PEFTEC returns to Rotterdam!

The oil, gas and petrochemical sectors will once again flock to the Ahoy in Rotterdam for PEFTEC 2022 on 8th and 9th June. Focusing on the latest regulations, standards, methods and technologies in testing and monitoring, PEFTEC events provide an opportunity for the industry to get together in order to learn, network and share knowledge and best practice. With Covid travel restrictions now dropped in the Netherlands, and looking forward to the first live event since 2019, organiser Marcus Pattison says: “Our technical committee has assembled an impressive line-up of speakers covering topics that will be relevant to industrial scientists, process and laboratory managers, researchers, regulators, laboratory analysts and process engineers. For the first time ever, registration for the technical conference will be free of charge, and delegates have been registering in large numbers. The exhibition, which is also free, is almost sold out, so we can’t wait to open the doors!”

PEFTEC Conference
A comprehensive program of presentations has been assembled by the PEFTEC Scientific Committee, which is chaired by Dr Anupam Giri, Lead Scientist at SABIC. With speakers coming to Rotterdam from all over the world, Anupam says: “For many PEFTEC visitors, this will be the first time that they have been able to physically meet their contemporaries to network and learn from each other’s work, so I would say that this year, more than any other, a visit to Rotterdam is essential for anyone involved in testing and monitoring in the oil, gas and petrochemical sectors.”

On day one, the conference will focus on subjects relating to comprehensive GC analysis.  Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) is a particularly popular technique in the oil and gas industry because it enables the determination of different hydrocarbons and their isomers in complex oil samples. This session will commence with a keynote lecture entitled: ‘GC×GC-TOFMS to support the transition from fossil-based to bio-based energy sources’, which will be delivered by Prof. Jef Focant from the University of Liege, Belgium. This subject is highly topical given recent events in the energy sector. Rising energy prices combined with greater awareness of the environmental and climate impacts of fossil fuels, are driving the need for new energy sources, and bio-based energy represents one of the potential opportunities. Theoretically, almost all industrial materials made from fossil resources could be substituted by their bio-based counterparts. However, the cost of doing so may be preclusive.  A key factor in the deployment of a successful bio-based economy will be the development of biorefinery systems with efficient and cost-effective processing of biological feedstocks into a range of bio-based products, in combination with a deep understanding of the chemistry and successful integration into existing processes and infrastructure.

Comprehensive GC analysis will continue as a theme in subsequent presentations covering the screening of pyrolysis oils from plastic, the analysis of jet, diesel and light cycle oil, and the use of chemometric workflows to streamline GCxGC-TOF MS data analysis. After the break, a speaker from DOW will describe the characterisation of pyrolysis oil by LCxLC, and there will be presentations on the speciation of nitrogen-containing species in complex mixtures, and the analysis of alternative fuels by GCxGC-VUV FID MS.

The afternoon of the first day will focus on process analytical technology (PAT), starting with a keynote presentation by Dr Brian Rohrback from Infometrix, who will discuss streamlining the use of chemometrics. Several of the world’s leading process monitoring technology developers will then deliver presentations covering issues such as online LC, process optimisation using verified hydrocarbon analysis, tunable laser analysers, near infrared analysis, and the online analysis of oils in water.

Day 2 of the conference will begin with a return to an analytical theme, with speakers describing a variety of laboratory techniques for the analysis of surfactants, volatile organochlorides and other petrochemicals, and for the measurement of metals in crude oil. Later, speakers will also address the analysis of gaseous samples. Dr Jaakko Lehtinen from Gasera, for example, will describe real-time sub-ppm fenceline monitoring of non-criteria pollutants using photoacoustic spectroscopy. 

In the afternoon, Geoff Chappell from SABIC will describe the application of GC and MS in ethylene production. Then, with hydrogen increasingly being promoted as a clean, sustainable fuel, Dr Caroline Widdowson from Markes International will explain how to overcome the challenges associated with the analysis of sulphur and VOC impurities in hydrogen fuel. Further presentations will address the measurement of sulphur in natural gas and diesel fuel.

A short interactive discussion and Q&A session will then focus on the effect of chlorine on production and storage processes for a range of products, including crude, biofuels, catalyst, and pyrolysis oils.

The final presentations and Panel Discussion will cover industrial, analytical, legal and process issues relating to the recycling of plastics.

Summary
Marcus Pattison says: “It is extremely gratifying to see the high levels of enthusiasm for PEFTEC 2022 – exhibitors, speakers and delegates are really excited to be able to get together again. For the first time ever, pre-registered visitors will be able to attend both the PEFTEC and Industrial Methane Measurement conferences free of charge, as well as gaining free entry to the PEFTEC exhibition, so we are anticipating very high levels of attendance.

“I strongly urge everyone to register as soon as possible, because this provides them with access to the other visitors, the speakers and exhibitors. Consequently, this will enable everyone to pre-arrange meetings and demonstrations to ensure that they get the most out of their visit to Rotterdam, where a warm welcome awaits them!”