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Research
CHEN Strategic Impact Series
Texas A&M at Qatar's Strategic Research Impact Initiative represents a significant investment in faculty in the form of direct support for research in areas of importance for Qatar’s industry sector. This enterprise represents an exciting new era in which our ability to conduct groundbreaking research is part of a long-term vision with sustainable funding, and it ensures that faculty have the resources and remit to maintain a leading role in advancing technical knowledge for Qatar and the region. Each of these research pursuits will be led by an outstanding engineering faculty member who will coordinate activities of other faculty and supervise teams of Ph.D. and undergraduate students. And this is an important attribute of this initiative — it will generate new knowledge while also increasing human capacity in Qatar by fostering a new generation of scholar-researchers among our engineering students.
In the Chemical Engineering Program, our Strategic Impact project focuses on supporting Qatar's hydrocarbon industry transition. Part of this initiative is a series of workshops delivered by experts from Texas A&M at Qatar and around the world.
Past Workshops
Hydrogen Safety in the Energy Transition
Organized by Texas A&M University at Qatar
Course overview
This short course was designed to teach and discuss the hazards and process safety management elements applied to hydrogen as industries are engaging in the energy transition in the Middle East and the world.
The course will start with a brief overview of the principles of process safety management that the industry has been developing over the last decades with emphasis on elements applicable to hydrogen. A reminder of the fire and explosion hazards related to gaseous and cryogenic liquid, as hydrogen releases will be provided.
Hydrogen is being proposed to be used as a fuel in a wide range of applications. The physical and chemical hazards of hydrogen and the ways in which they will be used for these uses make them unique to other common hydrocarbon hazards. This course will discuss their specific properties and characteristics as well as overview of an incidents that involved hydrogen. Lessons learned from these events will be explained to show the value and benefits.
The application of PSM to new uses of hydrogen including the production of hydrogen and the use of hydrogen as a fuel will be discussed. The course highlighted the importance of hydrogen safety in the context of energy transition. The future challenges of the increasing use of hydrogen as an energy carrier in Qatar and the Middle East will be discussed.
A course manual was provided in the form of a hard copy of the overheads used, and a certificate was awarded to those who completed the course. Delegate numbers are normally restricted to a maximum of 30.
Who attended?
This course was intended for attendees who work in the process industry and would like to obtain or refine their knowledge of fire and explosion hazards with a specific application to hydrogen. Attendees who desire to gain an understanding of the future process safety challenges of the increasing use of hydrogen as an energy carrier in the oil and gas industry in Qatar and the Middle East are welcome.
Delegates are likely to have a degree in engineering or science or equivalent industrial experience.
Course content and agenda
8–8:45 a.m. |
Introduction
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8:45–10 a.m. |
Fundamentals of Fire and Explosion Phenomena for Hydrogen Applications
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10–10:20 a.m. |
Break |
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10:20–11 a.m. |
Fundamentals of Fire and Explosion Phenomena for Hydrogen Applications (continued) |
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11 a.m.–12 p.m. |
Challenges in the Control of Fire and Explosion Risk for Hydrogen
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12–1 p.m. |
Lunch |
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1–1:30 p.m. |
Challenges for the Future Hydrogen Industry and Applications in the Middle East
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1:30–2:30 p.m. |
Process Safety Risk Management for the Hydrogen Industry
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2:30–2:45 p.m. |
Break |
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2:45–4 p.m. |
Process Safety Risk Management for the Hydrogen Industry |
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Course instructors
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Course collaborators
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AcuTech’s services cover process safety management and security services spanning industries such as the chemical, petrochemical, oil and gas, refining, pharmaceutical, specialty manufacturing, and more specialized and emerging industries such as LNG, renewable natural gas, hydrogen, and ammonia. This extensive experience across industries and in-depth knowledge of the tools and methods available for managing risk, allows our consultants to be responsive and flexible to meet client needs. In addition, they possess strong project management skills, broad technical expertise, and emphasize high-quality, on-time project work to support safer, more efficient, and, ultimately, more profitable operations. |
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The center’s mission is to promote safety as second nature in industries around the world with the goals to prevent future accidents. In addition, the Center develops safer processes, equipment, procedures, and management strategies to minimize losses within the processing industry. However, the center realizes that it is necessary to advance process safety technologies to keep the industry competitive. Other functions of the center include that it serves all stakeholders, providing a common forum, and develops programs and activities that will forever change the paradigm of process safety. The funding for the center comes from a combination of endowment, consortium funding and contract projects. On 1 July 2013, Qatar Petroleum and Texas A&M at Qatar officially launched the MKOPSC extension in Qatar under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada, who was then Minister of Energy and Industry and Chairman and Managing Director of Qatar Petroleum. The MKOPSC extension in Qatar is currently supported by a consortium of industries that forms its Steering Committee. The Steering Committee, supported by a Technical Advisory Committee, defines the direction of the center to ensure that the research endeavors are of high importance and relevance to local industry in Qatar. |
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In 2021, the Chemical Engineering Program started its Strategic Research Impact Initiative, “Supporting Qatar’s Hydrocarbon Industry Transition.” This project represents a significant investment in faculty in the form of direct support for research in supporting Qatar’s hydrocarbon industry transition. The project aims to generate new knowledge while also increasing human capacity in Qatar by fostering a new generation of scholar-researchers among engineering students. Part of this Strategic Research Impact Initiative is a series of workshops, seminars and continuing education courses delivered by experts from Texas A&M at Qatar and around the world. |
Advanced Plastic Recycling
About the workshop
This timely workshop is a valuable platform through which researchers, academics, government officials and industry professionals discuss the opportunities, challenges and way forward for advanced recycling of waste plastics in Qatar. The work objective is to promote a dialogue and exchange of ideas among the key stakeholders (plastic producers, plastic converters, waste collectors and waste recyclers) and experts to identify advanced waste plastic recycling challenges and opportunities and identify interdisciplinary collaboration projects.
The following will be addressed and discussed in the workshop:
- Status overview of the plastic waste problem globally and locally.
- Challenges of waste management collection.
- Opportunities to support plastic waste conversion to value-added products.
- Role and status of policy and regulations.
- Introduce advanced plastic recycling with its processing routes and technology options.
- Learning from how this challenge is tackled/addressed globally.
The workshop's theme aligns seamlessly with Qatar's 2030 National Vision, emphasizing the importance of developing a sustainable and diversified knowledge-based economy. Addressing waste plastic management’s challenges and potential opportunities is crucial to achieving this vision.
Workshop agenda and speakers
8–8:30 a.m. |
Registration and Coffee |
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8:30–8:45 a.m. |
Welcome Remarks |
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8:45–10:15 a.m. |
Overview of Plastic Waste Challenges Globally and Locally |
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“Tentative”Ministry of Environment and Climate Change |
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“Solving the plastic waste issue: challenges & opportunities towards circularity”Dr. Mabrouk Ouederni, QAPCO |
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“Mapping and combating plastic litter in the GCC area, in Qatar and in the Arabian Gulf”Dr. Ioannis Chachladakis, Assistant. Professor, Qatar University |
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“Towards circularity in Qatar-Circular PET plastics”Ruba Hinnawi, Technical Lead, Earthna |
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“Seashore services, sustainability initiatives and challenges of waste segregation”Nayaz Sohale Syed, Senior Environmental Manager, Seashore |
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“Advances of mechanical utilization of plastic waste”Dr. Eyad Masad, Texas A&M University at Qatar |
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“Plastics management program”Hasna Sidahmed, Qatar Chemical Company (Qchem) |
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10:15–10:40 a.m. |
Coffee Break |
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10:40 a.m. – 12:10 p.m |
Research and Technology Options |
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“TotalEnergies plastic recycling vision & R&D activities”Dr. Jean-Marc Le Blevec, TotalEnergies Senior Project Development Manager; M.Sc. Eva Dewi, TotalEnergies Asset Manager R&C Qatar |
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“Multicriteria assessment and decision making across the scales for advanced plastic waste conversion”Dr. Dhabia Al-Mohannadi, Dr. Ma’moun Al-Rawashdeh, Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University at Qatar |
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“Egeria Nfaia: Phase-I of plastics to fuel research pilot project in the State of Kuwait”Dr. Sultan Al-Salem, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) |
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“Catalytic plastic pyrolysis under inductive heating”Dr. Evgeny Rebrov, University of Warwick, UK & TU Eindhoven, the Netherlands |
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12:10–1:30 p.m. |
Lunch |
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1:30–3 p.m. |
Way forward for advanced plastic waste conversion in Qatar – Interactive session |
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About the workshop organization
Organizers: This workshop is organized by Texas A&M University at Qatar.
The Chemical Engineering Strategic Impact Series: The Chemical Engineering Program at Texas A&M University at Qatar started an initiative, “Supporting Qatar’s Hydrocarbon Industry Transition.” As part of this initiative, a series of workshops and seminars are being organized on this topic.
Contact information
For more information or if you have any questions, please send an email to chen.impact@qatar.tamu.edu.
Technology Development for Carbon Management and Chemical Energy Storage using Renewable Electricity
About the workshop
Shifting from traditional fossil fuel-based processes to cleaner and more efficient electric-powered systems holds the potential for a substantial reduction in carbon emissions, significant progress in industry decarbonization, and the development of technologies better suited to the intermittent nature of renewable electricity sources. As a result of this energy transition shift, new challenges started to be formulated when developing new technological solutions for the future:
- Can industrial chemical plants produce and sell electricity as part of their product portfolio management?
- Are there technologies that can take advantage of electricity supply and demand fluctuation and possibly introduce dynamic pricing? And how this could be done?
- Can these technologies be designed to make chemical energy storage (storing energy in molecules such as CH4, NH3, and CH3OH and others) as this is one of the most promising solutions for long-term energy storage, and maximum flexibility in distribution and utilization?
- What opportunities and limitations exist to reduce CO2 emission and or have CO2-negative solutions within these emerging schemes and technological developments?
This workshop aims to bring together a diverse group of experts, researchers, engineers, and industry professionals, creating a collaborative platform for the exploration of the key challenges and opportunities associated with electrifying the hydrocarbon industry, particularly those with substantial CO2 emissions. The workshop will shed light on energy transition trends, introduce innovative technology concepts to address these challenges, and outline the requirements for the future development of such groundbreaking technologies.
Workshop agenda and speakers
8–8:30 a.m. |
Registration |
8:30–8:50 a.m. |
Welcome and a View on the Research and Technology in Qatar
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8:50–10:20 a.m. |
Session 1: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities |
“Zero-carbon hydrocarbons — CO2 to chemicals and fuels”
Presenter: Alexander van der Made Abstract: Hydrocarbons like coal, oil, natural gas and the fuels and chemicals made from these play an important role in our society. Since these hydrocarbons (molecules) are of fossil origin they come with an associated CO2 footprint, which is ultimately undesirable. However, many of the new, zero-carbon energies like wind, solar, nuclear, hydropower produce electricity (electrons) as their primary product. In this talk we will explore the feasibility of using renewable electricity to produce the hydrocarbons we appreciate so much today yet now with a zero-CO2 footprint.
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“The role of storage in the current energy transition”
Presenter: Santiago Bañales Abstract: The massive integration of renewables and the electrification of final demand imply several challenges to the planning and operation of the energy system. One of the technical solutions to address these challenges is to increment the capacity to store energy in the grid. This presentation covers two key aspects related to energy storage for utility applications: a technology status and outlook overview and the expected role of storage in renewable energy integration.
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“Decarbonization by electrification”
Presenter: Panthita Boonchou
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10:20–10:40 a.m. |
Coffee Break |
10:40 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. |
Session 2: Technological Solutions |
“Process systems engineering for decarbonized energy supply chains”
Presenter: Patrick Linke Abstract: Industry is challenged to decarbonize operations and to reposition production systems for a future zero-carbon world. In the shorter term, this requires the implementation of emissions reduction strategies around existing facilities considering solutions including carbon capture, storage and utilization, renewable energy options and better resource integration across production assets. In the longer-term, global energy and chemicals supply chain transitions require the large-scale production of fuels and products for a zero or negative carbon footprint world. This poses a multi-scale innovation challenge to develop novel, sustainable technologies and solutions (new chemistries, new processes) across core materials (including natural gas, the main export of Qatar), renewable inputs (e.g. renewable electricity) and key products associated with the transitions (e.g. hydrogen fuels). The talk will explore how this multiscale engineering challenge can be tackled with the help of Process Systems Engineering approaches to guide systematic new technology development for decarbonized energy supply chains.
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“Piston reactor technology for gas conversion to valuable products and chemical energy storage”
Presenter: Ma’moun Al-Rawashdeh Abstract: In the future abundant low-cost electrons from renewable energy will offer significant economic opportunity, which can be exploited using electricity-driven reactors and processes. The world transitions into e-mobility are occurring at a rapid pace. With an intent to leverage more than a hundred years of development of internal combustion engines, and millions of available stranded engines and manufacturing capacity, this talk wants to present how conventional car engines can be repurposed to become the “Piston Reactor” to make high-value-added chemicals directly from methane and/or ethane—strategic for Qatar. The piston-reactor is a novel concept that converts electrical energy into mechanical-work, and subsequently to chemical products. It has an unmatched operating window and mode of operation because of the rapid cyclic piston reciprocation combined with the fast adiabatic compression and expansion. The rotational mechanical movement enable its integration with an electrical motor, making it attractive as an electrical-reactor. It is compact, modularized, dynamic, and fast responding. All these are ideal requirements for the chemical energy storage challenge from renewables electricity.
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"The electrolyzer technology for green hydrogen from renewables and water"Presenter: Andrea Martella Abstract: Siemens Energy is a leading global energy technology company that specializes in providing solutions for energy production, transmission, and storage: we support companies and countries to reduce emissions across the energy landscape – for a more reliable, affordable and sustainable energy system. As an energy technology company working with partners across the whole energy landscape, we know the transition to a more sustainable energy system is both complex and challenging but step by step, we’re getting there: green hydrogen (H2) is a versatile energy carrier that can be applied to decarbonize a wide range of sectors and be used directly or in the form of its derivatives like e-methanol, e-ammonia, or e-fuels to replace fossil fuels, coal or gas. Around 60% of CO2 emissions originate from industry, mobility, buildings and others and these can be decarbonized via sector coupling, using green hydrogen and its derivatives. Generating green hydrogen efficiently from water and renewable energy requires high-end technology and innovative solutions — like the Silyzer product family from Siemens Energy. Using Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolysis, the Silyzer is ideally suited for harnessing volatile energy generated from wind and solar.
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12:10–1:15 p.m. |
Lunch Break |
1:15–2:45 p.m. |
Session 3: Gaps and Needs for QatarInteractive session to address the workshop questions by all participants |
2:45–2:50 p.m. |
Closing |
Alexander van der Made was appointed as Shell’s chief scientist for chemistry in 2020. He studied chemistry and biology at Utrecht University (The Netherlands) and graduated in 1988 with a Ph.D. in physical-organic chemistry. This was followed by a post-doc on supramolecular chemistry with Nobel laureate Sir Fraser Stoddart in 1988 in Sheffield (UK). Since 2002 he also holds an MBA. Joining Shell in 1989, he conducted R&D in Europe (Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium) and USA (Houston) on dendrimers, coatings, molecular modeling, statistics, oxidation reactions, catalysts for CO conversions, and scale-up and implementation of novel catalysts. In addition, he worked in a commercial role in Shell Chemicals (Rotterdam, The Netherlands), was and still is involved in strategy development and the creation of strategic R&D collaborations including those in China. Since 2009 he is working at Shell on processes and products for a ‘zero-carbon’ economy. From 2012 to 2017 he was based for Shell in Beijing and was active in (setting up) R&D collaborations with universities and institutes, including those being part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and participated in studies with Chinese government think tanks on China’s future energy system. Currently, he is based at Shell’s Energy Transition Campus Amsterdam. He is a visiting professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, teaches at several universities and is a member of various industrial and governmental advisory boards.
Santiago Bañales received the M.Sc. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Dual Engineering Degree from Ecole Centrale Paris and Universidad Politecnica de Madrid. He is currently the Managing Director of IBERDROLA QSTP LLC, Iberdrola’s Smart Grids and Renewable Energy Innovation Centre based in Doha, Qatar. He has over 20 years of energy industry experience fulfilling executive roles in R&D, Engineering, Product Development, Management Consulting, M&A, and General Management (CTO and CEO). During the development of his career, he has experienced a wide breadth of business environments in an international setting, being a part of or doing business with state-owned and public companies, partnership firms, private equities, and family-owned manufacturing businesses. In addition, he has held executive and non-executive Board Directorships assignments in several energy industry associations and institutions and has been involved in graduate and executive education for more than 10 years.
Panthita Boonchou is the electrothermal theme lead for the Industrial Electrification Program at Shell. She has been with Shell since 2008 in various roles in engineering, project management and execution, technical strategy and technology support at operating sites and as business advisor. She has worked in the Netherlands, Qatar and Singapore. She received a Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cambridge. She currently leads a global team in Power Technology space focusing on Electrothermal technology development and deployment as part of the Industrial Electrification Program at Shell.
Patrick Linke is a professor of Chemical Engineering and the Holder of the Qatar Shell Professorship for Energy and Environment. He also is senior associate dean for research and graduate studies at Texas A&M University at Qatar. Linke is a process systems engineer and his activities focus on the design of efficient processes, integrated systems and associated infrastructures with a focus on sustainability and resource efficiency. The research led by Linke in these areas has been published in more than 120 peer-reviewed publications. Linke regularly serves on numerous national and international committees. Linke held a faculty position at the University of Surrey from 2001 to 2007 before joining Texas A&M at Qatar in 2007. During his time in the UK, Linke was an elected member of the EPSRC Peer Review College and was a member of the management committee of IChemE’s working group on computer-aided process engineering (CAPE). From 2009 to 2014 Linke served the State of Qatar as chief engineer and director of water and energy sectors for the Qatar National Food Security Programme, a national sustainable development program across 16 government entities. Linke obtained his Ph.D. in process integration from the University of Manchester. His research group will perform the modeling, simulation and optimization studies associated with process screening in chemistry selection and conceptual process design.
Ma’moun A-Rawashdeh is a chemical engineering assistant professor at Texas A&M University at Qatar. His research aims at exploring unconventional reactors types and operations such as piston reactors, microreactors, and structured integrated catalytic reactors to develop sustainable, compact, and simple chemical processes to make fuels and chemicals. Al-Rawashdeh holds an M.Sc. (cum laude) and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. He worked at the Petroleum Refinery in Jordan, Institute fur Mikrotechnik Mainz GmbH in Germany, and for 5 years at Albemarle Catalyst Company in the Netherlands after his Ph.D. He successfully commercialized three hydroprocessing catalysts to the production plant scale and led many R&D projects in collaboration with leading industrial companies related to different types of reactor designs, heterogenous catalyst testing, and catalyst manufacturing. Al-Rawashdeh established a state-of-the-art experimental laboratory at Texas A&M University at Qatar dedicated to exploring low and negative CO2 natural gas conversion technologies and building mathematical models to support reactor designs, guide experimental catalyst testing, and explore innovative process technology concepts.
Andrea Martella is a senior professional manager with more than 20 years’ experience in the Oil & Gas and Energy sectors in both Sales and Commercial roles in Europe and Middle East with an extensive international exposure. He graduated as a Doctor in Mechanical Engineering in 2000 at the University of Pisa (Italy) and started his career in General Electric as a Data Marketing Analyst & Sales Development Manager in Florence, Italy. He went on to take roles of increasing responsibility in the Sales and Commercial domains developing in-depth knowledge and expertise in all commercial, marketing and business development aspects in the Oil & Gas, Power and Energy industries: his career has taken him to the Middle East early on where he has experienced a wide breadth of business environments in an international setting doing business with state-owned and public and private companies alike. He currently holds the position of Business Development Manager for Siemens Energy based in Doha - Qatar where he resides with his family.About the workshop organization
Organizers: This workshop is organized by Texas A&M University at Qatar and is generously sponsored by Shell and Qatar Research Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council through the funded project NPRP12S-0304-190222.
The Chemical Engineering Strategic Impact Series: The Chemical Engineering Program at Texas A&M University at Qatar started an initiative, “Supporting Qatar’s Hydrocarbon Industry Transition.” As part of this initiative, a series of workshops and seminars are being organized on this topic.
Contact information
For more information or if you have any questions, please send an email to chen.impact@qatar.tamu.edu, or Dr. Ma’moun Al-Rawashdeh at mamoun.al-rawashdeh@qatar.tamu.edu.