A breakthrough in styrene catalyst technology: An interview with Dr. Wolf Spaether of Clariant

In this episode, live from the AFPM Annual Meeting, Hydrocarbon Processing sat down with Ken West, President and CEO, Honeywell Process Technology, to discuss the latest trends in energy, refining and the industry's digital transformation. Mr. West shares insights on industry shifts, technological innovations, knowledge transfer, AI and strategic directions shaping the future of energy production and sustainability.

In this episode, Live from AFPM's Annual Meeting, Myron Bockholt, Director of Strategic Accounts-Chemical, LGG Industrial, discusses innovative sealing solutions, U.S. EPA emissions regulations and how their products help refineries reduce fugitive emissions. Gain insights into gasket technology, installation best practices and industry standards.

In this episode, Live from the AFPM Annual Meeting, Vic Scalco, Global Commercial Strategic Senior Manager, Gulftronics, discusses innovative technologies for refining industry profit enhancement, focusing on slurry clarification, dielectric separation and market applications.

In this episode, Jim Masso, President and CEO of Honeywell Process Automation, discusses the transformative impact of AI and digital technologies in the energy and process industries. Topics include AI applications, workforce upskilling, cybersecurity and future industry trends.

This episode explores strategies for optimizing project management efficiency in megaprojects with globally distributed teams. It covers challenges like communication barriers, technological fragmentation and stakeholder coordination, and presents practical solutions including digital tools, hybrid methodologies and real-world case studies.

This episode explores the vital role of biofuels in achieving sustainable mobility, emphasizing their compatibility with existing infrastructure, technological advancements and global impact.

This episode discusses the transformative impact of advanced analytics in the oil and gas sector, highlighting its role in enhancing productivity, optimizing processes and driving operational excellence. The conversation covers the data revolution in the industry, various applications of analytics, implementation strategies and case studies demonstrating successful optimization in refinery operations. The discussion emphasizes the importance of integrating analytics across organizational boundaries and empowering personnel with the necessary tools to leverage data effectively.

This episode features a conversation with Michael Sadoski, Sales Engineer at Hayward Tyler, a 200-yr-old UK-based specialty pump and motor manufacturer. Sadoski breaks down how motor pump technology improves safety, reliability and lifecycle costs compared with traditional sealed and mag-drive pumps—particularly in high-pressure, high-temperature and hazardous applications. The discussion covers real-world use cases across syngas processing, ammonia production and transport, hydrogen value chains, petrochemicals and oil and gas.

This podcast episode discusses the challenges and opportunities associated with e-fuels as a viable alternative to fossil fuels in the decarbonization of global transport. It highlights the economic, technological, and policy-related factors that influence the production and scalability of e-fuels, emphasizing the importance of location and integration of various stakeholders in the process.

In this episode, Dr. Wolf Spaether, Global Head of Product Management and Strategic Marketing for Ethylene, Clariant, discusses the groundbreaking StyroMax UL100 catalyst, which revolutionizes styrene monomer production by achieving unprecedented low steam-to-oil ratios. The conversation covers the significance of styrene in the petrochemical industry, the technical challenges in developing this catalyst and the positive market response it has received.