Chemical Processing - March 2008 - (Page 7)

555 West Pierce Road, Suite 301, Itasca, IL 60143 Phone: (630) 467-1300 Fax: (630) 467-1109 www.chemicalprocessing.com E-mail: cpnews@putman.net Subscriptions/Customer Service: (888) 644-1803 or (847) 559-7360 EdItoRIaL StaFF MaRk RoSEnzWEIg, editor in chief, x478 mrosenzweig@putman.net kEn SChnEPF, managing editor, x442 kschnepf@putman.net MIkE ERMItagE, digitaL editor, x346 mermitage@putman.net SEán ottEWELL, editor at Large ireland sottewell@putman.net ContRIbutIng EdItoRS andREW SLoLEY, troubLeshooting coLumnist LYnn L. bERgESon, reguLatory coLumnist gaRY Faagau, energy coLumnist dIRk WILLaRd, coLumnist dESIgn & PRoduCtIon StEPhEn C. hERnER, group art director, x312 sherner@putman.net toM WaItEk, associate art director, x413 twaitek@putman.net RIta FItzgERaLd, production manager, x468 rfitzgerald@putman.net EdItoRIaL boaRd Vic edWards, aker Kvaerner tim franK, dow chemical ben paterson, eli Lilly roy sanders, ppg industries eLLen turner, eastman chemical ben Weinstein, procter & gamble Jon WorsteLL, shell chemical sheiLa yang, fluor corp. MIkE bREnnER, group pubLisher, x487 mbrenner@putman.net bRIan MaRz, pubLisher, x411 bmarz@putman.net adMInIStRatIvE StaFF John M. CaPPELLEttI, president/ceo JuLIE CaPPELLEttI-LangE, Vice president RoSE SouthaRd, it director JERRY CLaRk, Vice president of circuLation JaCk JonES, circuLation director REPRIntS CLaudIa StaChoWIak, marKeting manager claudia@fostereprints.net 1-866-879-9144 x121 fax: 219-561-2019 FoStER REPRIntS 4295 ohio street michigan city, in 46360 FROM THE EDITOR << Expect action on greenhouse gases All the leading potential nominees favor “cap and trade” I PredIct the next PresIdent OF the United states will push for concerted action against greenhouse gas emissions. After all, sen. hillary clinton, Mike huckabee, sen. John Mccain and sen. Barack Obama all support a cap-and-trade approach to controlling carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. such an approach basically imposes a cap, likely at a lower level than current emissions. this amount of allowable pollution then is apportioned via individual permits that companies can trade. Backers say the approach provides flexibility as well as financial incentives because firms that reduce emissions can sell the permits they don’t need. Any move towards cap and trade clearly will have a profound impact on chemical makers. the industry has made impressive strides in paring pollution from its plants (www.chemicalProcessing.com/ar ticles/2007/178.html), but undoubtedly will have to ratchet up its efforts. the limits on greenhouse gas emissions also will provide business opportunities, a fact certainly not lost on some chemical companies. For instance, in mid-February dow chemical, Midland, Mich., signed an agreement with Alstom Power, Levallois-Perret, France, to jointly develop and commercialize an advanced amine scrubbing system to remove cO2 from low-pressure flue gases from fossil-fuel-powered power plants. this follows an August 2007 pact between BP Alternative energy, London, and Powerspan corp., Portsmouth, n. h., to collaboratively develop Powerspan’s “ecO2” ammonia-based cO2 capture technology for power stations. construction of a pilot unit at a generating plant in shadyside, Ohio, has begun. Better membrane technology also may improve cO2 removal from power-plant flue gas. For instance, polymer membranes with hour-glass-shaped pores being developed at the University of texas at Austin promise high permeability with high selectivity (www.chemicalProcessing.com/in dustrynews/2007/042.html). significant efforts are occurring worldwide. For instance, Abu dhabi in the United Arab emirates now is planning the world’s largest carbon capture and storage project. stateowned Abu dhabi Future energy co. intends to invest as much as $4 billion to retrieve up to 15 million metric tons of cO2 each year from eight plants. the gas then would be injected underground to enhance oil recovery. sequestration of the cO2 is a major issue in its own right. In the U.s. injection into oil reservoirs may provide an attractive option to deal with some of the cO2. Other options include use of salt domes and depleted coal seams. Geologic sequestration poses all sorts of challenges — and risks — because of Moth- Limits on greenhouse gas emissions will provide business opportunities. er nature. release of cO2 from a layer at the bottom of a lake in the African nation of cameroon, caused perhaps by a landslide, led to the death of 1,700 people by asphyxiation, as seán Ottewell relates (p. 50). so, successfully grappling with greenhouse gases demands far more than political will. CP Mark Rosenzweig Editor in Chief mrosenzweig@putman.net March 2008 • 7 Folio editorial excellence award Winner www.chemicalprocessing.com http://www.chemicalprocessing.com http://www.ChemicalProcessing.com/industrynews/2007/042.html http://www.ChemicalProcessing.com/industrynews/2007/042.html http://www.ChemicalProcessing.com/articles/2007/178.html http://www.ChemicalProcessing.com/articles/2007/178.html

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Chemical Processing - March 2008

Chemical Processing - March 2008 Contents From the Editor ChemicalProcessing.com Field Notes In Process Energy Saver Compliance Advisor Distillation is Bubbling Feel Secure About Vulnerability Assessments The Door Opens For Membranes Achieve Effective Heat Exchanger Control Epoxy Maker Finds the Right Glue for Its Business Process Puzzler Plant InSites Equipment & Services Product Spotlight/Classifieds Ad Index End Point

Chemical Processing - March 2008

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