2016 Q&A and Technology Forum

Sunday, September 25 - Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel
700 Aliceanna Street
Baltimore, MD 21202

Refocus, Reimagine, Reassure

The Q&A and Technology Forum program has seven components to give attendees the industry's most comprehensive meeting on refinery operations and process technology: the Q&A Panel Sessions, Cybersecurity Day, the Principles & Practices Sessions, the Plant Automation/Decision Support Sessions, a hands-on cybersecurity exercise, an Emerging Leaders Townhall and a Table Top Exhibition. 

Save $300 by registering by August 26th and making a sleeping room reservation in the AFPM room block.

The Q&A Sessions on Hydroprocessing, Gasoline Processes, Crude/Vacuum Distillation & Coking, and FCC 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.  You can participate by submitting your own answers to these questions to be included in the Answer Book. To have your answers included, submit them to Yvette Brooks at AnswerBook@afpm.org no later than August 29, 2016. This will allow time for AFPM to prepare the Answer Book for distribution.

The Principles & Practices (P&P) Sessions on Hydroprocessing, Gasoline Processes, Crude/Vacuum Distillation & Coking, FCC, Fostering Profitability and a Young Leaders Town Hall are discussion-oriented sessions, primarily designed for the engineer whose overall operating experience is 3-15 years. Four of the P&P sessions complement the information exchange that occurs in the Q&A sessions; the other two P&P sessions address current industry issues. 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 be held Monday, September 26.  These sessions will provide plant automation and information technology professionals a comprehensive program on the latest developments in this rapidly evolving field.  This year's topics will focus on alarm management, supply chain and optimization, and software applications.  The Plant Automation & Decision Support presentations will focus on big data and emerging solutions.

Tuesday, September 27 will be Cybersecurity Day.  The presentations and panels will focus on why cybersecurity risk management is now a paramount issue in the refining and petrochemical industries.  Presentations will focus on contemporary cybersecurity topics, including industrial control systems, ransomware, risk management  and  supply chain security.  One-day registration is available.

On Wednesday, September 28, a special hands-on cybersecurity exercise will be offered to Q&A attendees.  This exercise, called "Capture the Flag," covers a wide range of hacking skills, such as web and binary exploration, forensics, networking and ad-hoc scripting.  A full array of audio and visual equipment, rich with sounds and leaderboards, immerses participants into a competitive, yet educational, environment.  Participants learn different ways to approach problems and to think creatively.  This exercise will be designed so that those with little cybersecurity experience can also play along as a part of a team.

Emerging Leaders Town Hall is led by young leaders for other young up-and-coming members of the industry. This session features Peer-to-Peer topics, such as: effective communication; keys to success; how to become self-directed; becoming the leader in the room; career development; quality of life; and other topics as identified by the discussion leaders.

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

Save $100 off full conference registration by registering by August 26th, and save an additional $200 by reserving a room in the AFPM block when you register. 

Registration fees increase by $100 on August 27th.  On-line registration closes September 16.