Net-zero pathway for SASREF refinery expansion project (SASREF+) ethane cracker: Alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030

Wael Al-Blaies has worked for 19 yr at Saudi Aramco, focusing on multiple engineering and project management projects. He earned a chemical engineering degree and an MS degree in risk management and process safety from Heriot-Watt University. Al-Blaies has assumed several leadership positions in the company since 2016, including Supervisor of the Flare, Gas Processing and Flow Assurance group, Division Manager of downstream process engineering and H2 systems engineering divisions and Fourth Industrial Revolution Center. He now works as the Manager of the Liquid-to-Chemical Program Technical Support Division.

Ibrahim Alabbas is a chemical engineer with > 7 yr of experience at Saudi Aramco, specializing in petroleum refining, with a focus on hydroprocessing units. Throughout his career, he has played a key role in major industrial initiatives and is currently contributing to one of the largest liquids-to-chemicals projects in the Middle East. Alabbas has also led multiple corporate-wide decarbonization initiatives, where he jointly developed an innovative in-house solution known as Emissions Management System (EMS). EMS is a tool designed to monitor and abate carbon emissions across operations with > 100 facilities.   

Khaled Alshehri is a seasoned technical expert with > 10 yr of experience in the oil and gas industry. He earned an MS degree in chemical engineering from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), and an MBA from Swiss Business School. With a strong background in central engineering, Alshehri has provided critical support to refinery operations and projects, leveraging his technical expertise to drive business growth and optimization. Notably, he has played a key role in the pre-commissioning, commissioning and startup of major refineries, including the Yasref and Jazan refineries. Alshehri serves as a Supervisor of Project Engineering in the Liquid-to-Chemical Program Technical Support Division, where he is applying his technical and business acumen to deliver project excellence with a unique blend of technical expertise and business savvy. 

Bader AlFaqeer is a specialist in refinery and petrochemical planning and has 9 yrs of experience. During this time, he has led and supported the development of major capital projects from initiation through pre-FEED, supporting the full front-end planning cycle. His experience spans a range of corporate business initiatives and the shaping of downstream master plans to support long-term strategic goals.

Diwakar Rana is a Principal Process Engineer at Fluor Corp. He has more than 20 yr of experience within the energy industry. As Fluor's Process Lead for Sustainability, he assists clients in developing the decarbonization roadmap strategy for net-zero and advancing the circular economy. Before joining Fluor, Dr. Rana served as a Consulting Manager at Accenture, and a Technology Development Manager at DuPont. He holds three U.S. patents in process and reactor design and catalysis, which help oil refiners reduce both CAPEX and OPEX while minimizing their environmental footprint. He has authored several books and industrial papers within the energy industry covering topics such as sustainable fuels and energy security. He earned a BE degree (Honors) in chemical engineering from Deenbandhu Chottu Ram University of Science and Technology in India, an MS degree in chemical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology, U.S., and a PhD in chemical engineering from Washington State University, U.S. Dr. Rana has been a Licensed Professional Engineer for the State of Texas since 2008.

Melanie O’Sullivan is the Technology Manager for Carbon Capture and Energy Storage within Lummus Technology’s Green Circle business group. She has been with Lummus for more than 12 yrs and has worked extensively in the ethylene industry, contributing to and leading major projects. O’Sullivan works extensively in developing decarbonization solutions across the Lummus portfolio. She earned a BE degree in chemical engineering, with a minor in literature, as well as an MS degree in materials engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Daniel McKenzie is a Technology Manager at Lummus Technology, specializing in ethylene and other olefins production technologies. With more than 17 yrs of experience in process engineering design, he has led major projects worldwide, contributing to advancements in sustainable petrochemical production. McKenzie plays a key role in Lummus’ decarbonization initiatives, focusing on reducing CO₂ emissions in steam crackers. He has authored and presented numerous technical papers on sustainable solutions for steam crackers and is a contributing author to the Handbook of Petrochemical Production Processes. He earned a BS degree in chemical engineering from the University of South Carolina and has been with Lummus since 2011.