SYMPOSIUM INFORMATION

Date:  September 10^th - 14^th, 2012

Priority registration begins Monday, June 11^th (for attendees of last year's event and those on the waiting list).  Open registration begins Friday, June 25^th. 

For a number of operating companies, Brimstone uses appointed "Seat Block Coordinators" who handle registrations for attendees from their companies.  If you work for one of the following companies, please  contact your Company Coordinator before attempting to register:  

Maximum Enrollment

Registrations will be accepted and processed in the order in which they are received. Brimstone will limit the maximum number of attendees to 90 registrants.  We find that keeping the symposium to a modest size is key in encouraging participation.

Format

The symposium will take the form of organized presentations by industry experts, operating companies, and suppliers of products and services. Each session will include one or more open floor question and answer periods.  In addition to those papers, annual presentations covering important subjects such as safety and regulatory issues along with plant startups and shutdowns are given each year.  Alberta Sulphur Research Limited, the premier research organization for sulfur processing, presents one or more technical papers each year at the Brimstone Sulfur Symposium.  Annual presentations, including both a technical paper and a Q&A session, are also provided by the Amine Best Practices Group.  For a listing of recent presentations, see below.

Program Schedule

Location and Transportation

The symposium will be held at the Sonnenalp Resort of Vail.  Vail is approximately 120 miles west of the Denver International Airport. A shuttle van service to Vail is available at the Denver airport (Colorado Mountain Express: 800-525-6363, www.ridecme.com).  Because there are so many Vail Village restaurants, shops and services within easy walking distance of the Sonnenalp, many attendees don't bother with a car.

Registration Fee

The symposium registration fee ($1,250.00 USD) covers all symposium materials and lunches. Attendees are responsible for their own hotel accommodations, breakfasts, dinners (except Wednesday evening) and transportation.  The symposium is held in the Sonnenalp Resort Hotel, and discounted room rates ($189 per night) have been arranged for our attendees.

Cancellation Policy

The registration fee will be refunded in full if a cancellation notice is received on or before August 11^th.  After that date, if you find that you cannot attend but can send someone else from your company in your place, just have them register and send us an e-mail (or give us a call) and let us know.

Sulfur Symposium Technical Advisory Committee

The Brimstone Sulfur Symposium is proud to receive guidance from a committee consisting of many of the leaders of our industry.  They help shape the format and content of the symposia.  The current Technical Advisory Committee membership includes:

• Thomas Chow, Fluor Daniel, Inc
• Peter Clark, Alberta Sulphur Research Ltd.
• Paul d'Haêne, DANA Technical Services
• Johnny E. Johnson, URS (formerly Washington Group International)
• Dennis Koscielnuk, Jacobs Engineering
• John Morgan, John M. Campbell and Company
• Phil Oberbroeckling, Houston Refining, a LyondellBasell company 
• Robin Street, WorleyParsons
• Dave Sikorski, HEC Technologies Ltd.
• Lon H. Stern, Consultant (formerly Shell Global Solutions)
• Bart Welch, Chevron Products Company
• Al Keller, ConocoPhillips 

RECENT SYMPOSIUM PRESENTATIONS

2010 Papers

• "Key Design Features for a Successful SRU Option Implemented with Oxygen Enrichment Technology"  by Vincent W. Wong and Thomas K. Chow (Fluor Energy and Chemicals)
• "Understanding Furnace Vibration and Noise"  by Mike Porter (Porter McGuffie Inc.)
• "Use of Reclamation for Amine Quality Management"  by James Jenkins (Shell Global Solutions US) and Chris Daniels (ChemGroup Services, LLC)
• "Mythbusters Meets Steam Heating System Design"  by Thomas Willingham (Controls Southeast Inc.)
• "Amine Best Practices Group Introduction and Q&A"  Lon Stern (Consultant, representing the Amine Best Practices Group)
• "Acid Gas Balance Lines for Refinery Claus Systems"  by Nathan "Tex" Ritter (Flint Hills Resources, representing the Amine Best Practices Group)
• "Advances in the Development of Tail Gas Treatment, Liquid Sulfur Degassing, and Tail Gas Incineration" by P.D. Clark, M. Huang, N.I. Dowling, M.A. Shields and R. Sui (Alberta Sulphur Research Ltd.)
• "2010 Sulfur Recovery Regulatory Update" by Phil Oberbroeckling (Houston Refining, a LyondellBasell Company)
• "Acid Gas Injection System Design & Troubleshooting at Regency's Waha and Tilden Sites" by Kenneth McIntush and Carrie Ann M. Beitler (Trimeric Corporation), Charles B. Wallace (Consultant), David T. Miller and Daniel Wentworth (Regency Energy Partners), Peter F. Ellis (Corrosion Scientist)
• "Claus Reaction Furnace Temperature Measurement - An Overview" by Steve Croom (Delta Controls)
• "Review of Reaction Furnaces: From Burner to Tubesheet" by Andy Piper (Thorpe Corporation), Dave Sikorski (HEC), Domenica Misale-Lytle (Industrial Ceramics)
• "Better Amine System Operation Through Chemical Analysis" by Arthur L. Cummings and Glen D. Smith (MPR Services)
• "Sulfur Plant Start-Ups and Shutdowns" by Paul d'Haene (DANA Technical Services) and Doug Cicerone (Cicerone & Associates) 
• "Variable Cost Reduction Through Minimizing Utility Usage by an Effective Production Team"  by Katie Libich, Randy Stakes, Jon Moon and Stephen Perry (Shell Deer Park Refinery)
• "How to Collect, Form and Ship 4.5 Million Tons of Sulfur a Year" by Johnny Johnson, Dave Nulty and Dick Wissbaum (URS Energy & Construction)

2009 Papers

• "A Case History of Refractory Lining Improvements for O₂ Enriched Reactor Service" by Andy Piper (Thorpe), Shawn Olson (Total), Susan Grigson (Ortloff Engineers)
• "SRU Shutdown Systems - History & Basics" by Jim Hampsten (Principal Technology Engineering)
• "Tail Gas Unit Crime Scene Investigation - Vail" by Steve Massie (Criterion Catalysts)
• "Temperature Profile Monitoring in Amine Absorbers" by Bart Welch (Chevron USA, representing the Amine Best Practices Group)
• "Sulfur Plant Start-Ups and Shutdowns" by Paul d'Haene (DANA Technical Services)
• "Industrial Gas Supply for the Sulphur Recovery Industry" by Elmo Nasato & Uday Parakh (Goar Allison)
• "Amine Best Practices Group Q&A" by Lon Stern (Consultant, representing the Amine Best Practices Group)

• "Acid Gas Loading Error Analysis - Is the Analysis Full of Error or There Error in the Analysis?" by Nathan Hatcher & Ralph Weiland (Optimized Gas Treating)
• "Compliance Survey - Requirements of New or Modified Sulfur Recovery Facilities in the U.S." by Phil Oberbroeckiling (LyondellBasell)
• "2009 Sulfur Recovery Regulartory Update" by Phil Oberbroeckiling (LyondellBasell)
• "+99.9% Sulfur Recovery at Lowest Cost and Highest Reliability" by Steven Meyer (MEC/Dynawave) and Dennis Koscielnuk (Jacobs Canada)
• "Corrosion Pathways in Liquid Sulfur Rundown Pits and Other Liquid Sulfur Handling Facilities" by Peter Clark and Norman Dowling (Alberta Sulphur Research Ltd.)
• "The Economics of Heating Sulfur Tail Gas Lines" by Thomas Willingham (Controls Southeast Inc.)
• "A Means of Avoiding Sulfur Recovery Furnace Fired Tube Boiler Failures" by Mike Porter (Dynamic Analysis), Dennis Martens & Sean McGuffie (Porter McGuffie Inc.) & John Wheeler (Motiva Enterprises)
• "Cutting Edge SRU Controls: Superior SRU Performance at Suncor Simonette Gas Plant with Jacobs Advanced Burner Control+"  by Gerton Molenaar (Jacobs Engineering)
• "The Chemist's Guide to Building a Sulfur Block in the Refinery Parking Lot" by Peter Clark (Alberta Sulphur Research Ltd.)
• "10,000 MTD Shah Gas Development Tail Gas Treatment Complex: Why FlexSorb?" by Vincent Wong and Thomas Chow (Fluor Energy & Chemicals) & Robert Fedich (ExxonMobil Research)

2008 Papers

• "Critical Instrumentation in Sulfur Recovery Units" by Jim Hampsten (Principal Technology Engineering)
• "Amine Best Practices Group Q&A" by Lon Stern (Consultant, representing the Amine Best Practices Group)
• "The Chemistry and Kinetics of Claus Tail Gas Incineration" by Norman Dowling (Alberta Sulphur Research Ltd.)
• "Getting Your Sulfur to Market - Technology and Economics" by Dick Wissbaum (URS Corp. formerly Washington Group International)
• "Is Amine System Corrosion Different from SWS Corrosion?" by Nate Hatcher (Trimeric Corp.) and Al Keller (ConocoPhillips)
• "Impact of Temperature on TGTU Catalyst Performance" by Mike Huffmaster (Consultant)
• "2008 Sulfur Recovery Regulatory Update" by Phil Oberbroeckling (Lyondell Basell)
• "Panel Discussion: Personnel Protection - Proper Monitoring of H₂S" by Tony Houlemard (BP), Steve Gibson (Frontier Refining), John Corley (ExxonMobil) & Phil Oberbroeckling (LyondellBasell)
• "Top Ten Things that Keep Sulfur Plant Managers Awake at Night" by Lon Stern (Consultant) & Phil Oberbroeckling (LyondellBasell)
• "Do You Trust Your Sulfur Plant Simulator?" by Jane Nichols (URS Corp. formerly Washington Group International)
• "Amine Best Practices Group: Lessons Learned" by Bart Welch (Chevron, representing the Amine Best Practices Group)
• "Fundamentals of Sour Water Stripping, Part 2" by David Stevens (KPS Engineering)
• "TGCU Catalyst Concerns Lead to Low Turndown Operation of SRU & TGCU" by Jason Stavros (ConocoPhillips)
• "The Case for Titanium Dioxide Catalyst" by Pierre Crevier (Consultant, representing Axens Catalyst)
• "Sulfur Condensation in Claus Catalyst Beds" by Hans Borsboom (Jacobs/Comprimo)

2007 Papers

• "Sulfiding of Tail Gas Unit Catalyst: Proper Preparation of Tail Gas Hydrogenation Catalyst for Long and Active Life" by Steve Massie (Criterion Catalysts)
• "Tail Gas Unit Reactor Problems & Oxygen Infiltration" by Phil Oberbroeckling (Lyondell Refining)
• "Amine Best Practices Group Introduction and Q&A" by Lon Stern (Consultant, representing the Amine Best Practices Group)
• "Control of Foaming in Amine Systems" by Art Cummings (MPR Services Inc.)
• "SemCAMS Kaybob South #3 Gas Plant Sulphur Plant Upgrades: One Year Later" by Shelley Hittel (SemCAMS)
• "Control of Sulfur Run-Down Pits and Liquid Sulfur Storage Tanks Emissions" by Peter Clark (Alberta Sulphur Research Ltd.)
• "2007 Sulfur Recovery Environmental Issues Forum" by Phil Oberbroeckling (Lyondell Refining)
• "Effects of Gas Loading on Tail Gas Unit Catalyst Performance" by Michael Huffmaster (Consultant)
• "Fundamentals of Sour Water Stripping" by David Stevens (Black & Veatch)
• "Amine Best Practices Group: Lessons Learned" by Ron Schendel (Chemical & Refining Technical Services, representing the Amine Best Practices Group)
• "Dynamic Simulation Model of a Complex Sulfur Block" by Marco van Son (Jacobs Engineering)
• "VMGSim & Modeling Acid Gas Treating and Sulfur Recovery, Part 2: Software Demo" by Gerald Jacobs and James van der Lee (Virtual Materials Group)
• "Improving Sulfur Plant Performance and Instrumentation" by Joe Rahija (Valero Energy)
• "The DAP and STREP Processes for Acid Gas Removal, Acid Gas Enrichment, and Claus Tail Gas Treating" by Vincent Wong (Fluor Corporation)
• "Amine System Upgrade to Ucarsol LE-801" by Matt Gunn (Lyondell Refining) 

2006 Papers

• "Repair of Subsurface Molten Sulfur Containment Structures" by Thomas Kline (Structural Preservation Systems)
• "Emissions Reduction: Handling Sulfur Pit Vents and Sulfur Storage Tank Vents" by Theresa Flood (Fluor)
• "Sulfur Recovery Unit Startups and Shutdowns" by Paul d'Haene (DANA Technical Services)
• "Utility Considerations for Sulfur Recovery Units" by Elmo Nasato (Goar Allison)
• "DynaWave Wet Gas Scrubbing: A New Alternative for Claus Unit Tail Gas Clean-Up" by Steven Meyer (MECS Global)
• "Amine Fundamentals Q&A" by Lon Stern (Black & Veatch, representing the Amine Best Practices Group)
• "Thermal Maintenance of Field Erected Sulphur Tanks" by David Hornbaker (Controls Southeast)
• "VMGSim -- A New Modeling Platform for Acid Gas Treating and Sulfur Recovery" by James van der Lee (Virtual Materials Group)
• "Environmental Compliance Within the Sulfur Recovery Industry" by Phil Oberbroeckling (Lyondell Houston Refining)
• "Blended Amines" by Charalambos Patsatzis (Lyondell Houston Refining)
• "Cost Savings and Operational Benefits of Ex-Situ Sulfiding of Tail Gas Catalysts" by Steve Massie (Criterion Catalysts) & Terry McHugh (Porocel Industries)
• "Sulfur Recovery Outlook to 2025" by Dick Wissbaum (Washington Group International)
• "Deposition of Ammonium Salts in Claus Systems: Theoretical and Practical Considerations" by Peter Clark (Alberta Sulphur Research Ltd.)
• "SemCAMS Kaybob South Gas Plant #3 SuperClaus Retrofit and Sulphur Recovery Plant Enhancements" by Shelley Hittel (SemCAMS)
• "Deciphering Your Amine Analysis" by Mike Zacher (MJZ Consulting, representing the Amine Best Practices Group)
• "Mix Gas Firing of Claus Muffle Furnaces" by Tony Houlemard (BP West Coast Products)
• "Meeting Lower Sulfur Levels in Coker Off-Gases" by Scott Alvis (Merichem Company)
• "BP Whitney Canyon: Learnings From 22 Years of Operating SRU/CBA" by Paul Pendergraft (BP America)

2005 Papers

• "Q&A from the NPRA Technical Session: Reliable Operations of Amine Systems and Sulfur Recovery Units" by Phil Oberbroeckling (Lyondell-Citgo Refining)
• "Flame Temperature Issues in SRU Equipment" by Nick Roussakis (HEC Technologies Limited)
• "Increased Mercaptan Removal in Amine Units" by Stephen A. Bedell (Dow Chemical)
• "Design, Cost & Operation of an Acid Gas Enrichment & Injection Facility" by Steven Jones (Encana)
• "LT-SCOT Low Temperature SCOT TGU Catalyst - Fundamentals" by Marco Van Son (Jacobs Engineering)
• "LT-SCOT Low Temperature SCOT TGU Catalyst - Practical Experience" by Gerrit Bloemendal (Comprimo)
• "Process Control Optimization Effort" by Kent Yaws (TengizChevroil)
• "Choices for Determining Amine Strength" by Al Keller (ConocoPhillips representing the Amine Best Practices Group)
• "Low Temperature TGU Catalyst System" by Steve Massie (Criterion Catalysts)
• "Engineered Refractory Practice for O₂ Enriched Operation - A Case Study" by Andy Piper (Thorpe Corporation)
• "SRU Overpressure in a Wasteheat Boiler Failure" by Justin Lamar (Black & Veatch)
• "D'Gaass Process Update" by Steve Fenderson (Goar Allison)

Vail Open Golf Tournament

For several years now, some attendees of the Vail Sulfur Symposium arrive early and enjoy a little R & R in the mountains at one of the many excellent golf courses in the area.  Join us on Monday morning for a fun golf event at the Vail Golf Club.  Foursomes play in a Best Ball format with long drive, closest to the pin and other contests.  There are numerous prizes each year donated by many of our attending vendor  companies.  Skill levels range from scratch golfers to absolute beginners, so don't be afraid to come out and give it a try.  (Trust us, no matter how bad you are, there will be someone worse.)  Spouses are more than welcome.  For more details, watch for an e-mail flyer and/or contact our Athletic Director, Russ Mason at (303) 792-9300 or russ.mason@brimstone-sts.com.  Come join us and have some extracurricular fun!

 Symposia inquiries may be directed to: