2011 Q&A and Technology Forum


Monday, October 10 - Wednesday, October 12, 2011
JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa
23808 Resort Parkway
San Antonio 78261

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The registration period for this meeting has ended.



On-line registration now closed. On-site registration will begin at the Ballroom Registration Desk of the J.W. Marriott San Antonio Hill Country on Sunday, Oct. 9 at 3 pm. Badge pick-up for those already registered and on-site registration hours are Sunday, 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm; Monday, 6:30 am - 6:30 pm; Tuesday, 7:00 am - 5:00 pm; and Wednesday, 7:30 am - 10 am.

The Q&A and Technology Forum program has four major components to give attendees the industry's most comprehensive meeting on refinery operations and process technology: the Q&A Panel Sessions, the Principles & Practices Sessions, and the Plant Automation/Decision Support Sessions, and a table top exhibition.

The Q&A Sessions on Hydroprocessing, FCC, Crude/Vacuum Distillation & Coking, and Gasoline Processes feature panels of industry experts from refining companies and technology providers who respond to questions and engage attendees in a discussion of today's tough issues.

The Principles & Practices(P&P) Sessions on General Plant Services, Hydroprocessing, Gasoline Processes, Crude/Vacuum Distillation & Coking, FCC, and Energy & Environmental are discussion-oriented sessions, primarily designed for the engineer whose overall operating experience is less than 20 years. The P&P sessions complement the information exchange that occurs in the Q&A sessions. Each of the sessions addresses the fundamentals of good operation and the foundational principles for the technologies that are commonly employed. These sessions have short presentations followed by a time where attendees can ask further questions or present their own particular problems and benefit from the collective experience of the other attendees.

The Plant Automation & Decision Support sessions will address the latest developments in supply chain management, industrial control systems security, process control, plant automation, and the supporting information technology systems.

The Tabletop Exhibition will showcase catalyst, chemical, and technology providers, engineering companies, licensors and other industry suppliers in one convenient location.

Refining Technology Seminars There are currently three seminars being held adjacent to the NPRA Q&A and Technology forum. One will be held on Sunday afternoon prior to the conference and two will be held Wednesday afternoon between 12:00 and 5:00 pm. See schedule of events for more details. Please contact the host company via the links below for more information.
  • Hydrogen Plant Seminar and Q&A presented by Sud-Chemie, Jill Parman.
  • Fundamentals of Overhead System Corrosion presented by Baker Hughes, Rachel Verbit
  • IsoTherming® Hydroprocessing Technology Symposium presented by DuPont Sustainable Solutions, Debra Weston


Save $100 off full conference registration by registering by September 9th. On-line registration closes October 3.

Related Web Pages and Sites:
Speaker Information
2011 QA Exhibitor Directory

Related Files:

Press Registration Policy
Press Registration Request Form
2010 Final Attendee List
Plant Automation Call For Papers Addendum
2011 Q&A Questions
Pre- & Post-Conference Refining Technology Seminars Information
2011 Advance Program
2011 Panel Bios
2011 Principles & Practices Topics

Registration Includes:

Full registration includes admission to the General and Breakout Sessions, the luncheons Monday and Tuesday in the exhibit hall and the Reception Monday evening in the exhibit hall.

Who Should Attend:

Young engineers, seasoned professionals, process technology specialists, and mid-to-upper level managers from operating plants and headquarters, as well as supplier companies.

Individuals responsible for plant automation, process control, planning and scheduling, IT, modeling/simulation professionals, refinery and petrochemical engineers and consultants should plan on attending the plant automation sessions as well as the Q&A and P&P sessions.

Meeting Attire:

Business casual - shirts with collars; no ties, no jeans, no sneakers and no shorts.


Fee Dates:

Register by September 9 to receive Early registration fees. On September 10, full registration fees increase by $100, Monday/Tuesday one-day passes increase by $50, and Wednesday one-day passes increase by $25.

Registration Fees:

These fees are available through 10/03/2011
Name Price Available To
Member Registration - Early $575.00   Members
Member Registration - Late $675.00   Members
Non-Member Registration - Early $1,145.00   NonMember
Non-Member Registration - Late $1,245.00   NonMember
Spouse Registration $100.00  

 

Special Events

Name Price Available To
One Day Pass - Monday  
     Member - 1-Day - Early $300.00  
     Non-Member - 1-Day - Early $575.00  
     Member - 1-Day - Late $350.00  
     Non-Member - 1-Day - Late $625.00  
One Day Pass - Tuesday  
     Non-Member - 1-Day - Early $575.00  
     Member - 1-Day - Late $350.00  
     Non-Member - 1-Day - Late $625.00  
One Day Pass - Wednesday  
     Member - 1-Day - Early $150.00  
     Non-Member - 1-Day - Early $290.00  
     Member - 1-Day - Late $175.00  
     Non-Member - 1-Day - Late $315.00  


Cancellation and Other Policies:

Please note: ALL exhibitors must register for the conference. NO complimentary booth passes are included in the booth fee.

REGISTRATION POLICY: Those who are present at the site of an NPRA meeting and/or occupy a hotel room in the NPRA room block to conduct business with industry personnel gathered for that meeting are expected to register for that meeting and pay the registration fee, whether or not they attend a specific function.

FEE POLICY: Eligibility for member rates is based on membership information currently on file with NPRA. If your company is not currently a member, the non-member fees will be charged to your credit card.

SPOUSE/GUEST POLICY: A guest is a spouse/significant other, friend or an adult child (18 years old or older) who is not in an industry-related occupation. A co-worker, an associate or spouse who works within the industry may not use the Spouse/Guest Registration category. Guests are not permitted to work the table-top exhibit. Children under 18 are not permitted in the exhibit hall.

CANCELLATION POLICY: Registration cancellations may be made on-line or submitted in writing, faxed to 202.835.0467 or e-mailed to QA@npra.org. Substitute conference registrations may be made in advance or on arrival with no penalty. Substitutions must be submitted in writing to QA@npra.org.

Cancellations may be made by September 9, 2011 with no penalty. Written cancellations postmarked, faxed, or emailed between September 10 and 23, 2011 will receive a refund of fees, less a $50 processing fee. No refunds after September 23, 2011. No telephone cancellations.

NO SUITCASING, PLEASE. Please note that while all meeting attendees are invited to the exhibition, any attendee who is observed to be soliciting business in the aisles or other public spaces, in another company's booth, or in violation of any portion of the NPRA Exhibition Policy will be asked to leave immediately. Please report any violations you may observe to show management.

ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY AND PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL CONDUCT CODE

ENTERTAINMENT POLICY

General Hotel Information:

Resort Fee:
A resort fee of $25/day at the JW Marriott Hill Country is optional. The Resort fee includes the following amenities:

  • 2 Drinks at Crooked Branch (Gratuity Not Included) for the full extent of stay
  • Golf Bag Storage at the Resort
  • High Speed Internet Access
  • Unlimited Local and Domestic Long Distance Phone Calls
  • Access to Resort & Lantana Spa Fitness Center
  • Complimentary Fitness Classes Offered At The Spa
  • 15% Discount on Meals in Replenish Spa Bistro
  • 10% Discount at Range Riders
  • Tennis Court Access with Complimentary Racket Use

    Estimated Value $115.00 for $25.00 Daily Fee Plus Tax


Housing

Earliest Check-in Date: October 6, 2011
Latest Checkout-out Date: October 14, 2011
Final Reservation Cut-Off Date: September 13, 2011
(Some hotels may run out of space earlier or be cut-off prior to this date.)

JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa:
23808 Resort Parkway
San Antonio, TX 78261-2018



    Guest Room
    Rate: $199 Single/Double Occupancy
    Deposit: $199 Single/Double Occupancy

Travel Information:

AVIS is the official rental car agency for the QA. Call 800-331-1600 and refer to AWD#:B761399 to receive discounted rates.


Sponsors and Sponsorship Information:

Contact Merla Zollinger at merlaz@npra.org or call 202-457-0480 for sponsorship information.

Thank you to our 2011 sponsors:

Screening Meeting
KBC Advanced Technologies Inc.

Coffee Break
Arkema Inc. - Monday Morning

Conference Bag
BASF Corporation

Electronic Session Counters
Baker Hughes

Final Program
OSIsoft

Panel Meeting
Process Consulting Services

Session Audio/Visual Services
AspenTech - Plant Automation: Business Integration and Intelligence/Environmental Regulation, Challenges & Response
CB&I - Hydroprocessing Q&A
Chevron Lummus Global - Hydroprocessing Principles & Practices
Intercat/Johnson Matthey - FCC Q&A
Yokogawa Corporation of America - Energy and Environment Principals & Practices

Email Contacts:
For Program Information contact Yvette Brooks
For Registration information contact QA@npra.org
For Exhibit information contact Katharine Nesslage

Policies:
ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY AND PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL CONDUCT CODE

The National Petrochemical and Refiners Association (“NPRA”) has adopted the following “Ethical Responsibility and Professional and Personal Conduct Code” (hereinafter, “the Code”). Every member of NPRA, their designated representatives, and non-member attendees at all NPRA meetings and forums agree to abide by the Code as a condition of membership in NPRA and attendance and participation at NPRA meetings and forums.

The Code requires the following of all individuals attending NPRA meetings and forums:

• Adherence to the NPRA bylaws and the NPRA policies and procedures, as adopted by NPRA’s Board of Directors.
• Strict compliance with federal antitrust laws.
• Adherence to all applicable federal and state laws.
• Maintenance of the highest level of professional and personal ethical behavior while attending NPRA meetings and forums.
• Prevention of certain behaviors, including harassment, violence, intimidation and discrimination of any kind involving race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or, where applicable, veteran or marital status.
• Assurance that conduct at all times and in all professional and personal dealings with each other and other attendees with the highest level of integrity and courtesy.
• Sharing of knowledge and expertise as speakers at NPRA educational events and sessions whenever practicable, without soliciting or explicitly promoting their own organization's products or services.
• Working to instill public and consumer confidence in the petrochemical and refining industries, its member companies, and its professionals, avoiding any action conducive to discrediting members of NPRA.
• Refraining from scheduling general attendance meetings, receptions or other events at times that conflict with substantive programming or social events at NPRA meetings without express written permission of NPRA.

Failure to abide by the Code may result, for the first offense, in informal censure of a company or individual by the NPRA Executive Committee. If violations of the Code continue after such an informal censure, a company may be subject to expulsion from NPRA, or an individual to exclusion from participation in NPRA activities, by the Board of Directors.
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ENTERTAINMENT POLICY: We ask your cooperation in observing Association policy on activities held in conjunction with any NPRA meeting:

• Meetings or social activities should not be scheduled that take registrants away from NPRA programs and NPRA-sponsored activities;
• Any company sponsoring a function to which 25 or more people are invited should outline its plans for advance approval by NPRA. In general, such functions will be approved if they do not unduly take registrants away from NPRA-sponsored activities;
• All representatives of companies sponsoring hospitality activities are expected to register for the meeting;
• Hospitality suites are expected to close by 1:00 a.m.;
• Food, beverage and service personnel (bartenders, hostesses, etc.) must be obtained through the hotel catering department;
• Suite promotional activities are to avoid the use of elaborate entertainment, expensive door prizes, suite attendance solicitation by individuals who are not full-time employees of the sponsoring company, or other similar activities.
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