New insights and fun bike rides during MCEC Community excursion to Shell and Albemarle



On the 22nd of September, 22 MCEC PhD-students and postdocs visited the Shell Technology Center and the production site of Albemarle Catalysts in Amsterdam-North.

The morning session, at Shell, was organized by Peter Klusener (Process Development Chemist), with Maurice Fransen (Flow Assurance Engineer) being their host. Ingmar Ploemen (Manager New Energy Technologies) provided the MCEC visitors with an interesting lecture on Shell’s vision concerning the energy challenge. The PhD’s and postdocs were led around three units on the site: 3D printer, flow-slug loop and catalyst and process R&D.

After lunch, they hopped on their rental bikes again and drove to Albemarle, where they were received with a presentation by Prof. Eelco Vogt (Catalysis of Refinery Processes) about the size of the oil and catalyst industry and the role of Albermarle therein. Vogt also explained the processes of the catalysts, which the PhD’s and PD’s subsequently were shown in the plant on the production site (FCC and Hydrotreating).

Our PhD’s and PD’s were also invited for lunch at Shell and, at the end of the day, informal drinks at Albemarle, which gave them the opportunity to talk to the companies’ employees about their daily work life.

The excursion was initiated and planned by MCEC’s Team Community.

September 24, 2016