2025 AFPM Summit

Arrive early to the 2025 AFPM Summit and join us at the Heroes Charity Golf Tournament and Clay Shoot. Events include a welcome dinner on Sunday, August 24, and the Heroes Charity Golf Tournament on Monday, August 25. Proceeds will benefit the Heroes Charity Foundation, which supports charities that champion initiatives that improve the lives of veterans, children and the families who support them.

Join a fun event and network with colleagues and clients. Click to learn more.

Welcome
Chet Thompson, President and CEO, AFPM

Lifetime Service Award
Phil Gaarder, EVP Operations, Flint Hills Resources, LLC
Jim Stump, Braya Renewable Fuels

Moderator:
Brent Railey, Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP

Speakers:
Holly Fitch, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Bobby Hammer, Big West Oil, LLC
Siva Lakshmanan, DeepHow

Moderator:
Willis Jernigan, AFPM

Speaker:
Melike Yersiz, U.S. Chemical Safety Board

This session will review a collaboration between UOP and Marathon to optimize operation of the FCC bottoms section. After detecting fouling in the main column slurry pumparound packing, an innovative internals modification was implemented to minimize this in the future. This presentation will review the observed benefits of the new internals and provide an overview of key variables to monitor in the bottoms circuit. 

Moderator:
Michael Allegro, BASF Corporation

Speakers:
Ryan Brown, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Nick Turner, Honeywell UOP

Moderator:
Dean Roberts, Ergon, Inc.

Speaker:
Colin Davis, Becht

Moderator:
Susan Grissom, AFPM

Speakers:
John Auers, RBN Energy

Identifying, diagnosing and remedying catalyst losses are crucial to successful FCC operation. It is not a matter of if, but when, your FCC unit will encounter catalyst losses and whether it is small and manageable or large and unsustainable. This session will review catalyst loss fundamentals and troubleshooting followed by case studies from two units with very different outcomes. 

Moderator:
Tiffany Clark, Marathon Petroleum Corporation

Speakers:
Joe Colmone, Honeywell UOP
Andishaeh Dadgar, Ketjen Corporation
Zane Lopez, Delek US

See related presentations on AI applications on the AFPM Safety Portal.

Moderator:
Bruce Taylor, FurtherTec

Speakers:
Ryan Byrne, Macedon Technologies
Brandon Taylor, Flatirons Digital Innovations
Andrew Vignes, HF Sinclair Corporation
Patrick Robinson, PBF Energy, Inc.

In this session, we will discuss in detail the definition of Normalization of Deviance and how it has contributed to major accidents, including both Space Shuttle disasters. Examples will be provided of Normalization of Deviance in operating and maintaining process plants, as well as in our daily lives.

Participants will:

• Gain an understanding of how to stop Normalization of Deviance


• Learn how to identify and correct this behavior


• Take this concept home to apply with their families

Moderator:
Dean Roberts, Ergon Refining, Inc.

Speaker:
Rick Hoffman, Becht

In the refining industry, effective feed filtration is crucial for maintaining the reliability and efficiency of hydroprocessing units. This presentation, "Hydroprocessing Unit Feed Filtration Technologies and Industry Experiences," aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the purpose and types of feed filtration equipment available in the market, along with their operational considerations and industry experiences. 

Moderator:
Montri Vichailak, Marathon Petroleum Corporation

Speaker:
Andres Barrios, FILTER RESOURCES An MCE Company
Sidney Mondin, FILTER RESOURCES An MCE Company
Brian Noto, FILTER RESOURCES An MCE Company
Christina Rasmussen, Marathon Petroleum Corporation

Speakers:
Amit Gupta, Heurtey Petrochem Solutions
Amanda Nelson, ExxonMobil

Moderator:
Sheila Bottjen, Valero Energy Corporation

Speaker:
Mike Teders, Becht

After more than 50 years of root cause analysis (RCA), you might expect problem solving to be a clear and straightforward process. It’s not. You can find yourself caught in unproductive debates. “Is that a contributing factor, or a causal factor?” “That’s a primary cause, but it’s not the main cause.” The result is frustration, inefficiency, and solutions that allow a repeat of the same problems.

A better approach to RCA is one built on evidence-based cause-and-effect relationships. The steps are simple: define the problem, explain why it happened, and identify solutions to reduce risk. Its focus is on having more reliable work processes, learning, and improving, which helps engage the frontline and minimize blame.

This session will explain the pitfalls of drifting from scientific problem solving and features a case study demonstrating how first-principles RCA leads to tangible improvements in reliability and human performance.

Participants will learn:

• Four common errors that arise when explaining why an incident occurred


• The biggest misconception about RCA


• Why effective RCA does not require any proprietary techniques, terminology, or software


• How RCA can be scaled for low-risk incidents and expanded as needed for higher-impact events.


• How to reduce “human error” by involving those who perform the work

Moderator:
Bill Clark, Phillips 66

Speakers:
Bill Clark, Phillips 66
Mark Galley, ThinkReliability

Speaker:
Constantine Lau, Schneider Electric

This Lessons Learned session will focus on telling the stories of fatal incidents in Hydroprocessing units to facilitate an awareness and understanding of the different root causes contributing to them.  Sharing the lessons learned will help prevent similar incidents from happening again.  The presenters will cover a broad spectrum of incidents and their causes with a Q&A discussion at the end.

Moderator:
Thad Sauvain, Becht

Speakers:
Jeff Johns, Becht
Greg Mullek, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Over the past 12 years, Ketjen FCC modeling engineers have simulated over 145 FCC units globally, identifying common challenges that prevent refiners from fully leveraging kinetic FCC models to maximize profitability. These challenges often stem from structural issues in model setup, poor-quality process measurements, or a lack of detailed knowledge about the models. This presentation will highlight 4 to 6 real-world examples, offering insights on how to: 1) avoid common modeling predicaments, 2) quickly identify if problems exist, and 3) implement actionable solutions. 

Moderator:
Steve Shimoda, Technip Energies

Speaker:
Alan Kramer, Ketjen Corporation
Bridget Cadigan, Marathon Petroleum Corporation

Moderator:
Sam Lordo, Becht

Speaker:
Gary Gianzon, Becht

Fluid Catalytic Cracking technology provides an elegant and flexible solution to meet refining and petrochemical demands but concurrently carries notable challenges. Among these challenges are contaminants produced in the process, notably particulate matter, SOx, NOx, and CO, which have potential to result in air quality emissions from the flue gas stack. This session will describe the formation mechanisms and summarize available control technology to manage emission of these species. 

Moderator:
Joe Famolaro, ExxonMobil Corporation

Speakers:
Heather Blair, Johnson Matthey
Jessica Boyce, HF Sinclair Corporation
Disha Sharma, W.R. Grace & Co.

Speaker:
Kris Kohl, Baker Hughes

Moderator:
Liana Siegel, Marathon Petroleum Corporation

Speakers:
Jhouly Osorio, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Ezequiel Vicent, OLI Systems Inc.

In an era of rapid technological advancement, achieving positive reliability outcomes requires a strategic blend of innovation and foundational maintenance practices. This presentation explores how organizations can harness emerging technologies to enhance awareness and enable early anomaly detection. By integrating data-driven insights with proven maintenance strategies, companies can improve operational reliability and efficiency. Through an open discussion, we will explore the real-world challenges and opportunities that arise when merging traditional maintenance with cutting-edge technology.

The session is designed as an introductory-level discussion that highlights the value of combining traditional hands-on maintenance practices with modern monitoring tools to support a more comprehensive and reliable approach to decision-making. Together we aim to uncover practical strategies for building a resilient, future-ready maintenance culture. Participants will be encouraged to share experiences and insights on navigating common pitfalls—such as over-reliance on digital tools, integration complexities, and maintaining a balance between automation and human expertise.

Moderator:
Dean Roberts, Ergon Refining, Inc.

Speakers:
Jaxson O'Brien, CHS Inc.
Mark Sannes, Flint Hills Resources, LLC

Moderator:
Alex Bruns, Nalco Water

Presenter:
Jay Egg, Egg Geo LLC
Mimi Egg, Egg Geo LLC

Moderator:
Bill Clark, Phillips 66

Speaker:
Jim Payne, Phillips 66

Moderator:
Tim Oubre, Halliburton Multi-Chem

Speakers:
Tim Oubre, Halliburton Multi-Chem
Jeff Zurlo, TotalChem, LLC

Onstream reliability of FCC slide valves is the key to safe normal and emergency operations. Three different lessons learned on actuator purges, stuck slide valves, and hydraulic oil quality/solenoid valve reliability, followed by a Q&A with an expert panel.

Moderator:
Ziad Jawad, Phillips 66

Speakers:
Virgil Guzman, Circor
Jeremy Meadows, Circor
Jason Saltzman, ExxonMobil Corporation
Wally Stinson, ExxonMobil Corporation
Luke Sutcliffe, Phillips 66

This session will introduce an integral part of maintenance and reliability engineers’ responsibilities to capital projects. How this relationship and communication is important to get safe, reliable, and maintainable equipment installed when working with a capital project team.

Participants will learn:

• What a project life cycle is


• What influences cost the most, and


• Industry standards for analysis

Moderator:
Bill Clark, Phillips 66

Speaker:
Dean Roberts, Ergon Refining, Inc.

Moderator:
Matt Goodman, Marathon Petroleum Corporation

Speaker:
John Howard, Experian Automotive

Moderators:
Hector Gamboa-Arizpe, CITGO Petroleum Corporation
Jacob Young, Petroval S.A.

Panelists:
Mark Cox, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Gary Gianzon, Becht
Kamur Bantwal Rama, HF Sinclair Corporation
Graylon Williams, Nalco Energy Services

Moderator:
Liana Siegel, Marathon Petroleum Corporation

Speakers:
Ayushi Chauhan, KBR
Mark Rasmussen, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Moderator:
Rhett Finch, Marathon Petroleum Corporation

Speakers:
Nandita Akunuri, Axens North America
Amanda Cavazos, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Rhett Finch, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Leslie Johnson, Crystaphase

Moderator:
Atique Malik, AIControl LLC

Speakers:
Scott Flanagan, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Johnny Serafin, Phillips 66

Moderator:
Lon Schuckman, CHS Inc.

Speaker:
Jessy Trucko, Honeywell UOP

Moderator:
Atique Malik, AIControl LLC

Speaker:
TBD

Moderator:
Tyner Devine, Flint Hills Resources, LLC

Speakers:
Tyner Devine, Flint Hills Resources, LLC
Liana Siegel, Marathon Petroleum Corporation

Moderator:
Hector Gamboa-Arizpe, CITGO Petroleum Corporation

Speaker:
TBD

Moderator:
Doug Beshara, Merrick & Company

Speakers:
Chad Asmus, BASF
Kristine Klavers, EcoEngineers

Moderators:
Jimmy Jernigan, LyondellBasell Industries
Mike DeHart, Valero Energy Corporation

Speakers:
Tom Golden, LyondellBasell Industries
John Duenckel, Valero Energy Corporation

Moderators:
Del Grotewold, Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions
Wendy Wildenberg, Flint Hills Resources, LLC

Speakers:
Wendy Wildenberg, Flint Hills Resources, LLC
Carson Wright, Flint Hills Resources, LLC

Moderator:
Alex Kniuksta, Honeywell UOP

Speaker:
Scott Wozniak, Honeywell UOP

Moderators:
Greg Cantley, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Robert Graham, HF Sinclair Corporation

Speakers:
Regina Eiford, HF Sinclair Corporation
Robert Graham, HF Sinclair Corporation

Moderator:
Yugender Chikkula, Motiva Enterprises LLC

Speakers:
Abhay Singh, Motiva Enterprises LLC
Yugender Chikkula, Motiva Enterprises LLC

Moderator:
TBD

Speaker:
Sheila Bottjen, Valero Corporation

Moderator:
Timothy Chappell, ExxonMobil Corporation

Speakers:
Timothy Chappell, ExxonMobil Corporation
Cheryl Gonzalez, Cheniere Energy

Moderator:
Eric Legare, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Speakers:
Paul J. Dofton, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Jesse Haney, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Kamyar Keyvanloo, Phillips66
Maggie McDaniel, Montana Renewables

Moderator:
TBD

Speaker:
TBD

Moderators:
Delbert Grotewold, Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions
Wendy Wildenberg, Flint Hills Resources, LLC

Speakers:
Justin Irick, Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions
Robert Rountree, Monroe Energy, LLC

Moderator:
Wade Hollman, Phillips 66

Presenters:
Wade Hollman, Phillips 66
Liza Pacheco, Marathon Petroleum Corporation

Moderator:
Atique Malik, AIControl LLC

Presenters:
Rajeev Limaye, Linde Advanced Operations Services
Lena Tetampel, Linde Engineering Munich Germany

Moderators:
Greg Cantley, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Robert Graham, HF Sinclair Corporation

Presenter:
TBD

Moderator:
Willis Jernigan, AFPM

Presenter:
Melike Yeriz, US Chemical Safety Board

Moderator:
James Esteban, Unicat Catalyst Technologies

Speakers:
Breanna Busker, Refined Technologies
Kendal Williams, Cruz Alta

Moderator:
Bill Clark, Phillips 66

Presenter:
Clayton Daigle, Phillips 66

Moderator:
Eric Legare, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Speakers:
Paul J. Dofton, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Jesse Haney, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Kamyar Keyvanloo, Phillips66
Maggie McDaniel, Montana Renewables

Moderator:
Bill Clark, Phillips 66

Presenter:
Carlos Acosta, Phillips 66

Moderator:
Andrew Mezera, Valero Energy Corporation

Presenters:
Jeremy Mayol, Johnson Matthey
Shankhamala Kundu, W.R. Grace & Co.

Moderator:
Shanying Lee, Advanced Refining Technologies

Speakers:
Oscar Brown, Valero Energy Corporation
Anthony Galando, Chevron Lummus Global
Jacob Lundmark, Flint Hills Resources, LLC
Krishnan Vaidyanathan, Honeywell UOP

Moderators:
Diana Cheek, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Katie Marshall, Refined Technologies, Inc.

Presenters:
Diana Cheek, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Katie Marshall, Refined Technologies, Inc.
Dan Wood, HF Sinclair

Moderator:
Eric Legare, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Speakers:
Ramin Abhari, Chevron Renewable Energy Group
Daniel Carlson, Calumet Specialty Products

Moderator:
Todd Hochheiser, Johnson Matthey

Speakers:
Nate Hager, Cenovus Energy Inc.
Herb Telidetzki, Becht

Moderator:
Keith Couch, Honeywell UOP

Presenter:
TBD

Moderator:
Diane Dierking, Johnson Matthey

Speakers:
Scott McArthur, Phillips 66
Edgar Remedios, FOERSTER Instruments Inc.

Moderators:
Diana Cheek, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Katie Marshall, Refined Technologies, Inc.

Moderator:
Liz Manning, Cheniere Energy

Speakers:
Ben Krueger, LyondellBasell Industries
Sarah Peery, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Shannon McAvoy, ReNu Technologies

Moderator:
Gerard Celestine, Motiva Enterprises LLC

Speaker:
TBD

Moderator:
Joe Colmone, Honeywell UOP

Speakers:
Luis Bougrat, W.R. Grace & Co.
Zach Word, Phillips 66

Moderator:
Liz Manning, Cheniere Energy

Speakers:
Ben Krueger, LyondellBasell Industries
Sarah Peery, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Shannon McAvoy, ReNu Technologies

Moderator:
Dean Roberts, Ergon Refining, Inc.

Speaker:
Adrian Azpilicueta, Nalco Water

Moderator:
Alex Kniutska, Honeywell UOP

Speakers:
Rhett Finch, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Alex Kniutska, Honeywell UOP
Thomas Porritt, Chevron U.S.A., Inc.

Moderator:
Dan Harbs, Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions

Speakers:
Angela Wharton, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Kai Zhang, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Moderator:
Cliff Avery, Ketjen Corporation

Speaker:
Daniel Hussman, Parkland

Moderator:
Bruce Taylor, FurtherTec

Speakers:
Sara Gall, Phillips 66
Craig Harclerode, PI AF Consulting

Moderator:
Graylon Williams, Nalco Energy Services

Speaker:
Adrian Azpilicueta, Nalco Water

Moderator:
Michael Mitzner, Axens North America

Speakers:
Vidyashankar Kuppuraj, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Chad Perrott, Axens North America

Moderator:
Alex Sabitov, Phillips 66

Speaker:
Greg Marshall, Becht

Moderator:
Andrew Jakubowski, Flint Hills Resources, LLC

Moderator:
Tim Olsen, Emerson Automation Solutions

Speakers:
Steve Gill, HF Sinclair Corporation
Troy Jones, Motiva Enterprises LLC
Cristina Pirataie, Puffer-Sweiven

Moderator:
CJ Farley, G. W. Aru, LLC

Speakers:
Brandy Burton, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Alexis Shackleford, BASF

Moderator:
Karen Green, Marathon Petroleum Corporation

Speakers:
Representative, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Representative, NPC
Representative, Solomon Associates

Moderator:
Tim Olsen, Emerson Automation Solutions

Speakers:
Carlos Acosta, Phillips 66
Vance Flosenzier, INVISTA
David Lee, User Centered Design Services, Inc.
Conner Williamson, INVISTA

Moderator:
Joe Famolaro, ExxonMobil
Richard Grove, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Speaker:
TBD

Moderator:
Sergio Robledo, Unicat Catalyst Technologies

Panelists:
Nels Erickson, Flint Hills Resources, LLC
Megan Macciomei, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Franz Petzold, Clariant Corporation
Matt Stephens, Valero Energy Corporation
Lan Truong, Axens North America

Moderator:
Andrew Jakubowski, Flint Hills Resources, LLC

Moderators:
Greg Cantley, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Sylvain Fontaine, Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions
Jeff Gunnulfsen, AFPM

Speakers:
John Bigham, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Daniel Compton, Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions
Todd Kato, Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions

Moderator:
Dan Harbs, Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions

Speakers:
Johnny Dorminey, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
Dan Harbs, Veolia Water Technologies & Solutions

Moderator:
Thomas Porritt, Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Moderator:
Steve Jewell, KBR

Panelists:
CJ Farley, G. W. Aru, LLC
Ziad Jawad, Phillips 66
Andrew Mezera, Valero Energy Corporation
Patrick McSorley, Ketjen Corporation
Raj Singh, Technip Energies

Moderator:
Bruce Taylor, FurtherTec

Speaker:
TBD

Moderator:
Sergio Robledo, Unicat Catalyst Technologies

Panelists:
Representative, Valero Energy Corporation
Representative, Flint Hills Resources, LLC
Representative, Suncor Energy Inc.
Representative, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Representative, Axens Licensing
Representative, Clariant

Moderator:
Andrew Jakubowski, Flint Hills Resources, LLC

Moderator:
Russ Wiltse, Valero Energy Corporation

Speakers:
Rhett Finch, Marathon Petroleum Corporation
Matt Hutchinson, Axens North America
Alex Kniuksta, Honeywell UOP
Thomas Porritt, Chevron U.S.A., Inc.
Alex Sabitov, Phillips 66
Russ Wiltse, Valero Energy Corporation