I recently caught up with Robert Collins, technology director of KBR Technology & Consulting, and board member of the upcoming 62nd Annual Safety in Ammonia Plants and Related Facilities Symposium in Brooklyn, New York.
In your opinion, what is the most important current trend in ammonia and safety?
There seems to be a lot of emphasis on risk-based inspections and assessments or similar predictive modeling of the plant that goes beyond HAZOP in analyzing potential safety issues in the operation. Reliability of equipment also plays a large part in the symposium, and new technology is being adapted in both old and new plants to make them not only more efficient but safer.
What sessions or speakers would you like to highlight as new or noteworthy for the 62nd Annual Safety in Ammonia Plants and Related Facilities Symposium?
Certainly the keynote address on managing human reliability is a good start; there are several incident papers which provide a lesson learned for new insights on safer operating practices and monitoring.
What message would you like the audience to take away from this year’s Ammonia and Safety symposium?
The ammonia community is somewhat unique in its sharing of information and experiences. There is a wealth of information in the technical manual USB drive provided with registration, but participating in such a conference provides an opportunity to focus on the safety and technical aspects involved in the operation of ammonia, syngas, and urea facilities.
How do you envision safety in ammonia plants advancing some of the Grand Challenges in engineering and society (medicine, health informatics, etc.)?
Automated and intelligent control systems are being developed in newer plants that can minimize operation upsets and provide safer shutdowns in emergency situations. These same practices can be adapted to other production units as well, keeping in mind that ammonia is a key part of the fertilizer industry and agriculture that keeps food available for growing populations.
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