15 – 18 November 2021 | Madrid

Call For Papers

What is a Call for papers?

Companies and technical professionals are invited to submit an abstract for the chance to participate in Europe’s largest meeting place for downstream leaders. All abstract submissions will be reviewed by our esteemed advisory board and evaluated based on originality and relevance to conference themes and audience.

Abstract submission is easy, you can use our online form for up to 3 submissions per company.

Abstract submissions deadline: NOW CLOSED

Topics

Hydrogen & CCUS

Hydrogen is the fuel of the future and has been identified by the Commission as a major pillar alongside renewables and mass electrification in achieving carbon neutral targets by 2050. Refiners can decarbonise their current steam-methane reforming processes (grey) by implementing CO2 capture, reduction and advancements technologies (blue). This section calls for papers on blue technologies as well as renewable hydrogen (green) and how refineries can redesign plants to implement electrolysers and renewable electricity sources.

Catalyst Technologies

Catalysts will always be essential to the profitability, sustainability and environmental compliance of refineries. Here we will look at the latest advances in catalyst technologies and assessing how they can be integrated into European refiners’ strategies.

Operational Excellence, Digital Technologies & Process Optimisation

With increasing global competition and regulatory pressures refiners and producers continue to seek the means in which to capture value and gain margin improvements. Leveraging new technologies including digitalisation and other techniques to enhance reliability, flexibility and smarten operations must continue to be a priority for Europe’s ageing assets.

Refinery Configuration and Conversion Technologies

Changing bunker fuel specifications and the rise of electric vehicles is driving the requirement for real molecular management. Europe’s refiners must re-configure and invest in residue upgrading, hydrocracking and heavy oil conversion processes as well as maximize their middle distillates.

Petrochemical Production & Chemical Recycling

Petrochemical production and chemical recycling will play a key part in European refiners remaining competitive in the transition. Refiners will need to identify the new areas of demand, the latest recycling technologies, and the most efficient and clean processes to increase their petrochemical capacity.

Biofuels & Alternative Fuel Production

The ability to produce biofuels and the security of renewable feedstock is likely to play a crucial role in the survival of EU refineries amongst upcoming EU environmental legislation. The production of advanced biofuels will affect refinery configuration and put pressure on existing catalysts and consequently, today’s refiners are seeking novel solutions for biomass conversion and clear pathways for the utilisation of existing refinery assets in the future. New technologies and approaches to co-processing are also welcome under this topic.

Energy Efficiency

As the single largest spend after crude, minimizing energy losses is a fundamental that will never go away for Europe’s refiners and producers. This subject calls for papers on the technologies and updated processes that refineries can undertake to get rid of these long-term negative issues.

Maintenance and Reliability

As Europe’s refineries age maintenance and reliability will always be front of mind. In a new topic for ERTC we will welcome papers on asset maintenance, turnarounds and technologies aimed at maximising value and the life cycle of the refineries equipment- all the while balancing key ROI decisions.

The Role of Refineries in the Energy Transition

The most pressing issue for European refineries is establishing their role in the energy transition and creating the optimal strategy to support global demand whilst being cost-competitive to their Indian and Middle Eastern counterparts. In this topic, we are looking for exciting papers that could outline how European refineries can remain successful in the long-term- whether discussing new plant designs, new financial forecasts or the influence of ongoing European legislation.

Guidelines for submissions

Please submit your paper(s) via the online submissions form.
Abstracts should be between 200 and 500 words, written in English and submitted through the online submission form.
Prior to submission all relevant approvals, clearance and availability to attend must be in place. Any issues concerning approval or clearance should be outlined when the abstract is submitted.
If the abstract has been presented previously, details of when and where need to be provided in the submission form.

Download the abstract submission guide and FAQs here.