Technip was awarded a contract by Air Products to provide technology, engineering and procurement services for a grassroots hydrogen plant in Baytown, Texas, USA. The 3.5 million standard cubic meters per day plant will produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide (CO) to be supplied to customers from Air Products’ established Gulf Coast Hydrogen and CO Pipeline Networks.

The plant will be built through the global hydrogen alliance(1) between Air Products and Technip. It will feature Technip’s proprietary high efficiency steam methane reforming (SMR) technology to produce high purity hydrogen, carbon monoxide and export steam. It will also use the latest nitrogen oxide reduction technology to reduce emissions.

Technip’s operating center in Claremont, California, USA, will execute the project, which is scheduled for completion in 2018.

Stan Knez, President, Technip Stone & Webster Process Technology, commented: "We are proud that our SMR technology is helping customers meet the world’s growing energy needs in a reliable, efficient and sustainable manner. We look forward to executing this new project under our global alliance with Air Products. This is the longest and most productive global hydrogen alliance supporting the oil and gas industry around the world.”

Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces that its subsidiary, Yokogawa America do Sul, has received an order from AREVA Renewables Brazil, a subsidiary of the French firm AREVA SA, to deliver a control system for a biomass power plant that will be the largest facility of its type in Brazil. The plant is being constructed by Bolt Energias* in Sao Désiderio, Bahia, in the northeastern part of the country.

This biomass plant will have three power units with a total capacity of 150 MW, and will burn eucalyptus as its fuel. For this facility, Yokogawa will deliver the CENTUM® VP integrated production control system, ProSafe®-RS safety instrumentation system, and other products. Yokogawa will also be responsible for engineering, and for providing installation support and commissioning for these products. The plant will be connected to the power grid in mid-2017.

Although Brazil and many other countries in South America have relied largely on hydroelectric power, this power source has been less reliable in recent years because of severe water shortages. There is thus an urgent need in such countries for the construction of power plants that utilize alternate energy sources. As Brazil is the world's largest producer of eucalyptus pulp and sugar cane, biomass power plants that can utilize this energy source are a promising solution.

Yasuharu Shoda, President & CEO of Yokogawa America do Sul, commented, "Yokogawa has a solid track record in Brazil, having installed more than 500 of its control systems at a wide variety of industrial facilities. Yokogawa's solutions help our customers operate their facilities safely and with a high degree of efficiency. Encouraged by this order, Yokogawa will continue to focus on the electric power and renewable energy fields in Brazil and other countries in South America, and will help to provide a stable energy supply."

Technip announced today that it has entered into a contract to supply its proprietary ethylene technology and PDP(1) to PTTGC America LLC (PTTGCA), a subsidiary of PTT Global Chemical, Thailand’s largest integrated petrochemical and refining company, for a 1,000 KTA grassroots ethane cracker to be located in Belmont County, Ohio, USA.

The plant, which will use low cost ethane from the region’s shale deposits, will be part of a major shale-based petrochemical complex to be built by PTTGCA, which is expected to make a final investment decision in 2016 or 2017.

Key technology components include Technip’s proprietary USC® furnaces preferred for high-capacity, low-cost gas cracking capabilities as well as Technip’s well-established ethylene recovery system. The project will be executed by Technip’s operating center in Houston, Texas, USA.

Stan Knez, President, Technip Stone & Webster Process Technology, said: “As the largest ethylene licensor and contractor, Technip is pleased to bring its proven ethane cracking and process technologies and experience to this cracker, which is part of PTTGCA’s first world-scale petrochemical complex outside of Thailand.”

Previously, Technip provided technology and engineering for PTT Global Chemical’s 500 KTA ethylene plant in Map Ta Phut, Thailand, which began operations in 1994. As a world leader in gas monetization, refining and petrochemicals, Technip has a portfolio of market leading process technologies, including ethylene.

Today, leading technology and automation executives will convene at the 2015 Partner Exchange hosted by Kepware Technologies, a software development company focused on communications for automation. Preferred Distributors from more than 20 countries specializing in a wide range of industry verticals (including Manufacturing, Oil & Gas, and Power & Utilities) will gather at Kepware’s headquarters in Portland, Maine, to discuss industry trends, share global challenges and success stories, and preview the company’s road map.

“We are thrilled to have our international partners join us here in Portland,” said Brett Austin, President, Kepware. “The Partner Exchange is the perfect platform to showcase the advancements Kepware has made in the past year. Bringing together the corporations behind our worldwide distribution channel allows us to enhance our business efficiencies, both here in Maine and outside of North America.”

The three-day event will provide the Connected with Kepware™ partner program members with a unique opportunity to network with fellow business peers from around the globe and participate in more than twenty sessions lead by Kepware subject matter experts. Presentations will address new corporate initiatives—from products and services to applications and marketing.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) will be a major focus of the event, including a keynote presentation from Matthew Littlefield, President and Principal Analyst at LNS Research, on capturing the business value of the IIoT. “For IIoT technologies to truly deliver rapid value to manufacturing organizations, it will take more than a single vendor and instead an entire partner ecosystem of solution providers across connectivity, cloud, big data analytics, and application development capabilities.”