Author: Dave Maher

January 2010 – PROCESS was officially notified that it is now an approved contractor for process engineering services to Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC). SABIC is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of chemicals, fertilizers, plastics, and metals. SABIC is also is the largest non-oil company in the Middle East and one of the world’s five largest petrochemicals manufacturers.

PROCESS is exclusively represented in Saudi Arabia by House of Energy & Industrial Technologies Co. Ltd. (HOEIT). Without the expert assistance and support of HOEIT this vendor approval would not have been possible. This approval is one more step towards securing increased process engineering work from abroad.

Oak Ridge, Tennessee – January 30, 2009 – Process Engineering Associates, LLC (PROCESS) announces the immediate formation of PROCESS ENGINEERING INTERNATIONAL, LLC, a U.S. based chemical engineering company that will focus primarily on the need for chemical engineering services in the overseas markets.  The overall goal of Process Engineering International will be to provide expert process simulation, process design, construction oversight, and process safety solutions to non-U.S. based clients.

The formation of a subsidiary company to concentrate only on international chemical engineering work will complement PROCESS‘ domestic operations by allowing overseas customers to realize the same high quality service and innovative solutions to which U.S. customers have become accustomed.

Based in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (USA), Process Engineering International will use the resources of a multitude of chemical engineers and chemical engineering tools to provide services to improve operations of overseas clients. Personnel are available to do work remotely or at the client’s location, virtually anywhere in the world.

Process Engineering International has access to staff with on-site experience in Europe, Asia, and North America.  A partial list of targeted industries includes chemical production, petroleum refining, petrochemical production, alternative fuels generation, pharmaceuticals, waste/wastewater treatment, and many others.

For additional information on Process Engineering International, call the main office at +1 865 220 8732 or visit their web site at www.processengr-intl.com.

Earlier this year PROCESS signed an agreement with a company named House of Energy & Industrial Technologies Co. Ltd. (HOEIT) to act as a sales Representative for our services in Saudi Arabia. In support of these efforts, and with the expert assistance of HOEIT, PROCESS applied for and was granted official approval as an out of country supplier of engineering services to Saudi Aramco. Saudi Aramco is the national oil company of Saudi Arabia. It is the largest oil corporation in the world with the largest proven crude oil reserves and production. This approval is one step towards securing increased process engineering design work from abroad.

USA Today recently ran an article on a project to design and test a CO₂ Capture Pilot-Plant at a Coal-Fired Power Plant. PROCESS provided significant process design and engineering services to this project as a subcontractor to Lambert Engineers, Inc. After running the plant, Alstom officials now say preliminary data shows that carbon capture demonstration project is successful.

Read a summary of our role in the CO₂ Capture Pilot-Plant Project

Mr. Noel Romey (B.S., Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas, 2004), is currently interning in PROCESS’ Oak Ridge, Tennessee office.  Noel is unique in that he is, as far as anyone knows, the first blind since birth chemical engineer in history!  His internship is part of his graduate school work and is meant to demonstrate his ability to do commercial sector chemical engineering as well as to discover the technological obstacles that need to be overcome in the future such that he can become a fully-independent worker in a competitive free market environment.

Using specialized equipment, Noel can perform computer process simulations using PROCESS’ licensed commercial process simulation software, Chemstations’ CHEMCAD.  Thus far, Noel has produced several comprehensive petroleum refinery simulations:

• Diesel hydrotreater
• Amine treater
• Scot tail gas unit
• Fuel gas treater
• Sour water stripper

In addition, Noel has generated simulations for client-specific projects in the Oak Ridge office:

• Methanol and glycerine fractionation systems for a biodiesel production facility
• High-purity propylene fractionation system for a hydrocarbon light ends production company

Noel has also performed a boiling point curve analysis of a hydrocarbon feed stream and characterized the stream in terms of paraffinic hydrocarbon compounds in support of a process evaluation project.  Finally, he completed the simulation that appears in PROCESS’ Excel Interface demonstration video and wrote the original text for the demonstration verbal presentation.

It has been a great learning experience, for both Noel and PROCESS.  We are very glad to have him here.

PROCESS was presented a plaque of appreciation and recognition by the Spallation Neutron Source Target Utilities Lead engineer, Lorelei Jacobs, shortly after startup in 2006. It was given in recognition for the significant contributions made with regards to the target area utilities systems design, installation, testing, and startup. These systems are critical to the operation of this new fundamental physics research facility. Through the contributions of many, these systems were ready on schedule and operated as designed.

Congratulations to all!