Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast

In this episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast, we’re joined by Alexander Wolf, Global Segment Manager Chemicals, IPCO.
Alexander explains why successful sulfur projects depend on a combination of proven equipment, engineering expertise, and global operational support.

We explore:

• Some of the significant changes that are taking place across the global sulfur industry.
• Why sulfur solidification is far more than simply the final processing step.
• How digital engineering tools are changing the way sulfur handling projects are planned and delivered.
• The benefits of different sulfur solidification technology options.
• The importance of engineering support.
• And much more.

This episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast is sponsored by Xylem. 

From dirt to consumption, Xylem supports successful water and wastewater treatment projects across energy production from the wellhead to a refinery's compliant effluent. Xylem brings the experience, treatment expertise and integrated solutions needed to support complex water projects.

For all water movement and treatment to monitoring, commissioning, and field support, Xylem helps customers turn challenging water streams into practical reuse opportunities. Xylem delivers integrated solutions to safely treat water, protect the environment, and support responsible energy production. Visit xylem.com.

In this episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast, Logan Ballard, Key Account Manager, Energy, Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine, explores how asset owners can take a proactive approach to corrosion prevention throughout the entire asset lifecycle.

From design-phase specification decisions to maintenance and rehabilitation strategies, Logan shares practical insights on reducing corrosion risk, extending asset life and lowering total cost of ownership. Listeners will learn how new coating technologies are helping owners improve fabrication efficiency, mitigate corrosion under insulation (CUI) and even eliminate CUI risks altogether through alternative thermal insulation approaches.

Logan discusses:

• How early design and specification decisions influence long-term maintenance costs and asset reliability
• Ways fast-curing coating technologies can improve fabrication shop throughput and accelerate project schedules
• The role of advanced coating systems in protecting various equipment operating in demanding environments
• How thermally insulative coatings can serve as an alternative to traditional insulation systems while eliminating the risk of CUI
• Strategies for reducing maintenance costs, minimising operational disruptions and extending service life
• The importance of technical support, applicator training and proper installation practices in achieving long-term performance.

For more information, visit protective.sherwin.com.

This episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine.

Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine delivers world-class industry subject matter expertise, unparalleled technical and specification service, and unmatched regional commercial team support to customers around the globe, including in the energy market. The company’s broad portfolio of high-performance coatings and systems – including protective liquid and powder coatings, as well as fire protection coatings – excel at combating corrosion and help customers achieve smarter, time-tested asset protection. For more information, visit protective.sherwin.com.

In this episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast, we’re joined by Simon Rogers, Chief Technology Officer at KBC (A Yokogawa Company). Simon explains how physics-based models, AI, and contextualised enterprise data are converging to improve performance and decision making in the downstream sector.

We discuss: 

• What has changed in the industry that makes process twins and industrial AI possible today.
• Why process twins are a prerequisite for industrial AI.
• Organisational and cultural challenges facing refiners when implementing process twins and industrial AI.
• Practical steps that refiners should take today to prepare for increasingly autonomous operations.
• And much more.

This episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine.

Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine delivers world-class industry subject matter expertise, unparalleled technical and specification service, and unmatched regional commercial team support to customers around the globe, including in the energy market. The company’s broad portfolio of high-performance coatings and systems – including protective liquid and powder coatings, as well as fire protection coatings – excel at combating corrosion and help customers achieve smarter, time-tested asset protection. For more information, visit protective.sherwin.com.

In this episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast, we explore the growing security concerns surrounding unauthorised drone operations near critical infrastructure. 

We’re joined by Matthew Fuller, Senior Policy Analyst, Regulatory Affairs, at American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), to discuss the US Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) proposed rule for implementing Section 2209 of the FAA Reauthorization, Safety, and Security Act of 2016. This would create a framework for addressing unauthorised unmanned aircraft systems operating near fixed-site critical infrastructure.

We consider the importance of the proposed regulations, the risks drones pose to refinery and petrochemical facilities, and the need for a balanced, risk-based approach that protects security while supporting legitimate drone use and innovation.

This episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine.

Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine delivers world-class industry subject matter expertise, unparalleled technical and specification service, and unmatched regional commercial team support to customers around the globe, including in the energy market. The company’s broad portfolio of high-performance coatings and systems – including protective liquid and powder coatings, as well as fire protection coatings – excel at combating corrosion and help customers achieve smarter, time-tested asset protection. For more information, visit protective.sherwin.com.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is approaching a critical turning point. In this episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast, we speak with Algert Prifti, CCUS Solutions Portfolio Manager at Black & Veatch, about what is driving the shift towards commercial carbon capture adoption, from the growth of gas-fired power for data centres to emerging opportunities across industrial facilities.

We explore the challenges holding projects back, what it takes to move from concept to construction, how to select the right capture technology, and the role of engineering and project planning in delivering successful CCS projects. Algert also shares real-world case studies from Black & Veatch and his outlook on what is needed to scale CCS in the years ahead.

This episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine.

Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine delivers world-class industry subject matter expertise, unparalleled technical and specification service, and unmatched regional commercial team support to customers around the globe, including in the energy market. The company’s broad portfolio of high-performance coatings and systems – including protective liquid and powder coatings, as well as fire protection coatings – excel at combating corrosion and help customers achieve smarter, time-tested asset protection. For more information, visit protective.sherwin.com.

Peter Davidson, CEO of the Tank Storage Association (TSA), returns to the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast to discuss the changing role of tank storage in a rapidly evolving energy landscape.

He explores the impact of geopolitical uncertainty, security of supply, the energy transition, process safety, and workforce wellbeing, as well as what lies ahead for the sector.

This episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine.

Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine delivers world-class industry subject matter expertise, unparalleled technical and specification service, and unmatched regional commercial team support to customers around the globe, including in the energy market. The company’s broad portfolio of high-performance coatings and systems – including protective liquid and powder coatings, as well as fire protection coatings – excel at combating corrosion and help customers achieve smarter, time-tested asset protection. For more information, visit protective.sherwin.com.

Midstream may sit between upstream and downstream, but the engineering challenges it faces are interrelated, from safety and emissions management to measurement and human capital. 

In this episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast, Dave Curtis, Vice President of Technical Services at GPA Midstream, explores the vital role of industry collaboration in developing solutions to some of these challenges.

We explore:

• Technical opportunities to improve performance, reliability and environmental outcomes.
• How to balance emissions compliance with operational efficiency.
• Emerging technologies that will have the greatest impact on the sector.
• The importance of alignment between industry-developed standards and government regulations.

Dave also offers a preview of the upcoming GPA Midstream Convention, which brings together operators, suppliers, engineers, and technical experts from across the industry each year.

This episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine.

Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine delivers world-class industry subject matter expertise, unparalleled technical and specification service, and unmatched regional commercial team support to customers around the globe, including in the energy market. The company’s broad portfolio of high-performance coatings and systems – including protective liquid and powder coatings, as well as fire protection coatings – excel at combating corrosion and help customers achieve smarter, time-tested asset protection. For more information, visit protective.sherwin.com.

The cyber threats facing the oil and gas sector are constantly evolving, and are more urgent now than ever before.
We talk to Auke Huistra, Director for Industrial and OT Security at DNV Cyber, about what companies in the energy sector can do to improve their cyber resilience.

Listen to discover:

• How the threat landscape has evolved, alongside a shift in leadership mindset.
• The five key challenges of cybersecurity.
• Why the energy transition is reshaping attitudes to cyber risk.
• How to close the gap between identifying threats in IT and OT environments.
• What you should be prioritising on your cybersecurity journey.
• And much more.

This episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine.

Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine delivers world-class industry subject matter expertise, unparalleled technical and specification service, and unmatched regional commercial team support to customers around the globe, including in the energy market. The company’s broad portfolio of high-performance coatings and systems – including protective liquid and powder coatings, as well as fire protection coatings – excel at combating corrosion and help customers achieve smarter, time-tested asset protection. For more information, visit protective.sherwin.com.

In this episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast, we speak with John Calce, Chairman and Founder of America First Refining, about the vision behind the US’ first new greenfield refinery since the 1970s.

We consider the role that it could play in strengthening US refining capacity and energy security, and the significance of its design to process 100% US shale oil.

We also explore the challenges of developing a new refinery in today's energy landscape, its impact on the local community, and the environmental strategies that have been built into the project from the outset.

This episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine.

Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine delivers world-class industry subject matter expertise, unparalleled technical and specification service, and unmatched regional commercial team support to customers around the globe, including in the energy market. The company’s broad portfolio of high-performance coatings and systems – including protective liquid and powder coatings, as well as fire protection coatings – excel at combating corrosion and help customers achieve smarter, time-tested asset protection. For more information, visit protective.sherwin.com.

Drones are rapidly becoming a key tool in the tank storage sector, offering new ways to improve safety, efficiency, and data insight. In this episode, Jay Cruz, Vice President of Government Affairs at the International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA), explores how drone technology is reshaping terminal operations.

We consider: 

• Whether we are past the trial phase for drone technology.
• Practical examples of how drones can improve safety and security at terminals.
• Potential security concerns and how they can be addressed.
• The implications of the Federal Aviation Administration’s proposed beyond visual line of sight rule change for industrial drone operations.
• And much more.

This episode of the Hydrocarbon Engineering Podcast is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine.

Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine delivers world-class industry subject matter expertise, unparalleled technical and specification service, and unmatched regional commercial team support to customers around the globe, including in the energy market. The company’s broad portfolio of high-performance coatings and systems – including protective liquid and powder coatings, as well as fire protection coatings – excel at combating corrosion and help customers achieve smarter, time-tested asset protection. For more information, visit protective.sherwin.com.