Hydrocarbon Processing - February 2022 - 19

Executive
Viewpoint
HELION SARDINA, CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER
Lummus Technology
What is the future for the HPI?
Hydrocarbon Processing sat down
with Helion Sardina (HS), Chief Commercial
Officer, Lummus Technology.
In this interview, Mr. Sardia offered his
market insight on the COVID-19 pandemic,
the process technology industry
now and in the future, and its role in the
energy transition.
How did COVID-19 affect
the hydrocarbon processing
industry in 2021?
HS: When COVID hit in 2020, it
plunged the refining and petrochemicals
industries into a deep downturn, except
for products such as polymers that are
tied to the medical sector. Fortunately,
2021 was not as severe as 2020, and the
industry is close to a worldwide recovery.
The pandemic resulted in lower plant
utilization rates and caused some construction
projects to be delayed. Due to
our company's diversification and longerterm
planning and execution windows
for customers, we fared much better than
most other players in our industry. We
did, however, experience challenges and
delays in being able to deliver proprietary
equipment for ongoing projects and reloading
catalysts for our licensees.
Do you foresee similar impacts
in 2022?
HS: Based on our current pipeline,
we are seeing previously delayed projects
now moving forward. If efforts to curb
the pandemic are successful, it will bring
our global markets back into balance.
As a result, we anticipate increased consumer
activity, which fuels growth in our
business and industry.
What are some of the key drivers
and technology developments
shaping the market today?
In the next 5 yr?
HS: We need to transform current
technologies and develop new ones that
minimize environmental impact and
contribute to the circular economy. It
is also important that we provide refiners
solutions that help them pivot away
from declining transportation fuels by
repurposing existing assets to meet the
growing demand for petrochemicals.
Lummus' efforts include developing
and administering licenses focusing on
world-scale crude-to-chemicals projects.
We have added energy conservation
components to our portfolio, such
as gas turbines in our ethylene crackers.
We have teamed up with New Hope Energy,
which has a leading plastic waste
conversion technology that produces
pyoil that can be co-fed into a refinery
or petrochemical plant with fossil fuelderived
feedstocks. With this partnership,
we have applied our expertise to
scale up the plant design to ensure it can
have a significant impact on the end-oflife
plastics challenge.
What role will process technologies
and companies like Lummus
play in the energy transition?
HS: Customers across all regions are
requiring more environmental, social and
governance compliance, and a lower carbon
footprint at their existing facilities.
In late 2020, Lummus established
Green Circle to focus on the circular
economy and provide energy transition
solutions. We have developed new technologies
related to the energy transition,
while continuing to enhance existing
technologies that
produce renewable
and cleaner fuels, lower the carbon footprint
of our customers' downstream investments
and help facilities co-process
circular products.
Our industry has a long and lasting
legacy of making things work. We know
how to convert hydrocarbons into fuels
and consumer products. This is one
thing that has not changed. Therefore,
process technologies and the companies
that license them can build on this legacy
in the energy transition.
How does the process technology
industry need to evolve
going forward?
HS: Our licensees are under pressure to
reduce emissions and become more environmentally
friendly, and we can help them
lower the carbon intensity of their plants.
We must provide every one of our licensees
the most efficient plant design,
which translates to the lowest impact to
the environment. This holistic approach
can reduce the overall carbon footprint
while also improving plant operating expenses.
We need to continue minimizing
feedstock consumption, optimizing energy
use, extending the use of catalysts and
reducing emissions.
On the surface, those do not typically
sound like they go together-plant operations
and environmental cleanliness.
However, process technology licensors
have historically produced technologies
that have helped customers increase efficiency,
emissions and waste reductions
and savings in their operations.
Our industry can also evolve by accelerating
digitalization, an area where we
have been slower than some other industries
in adopting. At Lummus, we formed
a joint venture with TCG Digital. The JV
works with our existing customers and
prospects to implement digital solutions
for their refining, petrochemical and gas
processing assets, as well as across the hydrocarbon
processing value chain.
We see opportunities to further the
digitization of our industry-from performance
monitoring, system optimization
and remote management of facilities,
among others-to empower industry leaders
with smarter ways to do business.
HELION SARDINA has spent
his entire career with Lummus
Technology, serving in different
management roles of increasing
responsibility. At present,
Mr. Sardina is Lummus' Chief
Commercial Officer, where he
is responsible for overseeing all aspects of sales
and business development for the company.
Hydrocarbon Processing | FEBRUARY 2022 19
Hydrocarbon Processing - February 2022

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