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Thomas Scheuring, CEO ofDECHEMA Exhibitions, in a Chat onthe Upcoming ACHEMA 2015 5

Renewable Energies: Making theMost of Excess Electricity 8

Shale Gas Transforms theUS Chemical Outlook 10

Sadara PlasChem Park—BrightInvestment Opportunities inSaudi Arabia 13

Frankfurt am Main,June 15–19, 2015www.achema.de

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Frankfurt am Main,June 15–19, 2015www.achema.de

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http://www.vogel.com.cn

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The Harvard economist Larry Summers has stated that the world is running out of capacityfor growth as the wealthy are not investing enough. Meanwhile, the internet investor PeterThiel feels that the world is running out of innovations as the inventors and entrepreneurs

are not sufficiently courageous to bring about revolutionary changes.Should these statements not be seen as an open invitation for young and not so young entre-preneurs, courageous individuals and those who aremore balanced in terms of risk assessment,to come up with innovative ideas? There is surely enough money that is ready to be invested.And there are a number of arguments in favor of investing in the process industry that combinesscientific understanding with the engineer’s art of implementation.Based on an understanding of natural processes, the process industry develops solutions forurgent problems associated with the global population growth, the limits of infrastructure andthe requirements of everyday life. At the same time, it builds and operates assets with a positiveeffect on employment and drives the cycle of work and capital. The market for its products isthe entire world.Entrepreneurs have to overcome many hurdles. Neither schools nor universities prepare youngpeople for entrepreneurship and the variety of tasks that have to be mastered in addition totechnical developments.

Whilst time-to-marketmay have shortened significantlyin this age of rapid communication, the reaction time ofcompetitors is also much quicker. Market entry needsto be fast and this represents a challenge for foundersand small companies that are not granted a period ofgrace, but instead have to manage the implementationof innovations and the set-up of company structures atthe same time as they enter the market.We cannot rely only on established companies in orderto think and develop the hitherto “unthought”. The un-obstructed perspective of scientists and technicians onwhat is feasible and necessary is essential not only interms of understanding existing solutions but also foridentifying gaps. We need the thoughts of those whodo not yet think within structures but who instead thinkoutside of the box.Besides showcasing what is already available, theACHEMA Congress has always given an outlook on thefuture. Now ACHEMA and its partners are introducingthe ACHEMA’s Founders’ Award—a launchpad for theaccelerated start up of companies, which closes a gapbetween the congress and the exhibition. We envisionrevolutionary ideas being developed—such as not eat-ing the grain but baking bread and storing for seeding.If we succeed in translating similar concepts to the en-ergy sector this would again change our way of life.Once the first step has been made, access to capitalbecomes easier—as mentioned previously, there ismore than enough money available for investment.ACHEMA is undoubtedly the place to present innovativeideas to a future market.

Closing The innovaTion gap

“We need the thoughts ofthose who do not yet thinkwithin structures but whoinstead think outside ofthe box.”

n Hans-Peter ilgnerMember of the Board, BusinessAngels FrankfurtRheinMain e.V. n

n Prof. dr. Kurt WagemannExecutive Director ofDECHEMA e.V. n

4 A special edition from PROCESS

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n Shale gaSThere is a 21st-century goldrush going on in the UnitedStates, and while a largepart of its success is alreadylocked in, larger questionsremain for its effects in thenext decade, and the over-all impact it will have on thechemical process industriesworldwide. n

CONTENTS

n exceSS electricityHydrogen that cannotbe used directly can beconverted and stored bychemical means. n

3 Editor’s PageClosing the innovation gap

5 “The Trend-Setting Event for OurIndustry”Thomas Scheuring, CEO of DECHEMAExhibitions, in a chat on theupcoming ACHEMA 2015

7 The Highlights of ACHEMAConference 2015

8 Making the Most of ExcessElectricityThe use of excess electricity hasbeen the topic of a recentlypublished discussion paper

10 Changing the BalanceAn ongoing boom in gas and oilsupplies in the United States ischanging the balance of globalchemical production

12 Stainless Steel Twin FerruleFittings

13 Sadara PlasChem Park— BrightInvestment Opportunities inSaudi Arabia

14 ACHEMA Gründerpreis—Meet theExhibitors of ACHEMA 2030

14 International Events Organized byDECHEMA

15 Crossword / Imprint

A special edition from PROCESS 5

“The Trend-seTTing evenTfor our indusTry”

Pictures:d

eChe

MA

Kathrin Rübberdt, Head of Communications at DECHEMA, and Thomas Scheuring, CEO of DECHEMAExhibitions, in a chat on the upcoming ACHEMA 2015.

• Dr. Scheuring, one year to go untilACHEMA 2015—are you relaxed or start-ing to get nervous?sCheuring: neither of the two—there’stoo much work to be done to be relaxed,and we are too optimistic to be nervous.optimism in this case means i am surethe 31st ACheMA will once again deliverwhat previous ACheMAs always did: Tobe the trend-setting event for our industrywith tons of new developments and in-novative technology on display.

• Are there any industry branches whichshow particular growth potential?sCheuring: We are, already now, closeto be fully booked in the automationgroup as well as in the pharma and pack-aging group. so obviously these bothsectors show substantial growth, but oth-er groups like thermal and mechanicalprocess technology, or the whole sector

of fluid handling are also very much indemand.

• You have selected three focal topicsfor the upcoming ACHEMA: Industrialbiotechnology, process analytics, aswell as industrial water management.Which expectations are connected withthese topics, and how do attendees findtheir way through the wealth of informa-tion?sCheuring: it has always been our aimto particularly address special topicswhich touch the pulse of our industry. Asshow organizers we are facing the chal-lenge to identify topics which are hot, ex-citing and new—but at the same timeadvanced and mature enough to offersomething you can display. for ACheMA2015 we are confident that all these threetopics are wisely chosen: White biotechwill revolutionize our industry through

new products and new reaction path-ways, process analytics is the link be-tween process automation and the labo-ratory sector, and water plays a key roleas a valuable resource all over the world.since it’s not an easy task to guide at-tendees through the exhibition accord-ingly we will offer specifically dedicatedinformationmaterial for each of the threefocal topics.

• Today there are many alternatives be-sides trade fairs to get in touchwith peo-ple from all over the world. Do you con-sider the new communication tools as athreat or an opportunity?sCheuring:We are aware of the fact thatmarketing budgets are highly fought overtoday, much more than they were tenyears ago. Andwe have also realized thatnew communication tools offer new op-tions for our visitors to be better preparedwhen attending an event, and to facilitateappointments between people whowantto arrange meetings beforehand. so ourgoal is to offer as much support as pos-sible to our attendees prior to the show.But at the end of the day, nothing beatsa personal talk. To meet colleagues fromall over the world face to face is some-thing you just can’t replace by somegadget.

• We are currently witnessing a world-wide shift of economic gravity centers.The rise of the BRIC states is an example,as well as the shale gas boom whichbrings the US back to the process indus-try’s landscape. How do you respond tothese changes?sCheuring: The BriC states—particu-larly China where we are holding our ownAchemAsia—have been in the focus ofour promotion campaign for a long time.Main goal is to bring key people fromthese regions to frankfurt as attendees,

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6 A special edition from PROCESS

particularly our US representative, are in-tensely discussing this perspective withour US customers. From an international

viewpoint thereis little doubtthat ACHEMA inFrankfurt is stillthe place to be ifyou want to stayin touch withyour interna-tional clientele.

• In the last issue of our newsletter youmentioned the Gulf region as one of ourindustry’s hotspots. Any news on that?SCHEURING: Correct—the Gulf is one ofthe key regions for the process industry,due to the large fossil resources, thecheap energy, and the willingness of localgovernments to increasingly invest in thedownstream and refining sector. But weare not the only ones to realize the re-gion’s potential, so the competition in

increasingly also as exhibitors when itcomes to countries like China or India.ACHEMA’s role as a communication hubfor our industrybecomes tangi-ble on specificevents for thesetarget groups, forinstance the “In-dia Day” or our“Chinese Net-working Recep-tion”. Andwe areholding press conferences in all thesecountries well before the exhibition toraise awareness within the local profes-sional community. So it’s no surprise thatwe see a steady increase of attendeesfrom all of these countries. The shale gasboom in the US is a different story. Weexpect some kind of reorientation of UScompanies towards their home market,probably with less focus on overseasmarkets. It goes without saying that we,

the trade fair sector is already quitefierce. And local organizers are naturallyhaving an edge over us as foreign organ-izers. At the moment it seems to be astory with a somewhat open end—wejust very recently had to accept the factthat we as trade fair organizers fromabroad are not always as welcome as wehad hoped to be. Furthermore, it lookslike the opinion leaders among our ex-hibitors are quite well connected by nowin the regional process industry, so theynot necessarily get an additional benefitfrom a platform organized alongside theACHEMA concept.

• Would you please finalize the followingstatements:ACHEMA’s long tradition is …SCHEURING: … an incentive and an obli-gation at the same time.

• Germany as an industrial base …SCHEURING: …will play a decisive role inthe world economy as long as our strivefor innovation prevails.

• International networking …SCHEURING: … is the key to fresh ideasfor our profession.

• ACHEMA’s most significant feature inthe year 2045 …SCHEURING: … will be what it always hasbeen: Bringing together key people fromall over the world.

• Dr. Scheuring, thankyou verymuch foryour time.

“At the end of the day, nothing beatsa personal talk. To meet colleaguesfrom all over the world face to face issomething you just can’t replace bysome gadget.”→ Dr. Thomas Scheuring, CEO of DECHEMA

Ausstellungs-GmbH

→ Save the DateNext ACHEMA:June 15–19, 2015Frankfurt am Main/GermanyInformation Service for newexhibitors:Tel. +49-69-7564-423Visit, Travel Information:Tel.+ 49-69-7564-249Congress: Tel. +49-69-7564-254www.achema.de

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While there are enough scientificcongresses for our discipline,only few of them are particularly

addressing a practice-oriented perspec-tive. And although there might be somecompetition between conference and ex-hibition at ACHEMA, both parts benefitfrom each other. Attendees get insightsthrough the conference in addition to theexhibits, and on an advanced level—andexhibitors have the chance to enhancetheir product presentations by sometechnological context.Furthermore, school and university stu-

dents have their own special programmeat ACHEMA, giving the next genera-tion—tomorrow’s customers and em-ployees!—an all-round introduction tothe world of process engineering.ACHEMA 2015 will be highlighted by

three focal topics which touch the pulseof our industry:• ‘Biobased World’: key venue for indus-trial (“white”) biotechnology

• Innovative Process Analytical Technol-ogy (PAT): bridging the gap betweenautomation and analytics

• Industrial Water Management: con-cepts for ecologically and economicallyefficient water cyclesThe ACHEMA Congress itself spans the

complete spectrum of process engineer-ing themes, complementing the classicaltopics with cutting-edge lecture series,and thus reflecting the multifaceted di-versity of the exhibition:• Energy Efficient Processes• Flexible Production (resources/dynam-ics)

• Alternative Raw Materials• Thermal & Electrical Power Engineering• Power to Chemicals

ACHEMAConFEREnCE 2015

• Advanced Fluids• nanotechnology• Electrochemical Technologies• Bioprocesses: Reactors, Monitoring,Modelling, Downstream Processing

• novel Biocatalysts: Development andApplication

• Single-Use Technologies• Progress in Laboratory and AnalyticalTechniques

• Digital Plant Engineering• Modular Plant Conceptions• Catalysis• Microprocess Engineering• Reaction Engineering• Mixing and Separation Technology• Solids Processing• Plant Components• Pharmaceutical Production• Safety• Plant Control• Materials and Materials Testing

ACHEMA Praxis Forum• Pharmaceutical Production• Plant Components• Laboratory Techniques• Plant Control• Mixing & Separation Techniques

The web portal for submitting contribu-tions is online via http://www.achema.de/congress until 31 August 2014. Lecturetime is 20 minutes, and the conferencelanguage is English. Abstracts of all ac-cepted contributionswill be accessible inadvance through ACHEMAonline. n

Is research delivering for industry? That is, in a nutshell, the keyquestion and background motif of the conference being held in con-junction with the ACHEMA exhibition.

DR. THoMAS SCHEURIng

→ Further InformationCongress Team of DECHEMAE-Mail: lecture@achema.dePhone: +49-69-7564-254

T. Scheuring, CEO DECHEMA Ausstellungs-GmbH

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8 A special edition from PROCESS

In order to reach the goal of reducingnational CO2 emissions by 80% until2050, electricity generation in Germany

is successively shifted towards regenera-tive sources with a focus on wind andsolar power. According to current fore-casts, by 2020more than 100 GWofwindand solar power will be installed. Thisamounts to ca. 200% of German de-mand. The excess electricity that is gener-ated at times of high solar intensity orintense wind has to be used wisely. Thefollowing thoughts on different optionsare based on the principles of minimalenergy loss and usage with the highestpossible added value. This leads to ahierarchical order of usage.

Step 1:Use Electricity Directly

A relevant option is the increasing elec-trification of industrial processes. Exam-ples are thermal split of methane to ob-tain hydrogen and carbon or the plas-machemical generation of acetylene and

MAkInG ThE MOsT OfExCEss ElECTrICITy

Picture:fotolia

©xk

The German “Energiewende” is nationally one of the most controversial issues; internationally, politics,experts and economists are watching closely how Germany is going to handle the transition from fossilenergy resources to wind, solar and other renewable resources. Taking the political commitment as givenand leaving out questions of price and economic compensation, there remains a range of technical is-sues. One of them, the use of excess electricity, has been the topic of a recently published discussionpaper; this is a condensed version of the original document.

Hydrogen that cannot be used di-rectly can be converted and storedby chemical means.

→ reports and Position PapersCurrent positions on topics of chemical technology, biotechnology, education andinterdisciplinary issues you will find at:www.dechema.de/en/studien-path-123212.html

The authors: W. Leitner, RWTH Aachen; F. Schüth, MPI fürKohlenforschung Mülheim; K. Wagemann, DECHEMA e.V.

PrOf. Dr. WAlTEr lEITnErPrOf. Dr. fErDI sChüThPrOf. Dr. kurT WAGEMAnn

A special edition from PROCESS 9

hydrogen from methane. Electrocatalyti-cal processes to convert for example CO2

or for more complex syntheses are alsoconceivable. If these concepts and flexi-ble production processes—that need yetto be developed—are combined with lo-cating energy-intensive industries closeto generation facilities, an improved de-mand sidemanagement will become fea-sible.

Step 2: Convert Electricityto Hydrogen and Use It Directly

If excess electricity cannot be useddirectly, the electrolysis of water isthe most relevant secondary op-tion. The resulting hydrogen canbe used in various ways to pro-duce chemicals or energy. The firstpriority is to use it directly in in-dustrial processes, realizing thehighest possible value added. Po-tential buyers are chemical plants(hydrogenation, hydroformylation,processing of CO2 to formic acid ormethanol), biorefineries and pet-rochemical refineries as well asmetallurgical plants.Storing hydrogen in large cav-

erns can serve as a temporary buff-er for production peaks or for lev-eling out supply for continuousprocesses.A further option could be to feed

hydrogen to the existing naturalgas grid and use it energeticallytogether with the gas.

Step 3:Chemical Storage of HydrogenHydrogen that cannot be used di-rectly can be converted and storedby chemical means. One option isto produce high-energymoleculesas fuels. Secondly, hydrogen canbe bound reversibly in chemicalmolecules and set free accordingto demand. Suitable reactions in-clude processing with CO2 tometh-ane, methanol or formic acid orusing Fischer-Tropsch to producealkanes as fuels. Aromatic hydro-carbons can also be used as “hy-drogen carriers”.

Step 4:Re-Conversion to Electricity

The method for electricity genera-tion depends on the form in whichhydrogen is stored and rangesfrom gas turbines to units for re-

The future energy system requires long-term and seasonal storage capacities.Mechanical or electrical storage offer in-sufficient energy density. Chemical stor-age is the only method meeting the re-quirements. Politics, industry and re-search have to workhand in hand in ordertomeet the technological challenges andavert economical risks for German indus-try while at the same time opening path-ways for a non-fossil and non-nuclearfuture for Germany and for technology ex-port worldwide. n

versible electrolysis and traditional gaspower plants.Besides technical requirements, the

implementation of the various options foruse, storage or electricity generation de-pends on economic conditions and soci-etal acceptance. Which process will im-plemented will be decided by the marketconditions where storage is part of theelectricity system as a whole. It is there-fore necessary to create a broad scien-tific and technological basis for theseprocesses.

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10 A special edition from PROCESS

There is a 21st-century gold rush go-ing on in the United States, andwhile a large part of its success is

already locked in, larger questions re-main for its effects in the next decade,and the overall impact it will have on thechemical process industries worldwide.The source of this gold rush is the im-

pact of hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”)on a massive expansion of natural gasand natural gas liquids (NGLs) in the USeconomy. Already, fracking is reshapingthe landscape of regions of the US suchas Texas, Pennsylvania, and swaths ofthe Midwestern United States, includingthe Dakotas (North andSouth), Ohio andWest Virginia. Obscure geological termslike “Brakken shale” and “Marcellusshale” are becoming the common lingoof landowners and governmental regula-tors around the country. The fracking rev-olution has already reshaped US energypolicy on amassive scale; but for the glo-bal chemical industry, the question toask is how broadly fracking technologywill reshape NGL supplies in Europe, Rus-sia, the Middle East and elsewhere.The United States has been a major

producer of oil and gas for over a century,but in the past two decades, it haswatched as supplies of those commodi-ties dwindled, and as its leading petro-chemical producers have shifted theirinvestments to theMiddle East, North Af-rica and certain regions of South Asia andSouth America, as more—andmore eco-nomical—supplies of NGLs becameavailable. Now, the shoe is definitely onthe other foot: the American ChemistryCouncil is charting investment in US-based petrochemical production of over$100 billion over the next ten years. Thatinvestment, in turn, will inject some $70

ChANGiNG ThE BALANCE

USeastern seaboard and Gulf Coast havenot just been shelved—a few of them arebeing revamped to provide export capac-ity of LNG. Their world has literally turnedupside down (more about the implica-tions of this export potential later).There are several cautionary notes to

sound: the environmental impact of lar-gescale fracking in regions of the US notaccustomed to a gold-rush mentali-ty—notably the state of New York—are aconcern and aremeeting significant localresistance. The USEnvironmental Protec-tion Agency is dithering on regulations ofwhat is injected into the deep wells thatdraw shale gas to the surface, and howthe produced water that comes up withthe gas is to be treated. And there arema-jor “midstream” hurdles to overcome—the gathering stations, fractionationplants, pipelines, storage facilities andother infrastructure necessary to bringboth gas and crude oil to processingplants in the Gulf Coast and elsewhere.But the possibly biggest hurdle—and

one that shows the scope of the boomalready underway—is that the currentslate of capital investments, peakingaround 2015–2017, could draw literallyhalf of all craft workers—pipefitters,welders, millwrights and the rest—avail-

billion in product value, annually, intothe world economy by 2020.“This is a historic milestone for Ameri-

ca’s chemical industry and proof thatshale gas is a powerful driver ofmanufac-turing growth,” said ACC President andCEO Cal Dooley, in a statement last Febru-ary. “Thanks to the shale gas productionboom, the United States is the most at-tractive place in the world to invest inchemical and plasticsmanufacturing. it’san astonishing gain in competitiveness.”What makes this “astonishment” all

the more significant is that the UnitedStates, a highly developed economy,draws resources from around the world tosustain its economic growth. Productionand utilization of petrochemicals is al-ready highly integrated into its economy.Now, as its economy—as is the case inmuch of the rest of the developedworld—is healing from the effects of theglobal financial crisis and economicdownturns of 2008–2009, a gift hasdropped from the sky (literally, has risenfrom the earth) in the form of massivesupplies of low-cost energy and feed-stocks. The most dramatic effect, argua-bly, is that plans that started in the mid-1990s for importing liquefied natural gas(LNG) at a handful of locations along the

Picture:WEG

WirtschaftsverbandErdö

l-undErdgasgewinnung

An ongoing boom in gas and oilsupplies in the United States ischanging the balance of globalchemical production.

NiChOLAS BASTA

Preparations for a fracking

N. Basta is a business and technology journalist in New York.

A special edition from PROCESS 11

able in the entire United States to theGulf Coast area. That’s a tall order.

Energy Supply BulgeFor several years running now, every timethe USEnergy Information Administration(EIA), a government analytical agency,performs a projection of future domesticgas and oil supplies, it has upped its es-timates. The latest, generated in late 2013(a complete report will beavailable from EIA aboutthe time this article is pub-lished) forecasts a near50% increase in domesticproduction of oil, NGLs andother liquids, from around10 million bbl per dayequivalent in 2008, thestart of the boom, to apeak in the late-2010s ataround 15 million bbl/d.Natural gas production,

running at around 17 tril-lion cu.ft./yr in the mid-2000s, is rising like a tidalwave. It will double toaround 35 tcf/yr by 2030—and then keep rising! (EIAmakes a variety of projec-tions, based not just on ex-ploitable resources but al-so the economic capacityto exploit them; thus thisprojection could bemoder-ated in the interveningyears by other macroeco-nomic forces.)EIA’s forecasts have al-

ready built in an expecta-tion that the US will be ex-porting gas and liquid hy-drocarbon products in thenear future. It is a subjectof active discussion bothamong energy and chemi-cal traders and politicalleaders; the questions sur-rounding it have only in-tensified after Russia’s an-nexation of Crimea, andthe turmoil going on inUkraine in its aftermath.(Ukraine is both a majorbeneficiary of Russian gasfor its internal energyneeds, and a major trans-mission point for Russiangas into Europe.)

are now seeing prices that are among thelowest in the world. A study by the Amer-ican Chemistry Council, normalizing gasprices around the world in 2012, showedUS average around $2.70 per millionBTUs. The comparable prices in otherparts of the world: China ($9.05); UnitedKingdom ($9.48); Germany ($11.86); Ko-rea ($15.57); Japan ($15.59). Other re-gions, specifically the Middle East, Rus-

sia itself and Canada, had prices equal toor below the US price; the catch there isthat their economies would need to behighly export-driven to affect overall pet-rochemical supplies in the world.

The Ethylene BenchmarkWhat is a definite today is that ethylene,a most basic petrochemical, has seen itsprice halved in the United States since

Purely on a pricing crite-rion, US gas consumers

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12 A special edition from PROCESS

the mid-2000s. Ethylene, produced bycracking ethane gas (or, for oil-based pro-ducers, naphtha cracking), is both thestarting point for a significant fraction ofspecialty chemicals, and a benchmarkfor petrochemical supplies and produc-tion.Just in the past two years, as the full

impact of the shale gas boom has beencomprehended, the number of ethylenecracking furnace projects has jumped toeleven. Most of these are in the early en-gineering and permitting stages rightnow, although projects by ExxonMobil,Dow Chemical and Sasol (all in the GulfCoast area) are fairly advanced. Exxon-Mobil is planning a 1.5-million metric-ton/yr expansion at its Baytown, TX, facil-ity—already the largest petrochemicalplant in the US, and the largest ethyleneproduction site in the world. Shell, Chev-ron Phillips, Occidental and FormosaPlastics join the other petrochemical pro-ducers with plans for world-scale ethyl-ene plants to come online in the next fiveyears.The ethylene boom is having a ripple

effect among engineering and construc-tion (E&C) firms as well. The so-called“Ethylene Club”—KBR, Fluor (which ispartnered with Japan’s JGC), Lummus,Technip and Linde is growing; Linde hasan alliance with Bechtel to bring the lat-ter’s procurement and construction capa-bilities into the mix. Technip, having ab-sorbed Stone & Webster in 2012, is wellpositioned to pick up business in NorthAmerica.

Ethylene of course is not the only feed-stock to benefit from the shale gas boom.Ammonia-based fertilizer plants will beplanned; aswell as propylene derivativesand others. Nor should the prospects ofgas-to-liquids plants be overlooked;while the parallel boom in shale oil ischanging the dynamics of oil refining justas petrochemicals’ dynamics havechanged, the availability of cheap gasmakes production of transportation fuelsattractive.Most chemical producers of all types,

as well as metals, minerals and otherforms of basic manufacturing, are bene-fiting from the lowered costs of heat andenergy wrought by the shale gas boom.It’s not just as a feedstock, but also as an

energy source, that US-based manufac-turers will enjoy economic advantages.Gas prices have been fairly volatile in re-cent months, as a cold winter jacked upspot prices, but even if the exportmarketfor gas and petroleum liquids emerges asEIA expects, the outlook is bright. Eventu-ally other countries will see a similar gas-supply boom as fracking technology isexploited, especially in China, Argentina,Algeria, Canada and Mexico.All in all, the world is still an unstable

place when geopolitics, economic turbu-lence, and overall energy supplies areconsidered. But for the time being, andfrom a North American perspective, sup-plies and production of chemicals are ona comfortable upward trend. n

Source:EIA–U.S.Energy

Inform

ationAd

ministra

tion

U.S. petroleum an other liquid fuels supply by source, 1970–2040 (million barrels per day)

Picture:Schw

erFitting

Standardised tolerances and surface fin-ish guarantee leakproof pipe connec-tions in high pressure, as well as vacuumapplications. The special design of twinferrule fittings allows vibrations and pres-sure pulses to be absorbed, without anyfear of leackage. This ensures a widerange of applications in industry, labora-tory, andmeasurement system areas. Theuse of high quality stainless steel guar-antees a long service free life, also in thechemical industry. Schwer Fitting’s “U2”twin ferrule fittings, from 316 stainlesssteel as standard, are supplied assem-bled and ready to use. Even under heavyvibration conditions couplings guaranteea safe operation at high pressure or vac-uum. This is achieved through four effec-tive design details:

• The back ferrule affords damping oftube circuit vibrations through a springlike action. Furthermore, it prevents acarry-over of tightening torque from thecoupling nut to front ferrule.

• The front ferrule circumferentially sealsthe surface between the tube and thecoupling. Due to the inner taper thefront ferrule is pressed into the tube sothat a pressure-tight impression isformed.

• Silvering of the coupling nut thread pre-vents seizing of the stainless steel cou-pling. This allows multi-use of a cou-pling.

• A deep pipe bore, and entry taper, guar-antees accurate positioning and cen-tring of the tube.On request, parts can also be supplied

fromHastelloy, Titanium and other highlyalloyd materials. Special tests and ap-provals are possible.

STAINLESS STEEL TWIN FERRULE FITTINGS

→ More information, www.schwer.com

A special edition from PROCESS 13

Sadara Chemical Company is anew joint venture established inOctober 2011 between the Sau-di Arabian Oil Company ‘SaudiAramco’ and the Dow ChemicalCompany ‘Dow’. This new un-dertaking by the two giants intheir businesses is a $ 20 billioninvestment with a product mixthat is highly specialized. Sa-dara will be a game-changerand among the world’s mostcompetitive petrochemicals en-terprises, offering a highly sta-ble earnings profile made pos-sible by a confluence of ena-bling conditions that will per-fectly position Sadara for suc-cess. It is precisely the kind ofproject Saudi Arabia wants topursue both for its commercialattractiveness and for its posi-tive impact on the Saudi na-tional agenda.The PlasChem Park initiative ledby the Royal commission of Ju-bail and Yanbu (RC) andSadarawill contribute to the local GDPthrough employment, elimina-tion of imports, and enhancingthe value of the exports thusmaking a positive impact to theSaudi economy.

PlasChem Park in JubailThe PlasChem Park is an 8square kilometer site dedicatedfor chemical and conversion in-dustry in Jubail 2 next to Sadaranew complex. This is a collabo-rative effort between Sadaraand the Royal Commission toestablish a world class indus-trial park for chemical and con-version industries in Jubail. ThePlasChem Park will be locatednext to Sadara Complex in Ju-bail and it will consist of twomain parks; the Chemical Parkand the Conversion Park.The Chemical Park tenants willreceive intermediates from Sa-dara streams such as C4’s,cracked fuel oil, pygas, wastestreams and use these streamsfor their chemical content toproduce final products. Theseproducts can be sold in the lo-

cal or export market or suppliedto the Conversion Park tenantsfor further processing and con-version. The Conversion Parktenants will receive final prod-ucts mainly from Sadara or theChemical Park or other Jubail

ing Sadara’s live-webinar re-cently recorded in cooperationwith Dechema.

Bright investment OppOrtunities in saudi araBiaplayers for further conversionby investors involved with fab-rication or custom formulation.Additional first-hand insightfrom key players in Saudi Ara-bia’s chemical sector is availa-ble on www.achema.de by view-

→ For more information, feelfree to contact Ms SinianHuang: huang@dechema.de

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14 A special edition from PROCESS

→ International Events Organized by DECHEMA

• May 06–09, 2014: EuroPACT 2014 – 3rd European Conferenceon Process Analytics and Control Technology, Barcelona/Spain

• May 13–16, 2014: EBSA 2014 – 17th Annual Conference of theEuropean Biosafety Association, Ghent/Belgium

• May 26–28, 2014: Biomaterials – Made in Bioreactors, Rade-beul/Germany

• June 3–5, 2014: Trends in Metabolomics – Analytics and Appli-cations, Frankfurt am Main/Germany

• June 25–27, 2014: 3D Cell Culture 2014 – Advanced Model Sys-tems, Applications & Enabling Technologies, Freiburg/Germany

• September 7–11, 2014: 20th International Solvent ExtractionConference 2014, Würzburg/Germany

• September 8–11, 2014: 6th Int. Conference of the Federation ofEuropean Zeolite Associations (FEZA), Leipzig/Germany

• September 8–12, 2014: EUROCORR 2014 – European CorrosionCongress, Pisa/Italy

• September 14–17, 2014: 10th International Conference onDistillation & Absorption 2014, Friedrichshafen/Germany

→ Further Information:

DECHEMA e.V., Congress OfficeTheodor-Heuss-Allee 25, 60486 Frankfurt am Main/GermanyPhone +49 (0)69 7564-129/-333/-249; Fax +49 (0)69 7564-176E-mail tagungen@dechema.de Internet www.dechema.de

Have you ever thought aboutthe fact that each and everycompany present at ACHEMAtoday has at some point start-ed from scratch? Somewheresomebody one day had an ideahe was enthusiastic about, andhe set upon the journey of en-trepreneurship …In 2015, creative minds willagain start on this exciting jour-ney—but not alone. TheACHEMA Gründerpreis (ACHE-MA Founder’s Award) that isestablished for the first timeaims at easing their first steps.Organized by DECHEMA, theBusiness Angels Frank-furtRheinMain and the HighTech Gründerfonds and sup-ported by the VCI, the VDI andthe AiF, the ACHEMA Gründer-preis offers the participantssupport in several ways.Innovative business ideas in theareas of energy, industrial bio-technology and analytics andmeasurement may be submit-ted—no matter whether theyare still only an idea, at theconcept stage, whether a de-tailed business plan has alreadybeen prepared or even a start-up company has been estab-lished.All accepted participants are as-signed to amentor who advisesthem on how to establish or im-prove their scheme. At the endof thismentoring process, eachparticipant should have asound business plan.Participants that enter the com-petition with a business plan athand have right from the startthe opportunity to meet poten-tial investors. At matching

meetings and other events,they can present their businessplan to venture capitalists andbusiness angels. Thus, theyhave the chance to receive fi-nancing quickly and independ-ent of their success or the time-line of the competition.All business plans submittedbefore the end of 2014 enterthe second stage of the compe-tition. An expert panel from sci-ence, industry and financingwill examine all contributionscarefully andwill select ten par-ticipants from each topical cat-egory. These potential founderswill give a presentation to thepanel and answer any ques-tions regarding the economicand scientific feasibility of theirconcept.Three finalists from each cate-gory will be invited to ACHEMA2015. They have the chance topresent their innovation to aglobal audience of 170,000.The winner in each category willbe announced in a public cer-emony. Each winner receives10,000 Euro—and of coursethe invaluable visibility only theleading event for the processindustries can offer.So, if you are interested in in-novation, don’t miss the standof the ACHEMA Gründerpreisfinalists in Hall 9.2 duringACHEMA. Who knows—youmay meet one of the most im-portant exhibitors of ACHEMA2030?

→ If you are a potential founder,apply today atwww.achema.de/gruenderpreis

MEET THE ExHIBITORS OFACHEMA 2030

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Find the solutionand win a couponof Amazon of €100

Closing date:

May 30, 2014*redaktion@process.de

The solution is changing the process industries,but may also help to make use of the prize.

redaktion@process.de

A special edition from PROCESS 15

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*There is no cash prize alternative. The judge’s decision is final and without a right of ap-peal. Employees of Vogel Business Media or their relatives are excluded from the dra-wing. The winner will be notified and announced on www.process-worldwide.com.

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Editorial Staffeditor-in-Chief: Gerd Kielburger, +49 (0)931/418 -2536,

gerd.kielburger@vogel.deeditor: Dr. Jörg Kempf, +49 (0)931/418 -2173,

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gabriele.ilg@vogel.deeditorial Office: Vogel Business Media GmbH & Co. KG,

Max-Planck-Str. 7/9, 97082 Wuerzburg, Germany,Telefax +49 (0)931/418 -2750, redaktion@process.dewww.process.de, www.process-worldwide.com

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Copyright: Vogel Business Media GmbH & Co KG. All rights reserved. Reprints,digital processing of all kinds and reproduction only by written permission of thepublisher.

A: AUMA Riester GmbH & Co. KG→www.auma.com 7

B: Berndorf Band GmbH→www.berndorf-band.at 4th cp

d: Düperthal SicherheitstechnikGmbH & Co. KG→www.dueperthal.com 9

G: GEA Wiegand GmbH→www.gea-wiegand.com 4

I: ILUDEST DestillationsanlagenGmbH→www.iludest.de 13

J: JESSBERGER GmbH→www.jesspumpen.de 14JULABO GmbH→ www.julabo.de 11

s: Schwer Fittings GmbH→www.schwer.com 3