendent and Senior Project Engineer. Prior to joining BP in 2005, Gustavo held Operations, Process and Project Engineering roles in Venezuela with Petrolera Ameriven and PDVSA. Gustavo is a Chemical Engineer from the Central University of Venezuela.

Coking Hall

Presentation: Blowdown Header Failure Learnings

Matthew Gardner

As an Application Engineer, Mr. Gardner works globally with end users and engineering companies to implement and optimize BELCO® wet scrubbing and particulate control systems with a focus on FCCs. Previously, Mr. Gardner worked as a Process Engineer at DuPont where he supported the design of grassroots STRATCO® Alkylation Units and the revamping of existing ones. Prior to joining DuPont, Mr. Gardner worked in the Petrochemical Industry where he held multiple Process and Unit Operation positions at Chevron Phillips Chemical in Sweeny, Texas. Mr. Gardner obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: Pre-Cleaning FCC Flue Gas for Carbon Capture

Greg Gaudet

Greg Gaudet is an Asset Integrity Engineer with Canadian Natural Resources Ltd working at their Horizon Oil Sands Operation.  Greg brings over thirty years of engineering, inspection maintenance and leadership experience in the Canadian Oil Sands with him.  He has extensive experience in design and repair of pressure equipment as well as RBI and FFS.  In his Oil Sands career, Greg has worked on some of the largest Coke drums in the world.  He enjoys a good challenge and is looking forward to sharing his experience with Coker Blowdown lines. 

Coking Hall

Presentation: Coker Blowdown Line Integrity

Kaitlin Gebbie

Kaitlin is a Consultant based in CRU’s London office. She joined CRU in 2021 as part of the Multi-Commodity Analysis team before moving to Consulting in January 2022. Kaitlin has experience working across a range of commodities including carbon products, petroleum crudes, steel, aluminum, fertilizers and ferroalloys, with extensive coverage on biomass and waste valorisation opportunities for various commodity markets. Recently Kaitlin has contributed to studies including long-term technical carbon analysis, petroleum pitch market analysis, regional emissions mapping for thermal coal mines, research in green steel and work on supply of petroleum crudes under different decarbonisation scenarios. Kaitlin has worked in a variety of disciplines including long-term strategy and advisory work, greenfield primary research, and managing long-term forecasting projects across commodities. Kaitlin holds an MSc (Distinction) in Sustainable Resources: Economics, Policy & Transitions from University College London (UCL). She is a guest lecturer to an MSc module discussing ESG risk in natural resource projects at UCL’s Institute for Sustainable Resources and has written research on behavioral economic interventions for novel food-waste valorisation schemes. Kaitlin also holds a BSc in French and Business Management from the University of Southampton.

Coking Hall - Keynote

Presentation: The Technical Carbon Supply Gap

Luke Glashan

Luke Glashan has over 10 years of experience in the thermal and hydraulic design of fired heaters and proposal development. Beginning his career with Foster Wheeler (now Wood Plc.), he has performed thermal and hydraulic design for dozens of delayed coker heaters worldwide, from single-fired cabin types to Wood’s modern Terrace-Wall double-fired heater. Luke’s paper on decarbonizing fired heaters with hydrogen fuel firing was recently published in several major publications. Luke holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rutgers University, USA, and is a Professional Engineer in the state of New Jersey, USA.  

Coking Hall - Keynote

Presentation: Decarbonizing your Fired Heaters with Hydrogen Fuel

Richard Grove

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: Slide Valve Degradation and Preventative Maintenance

Virgil Guzman

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: Slide Valve Degradation and Preventative Maintenance

Dan Harbs

Dan is a Senior Technical consultant at Veolia with 25 years of refining chemical treatment experience.  He has successfully treated all aspects of refinery chemical applications including process side antifoulants, corrosion inhibitors, desalters, fuel additives, cooling towers, steam systems, as well as primary and secondary wastewater treatment.  Dan is the co-Author of numerous published papers on topics such as reactor bed fouling treatment, successful treatment of cooling towers using reclaimed water, development of new cooling tower corrosion inhibitors, and heat exchanger monitoring.  He resides in Southern California with his wife and two sons. 

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: FCC Slurry Reboiler Fouling Control and Foulant Removal in an Using Advanced Antifoulant Chemistry

George Hoekstra

George Hoekstra retired from BP in 2009 after 35 years in refinery process research and technology management. Since then he has offered consulting services to independent refiners in the field of hydroprocessing catalysts, including the refining industry’s only multi-client, open market catalyst testing program.  George has also been an options investor for 40 years and is a contributing author to Futures and Options Trader and Active Trader Magazine. His options investing articles focus on analyzing price volatility, finding bargains in the options markets, and how to start your own options investing program.  George is currently President of Hoekstra Trading LLC.

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: Economics of Octane Loss in FCC Gasoline Desulfurizers

Marcelo Insaurralde

Marcelo Insaurralde is the Commissioning Leader for the refinery projects at Pan American Energy. He earned a Master of Business Administration at UADE Business School and holds a degree in chemical engineering from Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Argentina. He has over 22 years of experience in projects, working with several leading EPC and Oil & Gas companies, fulfilling assignments in Argentina, Bolivia, España, France and USA. He joined PAE in 2017 as a commissioning manager where he was responsible for the start-up readiness of the Campana Refinery expansion project, the largest refinery project in the last 30 years in Argentina.

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: The Commissioning of the Campana Refinery FCC Unit: A Case Study

Dr. Asmaa Kassab

Asmaa Kassab, Ph.D. is the R&D Engineer Supervisor at MOGAS Industries Inc. She started her career with MOGAS 10 years ago after she obtained her doctorate degree in thermal fluid science from Texas A&M University. She leads the MOGAS Research and Development team in developing innovative technical solutions and serves as MOGAS’ subject matter expert in new product development, simulations, advanced testing, and control valves.

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: The State of Fugitive Emissions Qualifications

Scott Kafesjian

Scott Kafesjian is the Director of Sulphur Technologies for Wood.  Scott has over 30 years of experience in the technology, design, commissioning, unit startups, troubleshooting, and revamp of sulphur recovery facilities worldwide.  He also has a diverse background encompassing crude oil distillation, hydrotreating, gas plant revamps, compressor stations, and other industrial processes.   Scott has a ChemE BS degree from UCLA, and ME and PhD degrees from the University of Utah.

Sulfur Hall

Presentation: Don’t Scrap Your Old SRU, Rejuvenate It

Dr. Michael Kester

Dr. Michael Kester is a Business Development Director at Endress+Hauser Optical Analysis, focused on helping the refining and petrochemical industries take full advantage of the most advanced laser-based optical technologies available for process measurement and optimization. After graduating in 1995 with a PhD in Process Analytical Chemistry, he spent over 27 years applying process analyzers in multiple industries in the capacity of scientist, industry management, strategic account management, product management, and business development for ABB, Honeywell, and Endress+Hauser. Dr. Kester has published numerous articles in related trade journals and has patents on the optimization of kraft pulping operations using FT-NIR spectroscopy. Originally from Canada, he is an avid curler, and was once cast in an on-ice Reliant Energy commercial with JJ Watt. 

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: Raman Spectroscopy Applications in the Refining Industry

Tom Kline

Tom Kline is the Director Concrete Repair Solutions for STRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGIES. Tom is an expert in concrete evaluation and repair with over 40 years of experience in forensic investigation and concrete restoration. He focuses on the evaluation, assessment, repair, and strengthening of reinforced concrete structures.   Tom manages and directs a diverse group of technical experts in providing design-build capabilities, developing turnkey repair strategies, and implementing sophisticated and verifiable repair programs for a wide range of concrete repair customers. His specialties include forensic investigation and root cause analysis, engineered solution development, repair and restoration strategies, and QA/QC plan development and implementation.   Tom is regularly a guest lecturer domestically and internationally for various seminars, symposiums, and workshops for ACI, PCA, ICRI, ASTM, ASCE, and many other trade organizations.

Sulfur Hall

Presentation: Improving Reliability: Managing Sulfur Pit Material Removal Challenges

Mel Larson

Mel Larson has over 40 yrs in the oil industry, starting as a tech engineer, migrating to global consulting with a focus on refinery wide optimization, and now with a focus on assisting clients consideration of the “Energy Transition '' investment strategies.  Mel has completed brown and green field refinery build activities of which a few are not fully operational.  Mel has worked throughout the North and South American markets and also in Asia markets.  One of the major activities in the last 15 yrs has been in the support of M&A activities as major oil companies divest of refining assets.

Coking Hall - Keynote

Presentation: Setting the Stage for the Next Decade

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: Biofeed Co-Processing Considerations and FCCU Co-Processing Impacts

Rick Lucas

Rick Lucas is a Senior Process Engineer with over 40 years of experience working on all units and aspects of refining.  For the last 25 years, his focus has been mainly on coking.  Before joining BP in 2006, Rick was with Flint Hills Resources and Chevron.  He has a Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Cincinnati.

Coking Hall

Presentation: Blowdown Header Failure Learnings

Nik Martinov

Nik came to FLEXIM 15 years ago with a background in biochemistry. Beginning in technical sales, service, and operations for 13 US States and Western half of Canada, Nik is presently Regional Sales Director for North America. Much of Nik’s experience involves the further development of solutions for refineries, specifically high temperature, severe service solutions.

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: Noninvasive Flow Measurement Developments & Innovations for Severe Service Refinery Applications

Christian McDermott

Christian manages and supports Voovio’s sales and operations in North America. He joined Voovio in 2012, after working several years with a leading Engineering, Procurement & Construction company in the UK and United Arab Emirates. Christian has had a broad international background, having lived with his family, studied and worked in countries including the UK, Spain, Germany, Russia, the UAE and, most recently, the United States, which he now calls home.

Sulfur Hall

Presentation: Solving the Skills Gap Challenges in Sulfur Recovery with Knowledge Automation

Mitch Moloney

Mitch graduated from Princeton University in 1979 with a BSc in Chemical Engineering and is a registered PE in Texas. He worked with ExxonMobil for 40 years, retiring in 2019. He has worked as a consultant with Becht for over three years as a process engineering and resid upgrading specialist.  He has been married to his wife Laura for 41 years, has two children in their 30’s and 2 grandchildren.  He started his career at Bayway Refinery in NJ, then joined the resid upgrading world in 1989, and has focused on delayed coking, visbreaking and resid upgrading for 34 years. Highlights were serving as the process start-up lead for the Venezuelan Cerro Negro Upgrader in 2001 and the Antwerp DCU in Belgium in 2018.  He enjoys delayed coking, languages (Spanish, Dutch, French), art, sports and Belgian beers, not necessarily in that order.

Coking Hall

Presentation: The Transfer Lines & the Coke Drum - What is going on in there?

CatCraking Hall

Presentation: The State of Fugitive Emissions Qualifications

Elmo Nasato

Elmo Nasato is a process engineer specializing in sulfur recovery, amine treating and  sour water processing. He has more than 35 years experience in the sulfur recovery industry, including experience with design, retrofit, start-up and optimization of sulfur recovery  units, sulfur handling units, amine units, sour water stripper units, and tail gas cleanup  units. On-site field activities have included support of construction activities, turnaround  assistance and operator training. Elmo graduated from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada with a B.A.Sc.  Chemical Engineering (1987) with an option in Management Science. He currently is the  president of Nasato Consulting Ltd. In addition, he is the lead instructor and serves on  the Brimstone Sulfur Recovery Symposium Advisory Committee and the Technical  Advisory Committee for the Laurance Reid Gas Conditioning Conference, and has served  on the Board of Directors for Alberta Sulphur Research. Elmo has also taught courses in  the Chemical Engineering departments of the University of Toronto and University of  Waterloo. He has been awarded eight patents for SRU operation, oxygen enrichment and  sulfur degassing technologies, has published 42 papers and has made over 74 presentations at conferences worldwide.

Sulfur Hall

Presentation: Sulfur Recovery Process, Design, and Troubleshooting

Ron Payne

Coking Hall

Presentation: Advancements in Coke Drum Life Extension Repair Technology and Design

Ron Pitman

Ron Pitman is a Subject Matter Expert for Crude, Sulfur, and Utilities in Motiva’s Central Technology group.   A Technical Leader with 22 years of demonstrated success in process engineering management, operations management, technical support, and plant optimization as well as 6 years of nuclear power plant experience in the US Navy.

Sulfur Hall

Presentation: MOTIVA PAMC Sulfur Tank Lowered Emissions and Sulfur Pit Degassing

Andrea Pusceddu

Andrea Pusceddu is the Technical Director at IMI Remosa and he has been with Remosa for 23 years. Andrea holds a Master Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Cagliari University. In his free time Andrea enjoys traveling with the family, reading and practicing biking and running with questionable performances.

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: FCC: Back to the Future!

Gary Reisen

Coking Hall

Presentation: Using Tunable Diode Laser Instruments to Improve the Safety of Fired Heater Operations

James Risko

JAMES R. RISKO, CEM, PEM, MBA recently retired from his position as president of TLV Corporation, Charlotte, NC, where he was responsible for US and Canadian operations. He has 46 years of steam systems experience, has authored more than 60 technical articles, provided webinars to over 3,000 attendees globally, and presented papers for the Kister Distillation Symposium, Distillation Experts Conclave, Fractionation Research Inc., AFPM, AIChE, the Ethylene Conference, RefComm, IPEIA, IETC, eChemExpo, AEE World, and ASHRAE. He co-invented the world’s first combination pump/traps and created the “Extended Stall Chart” for draining stalled coils, heat exchangers, and reboilers, and the Drop-down Loop Seal (DDLS) concept for vertical risers in flashing condensate lines.. A past chairman of the FCI, he is currently active in FCI and ANSI standards development. Jim is an avid tennis and guitar player and has three energy management certifications. 

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: Optimize the Reliability of Steam- Assisted Flares

Daniel Sabud

A customer-oriented, motivated, and empowered individual using refinery learnings and experiences to improve unit operations and troubleshoot process issues. A chemical engineer and oil refiner with in-depth knowledge on Delayed Coker, Hydrogen, Sulfur Units and Coker Naphtha/Gas Oil Hydrotreaters. Chemical engineer with ~11 years of experience in the oil refining industry and is specialized in technical support services in process units particularly in delayed coker. Developed process unit improvements in terms of safe and optimized operation, energy consumption and environmental compliance.

Coking Hall

Presentations: Massive Clogging in DCU after April 2019 Earthquake Incident

Reduction of Coke Drum Overhead Line Fouling Rate

Dan Stack

Mr. Sack has nearly 20 years of structural engineering experience in the field of power generation and petroleum refining with a focus of structural design at elevated temperatures.  He has extensive experience with the design of utility and industrial boiler and environmental equipment design. He is a structural SME for fired heaters, flue gas cooler, and waste heat boilers.   Mr. Sack received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from The University of Toledo.  Mr. Sack has also completed graduate level course work at The University of Akron towards a Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering with an emphasis on structural design. He is a Licensed Professional Engineer in Alaska, Connecticut, New Mexico, and Ohio.

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: The Do's and Don'ts for FCC Refractory

Vance St. Jean

Vance has been focused on the fugitive emissions aspect of stationary sealing for most of his 40 year career. His customer base includes the largest refineries and chemical producers in the world. He is Chesterton’s subject matter Expert and attends API meetings on behalf of the company. He has been married to his childhood sweetheart for 42 years and has 2 adult children and 5 grandchildren. He still plays competitive tennis and is working to improve his golf game.

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: The State of Fugitive Emissions Qualifications

Dr. Mahmod Samman

Dr. Mahmod Samman is the president of Houston Engineering Solutions. He has thirty years of industry experience mostly in damage assessment, repair, and life extension of coke drums. His state-of-the-art techniques in this field are utilized around the world. A licensed professional engineer in Texas, he has a Ph.D. in Engineering Mechanics from Duke University, he has published writing in numerous publications, and holds four issued and pending patents. He is a member of ASME and ASCE and a committee member of API 579/ASME FFS, API 934G and API 934J.

Coking Hall

Presentation: First Coke Drums with Tongue-and-Groove Skirt

Urban Showe Jr

Is a Father of 4 and a Grand Father of 4. Is a Master SCUBA Diver and hopes to retire in warm weather to Dive every day   35 years in refining. Has worked on projects for EPROM/ERC in Egypt, YASREF in Saudi Arabia, Shell, UNACAL, TOSCO and Phillips 66 in California. Managing the operations department for Commissioning, Stat-up, Normal Operations, Solids handling, and Deconning units for maintenance turnarounds. With many in the work force performing operational duties for the first time.   Enjoys using years of experience and knowledge of best practices within the industry that work across different operations needs. For Establishing Safety and Training new operators in new grass roots refineries.

Coking Hall

Presentation: DCU Unheading Valve Experiences

Haizlin Sulaiman

Experienced in the technical field for more than 28 years. Started the journey as a panel man and operator for the Delayed Coker Unit (DCU) before being recognized as a DCU specialist and supervisor. Proceeded to be the manager for fire and safety as well as the refinery shift manager to expand the expertise beyond a single unit and increase knowledge regarding the inner workings of the refinery. Currently holding the position for Senior Manager in Sour Conversion Area ensuring unit stability and reliability.

Coking Hall

Presentation: Solving Fractionator FZGO Line Clogging Issue During Start-up

Martin Taylor

Martin Taylor is the Manager, Sulfur Technologies for Bechtel Energy Technologies & Solutions, Inc., based in Houston, Texas, USA.  His experience includes design, troubleshooting, consulting, commissioning, and start-up of sulfur-related units such as amine, sour water, SRUs, tail gas treating units, etc. for the last 20+ years.  Martin has five patents plus patents pending for technologies in and around the sulfur industry.  Martin earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a M.S. in Natural Gas Engineering from Texas A&I University in Kingsville, Texas, USA.  

Sulfur Hall

Presentation: The Community SWSPlus Concept – Turning Trash To Treasure

Willis Thomas

Willis joined CRU in February 2017 with more than five years in metals sales, production, and procurement activities. As Head of CRU+ he is responsible for a team focused on efficiently delivering CRU data and custom reports which fall outside of the subscription or consultancy/advisory service offerings. Before moving to CRU+, Willis managed consulting projects across a wide range of mined commodities, metals and fertilizers. Willis has significant experience in ferroalloys (silicon, manganese, vanadium & niobium), steel metallics and raw materials, base & minor metals (zinc, tin, germanium), as well as broad coverage across fertilizer markets for nitrogen, phosphorus, potash and sulphur. Willis holds a Masters in Finance from Colorado State University and a BA in Political Science from Washington & Jefferson College. Willis is based in CRU's Pittsburgh office.

Coking Hall - Keynote

Presentation: The Technical Carbon Supply Gap

Don Tran

Don Tran is the Coker Operations Manager for the LyondellBasell at the Houston Refinery.  He is responsible for the safe, reliable operations and optimization of the Delayed Coker Unit (DCU). Lead a production team of 7 Operations First Line Supervisors, 60 Operations Technicians, and support staff that includes HSSE, engineering, maintenance, and accounting.  Don has over 23 years of leadership and technical refinery experience including 9 years of technical and operations leadership roles and 17 years of DCU technical experience as a process engineer, process technologist, technical team lead, and operations management at LyondellBasell and ExxonMobil.  Don holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the Texas A&M University and Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston. 

Coking Hall

Presentation: Design and Process Considerations when dealing with Low Temperature Drums

Manny Vasquez

CatCracking Hall

Presentation: Challenges and Requirements of Proper Operation for Compressor Anti-Surge Valves

Andrew Wall

Andrew Wall is a mechanical engineer for BP with seven years of experience. During his time at BP, he has worked as the maintenance and reliability engineer at the Whiting refinery coker. Andrew has a degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University.

Coking Hall

Presentation: Blowdown Header Failure Learnings

Kenny Whittenburg

Over 10 years as USA Sales Rep for Universal Weld Overlays, Inc (now FLINT Wear Technologies LP) working with refineries, fabricators, and OEMs to find solutions to service life issues related to corrosion and/or wear in pressure equipment. Previously Western US & Canada PTA and HVOF Sales at Deloro Stellite.

Coking Hall 

Presentation: Fabrication and Overlay of Swing Elbows for Erosion and Corrosion Resistance during On-Line Spalling in Delayed Coker Units