The CHAIRMAN introduced the presenters F. D.
DENNSTEDT (Paper i), G. J. VAN DEN BERG (Paper 2), M. AIZAWA (Paper 3), V. SZIJJ (Paper 4) and W. J. MAGERS (Paper 5) and then set the scene as follows.
CHAIRMAN: Today energy conservation has become a national issue in virtually every country of the world; several of the speakers at the Opening Ceremony touched on this. The oil refining industry itself is a major consumer of energy. If, for example, we look at the year 1978, I believe that the total refinery fuel consumption and losses of the worldwide oil refining industry must have been about 200 million tons. If over the next five years this figure could be reduced by only 15%, this would represent a saving of 30 million tons a year. In other words, a saving of over half a million barrels per day. This represents, or could represent, if it is realized, a very significant contribution to the solution of the world's energy problems and, I would suggest, represents a challenging target for the oil refining industry throughout the world.
Today we have papers which discuss various aspects of energy conservation in the refinery. Paper No. 1 is a general paper which primarily discusses the management of energy conservation. You will, of course, find this a theme which enters most of the papers which will be presented to you today. Paper No. 2 deals with the possible impact of energy sources other than oil and gas on the refinery energy balance.
Papers Nos 3 and 4 are concerned mainly with technological and engineering aspects of energy conservation. I would like to mention that the author of Paper No. 4 was Dr VAJTA, who, regrettably, died on the 23rd May this year shortly after completing the paper. Although I did not know Dr VAJTA personally, the correspondence which I had with him clearly showed the enthusiasm and professionalism which he brought to bear on the production of this paper and I deeply regret that I was never able to meet him to express my appreciation of his work.
Today Dr VAJTA's paper will be presented by Mr SZIJJ, who is the fourth presenter and I would especially like to thank him for volunteering to take over the presentation of this paper. Paper No. 5 refers to the techniques of energy conservation in the USA and gives some comparisons with other countries.
Management of energy conservation in refineries Mr HEMBURY (Elf Aquitaine): Is it preferable that the persons designated as ‘Energy Steward’ and ‘Conservation Coordinator’ should be separate individuals? What inconvenience would the author see in one person doing both tasks? F. D. DENNSTEDT: We see the ‘Energy Steward’ as a member of higher management in the refinery who accepts energy conservation as a responsibility in ad
