Emerson Exchange 365

The final post in our series of Q&A’s leading up to Emerson Global Users Exchange 2014 is a discussion of energy management with senior consultant Doug White and Ed Schodowski.

1.  What are the major trends impacting energy management in refining today?

Currently the glut of shale gas has made natural gas inexpensive in historic terms in North America. Globally, political instability and retirement of nuclear power plants has made gas prices high in many world areas. It continues to be a dynamic unpredictable cost into the future. 

2.  What are the major challenges/barriers to more efficient energy management in refining operations?

Major challenges continue to be top management focus and support of an energy efficient culture. Management needs to assign empowered resources to focus on an energy savings culture.

3.  What are the largest opportunities involving energy management in refining today?

The best opportunities are small- to mid-size high-ROI energy opportunities that require only small capital investments. We find many clients who reveal that they do not have all of the energy measurements in place to run optimally.  These types of investments can impact energy use by 5 to 10 percent.

4.  How can operators get ahead of the challenges and take advantage of these opportunities?

Refineries can get ahead of these opportunities by embracing new innovative technologies like WirelessHART. Since many refineries were built with the minimum amount of measurement instrumentation, the addition of energy measurements using wireless can provide valuable energy insight.  This technology allows the capability to monitor steam and energy distribution and loss, and using this information to more effectively plan steam trap replacement, heat exchanger cleaning, account and manage energy usage per process unit. In addition refiners can track energy consumption reduction initiatives such as maximizing equipment efficiency, maximizing use of most efficient equipment, reducing hot-standby, and reducing steam venting.

For more, make plans to attend the following relevant sessions at Emerson Exchange:

• The “Smart” Plant: Progress and Promise (Session 6-1869) on Wed., Oct. 8, at 1:15 pm and Thurs., Oct. 9, at 9:00 am.
• Automation to convert a refinery energy consumption from oil to gas to reduce emissions and energy costs in Mexico (Session 5-2301) on Tues., Oct. 7 at 3:00 pm and Thurs., Oct. 9, at 2:15 pm.

Also don’t miss this year’s Refining and Petrochemical Industry Forum on Mon., Oct. 6, at 2:30 pm, and the Refining Industry Mixer on Monday evening from 8:00 to 10:00 pm.