23 November 2009
MUSCAT -- Oman Refineries and Petrochemicals Company LLC (ORPC) yesterday signed an agreement with Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) for the funding of a study aimed at finding beneficial applications for the large volumes of spent catalyst and charcoal generated by ORPC's Sohar and Mina Al Fahal refineries. The research agreement was inked by Dr Adil bin Abdulaziz al Kindy, Chief Executive Officer of ORPC, and Prof Amor Ali al Rawas, SQU's Deputy Vice Chancellor for Postgraduate Studies and Research.
ORPC is committing in excess of $300,000 for the research study, which aims to explore potential applications for spent catalyst and charcoal in construction and related industries. "We are happy to have this agreement signed with Sultan Qaboos University to strengthen the partnership and co-operation that has existed between the two organisations for the benefit of our mutual interests, the environment and society as a whole. We intend to work together with SQU to find out the best means for reusing the spent catalyst and charcoal safely and without causing any harm to the environment," Dr Al Kindy said.
The agreement, the CEO said, was a further testament of ORPC's commitment to promoting and supporting research and development at SQU. "We are confident that such applied research will yield benefits in terms of the reusability of spent catalyst and charcoal," he said. Between 22-25 tonnes of spent catalyst is generated every day from the Sohar refinery alone. These volumes are currently disposed off through conventional means, Dr Al Kindy said.
"However, as a result of this research programme that we have funded at SQU, we hope that the results will indicate potential reuse of spent catalyst in certain applications, mainly in the construction industry, such as in the production of block work or as an ingredient in asphalt production, or in cement manufacturing, among other applications." Thanking ORPC for its support, Dr Al Rawas voiced hope that the agreement would help further strengthen the partnership between the two organisations. "We are very grateful to ORPC for taking this initiative in funding this project. We are very pleased to sign the agreement and I hope this will establish real partnership for research between the two organisations."
The two-year study, Dr Al Rawas said, was similar to research initiatives undertaken by the university in putting waste to beneficial use.
"At the university, we are trying to come up with beneficial uses of waste as construction material, in road making, in cement manufacturing, and also some environmental applications as absorbents. We have in fact developed this line of research in the Civil Engineering Department for the reuse of waste material. We have done other projects, such as the reuse of oil contaminated soil for PDO, and the reuse of cement effluent dust for Oman Cement Company."
MUSCAT -- Oman Refineries and Petrochemicals Company LLC (ORPC) yesterday signed an agreement with Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) for the funding of a study aimed at finding beneficial applications for the large volumes of spent catalyst and charcoal generated by ORPC's Sohar and Mina Al Fahal refineries. The research agreement was inked by Dr Adil bin Abdulaziz al Kindy, Chief Executive Officer of ORPC, and Prof Amor Ali al Rawas, SQU's Deputy Vice Chancellor for Postgraduate Studies and Research.
ORPC is committing in excess of $300,000 for the research study, which aims to explore potential applications for spent catalyst and charcoal in construction and related industries. "We are happy to have this agreement signed with Sultan Qaboos University to strengthen the partnership and co-operation that has existed between the two organisations for the benefit of our mutual interests, the environment and society as a whole. We intend to work together with SQU to find out the best means for reusing the spent catalyst and charcoal safely and without causing any harm to the environment," Dr Al Kindy said.
The agreement, the CEO said, was a further testament of ORPC's commitment to promoting and supporting research and development at SQU. "We are confident that such applied research will yield benefits in terms of the reusability of spent catalyst and charcoal," he said. Between 22-25 tonnes of spent catalyst is generated every day from the Sohar refinery alone. These volumes are currently disposed off through conventional means, Dr Al Kindy said.
"However, as a result of this research programme that we have funded at SQU, we hope that the results will indicate potential reuse of spent catalyst in certain applications, mainly in the construction industry, such as in the production of block work or as an ingredient in asphalt production, or in cement manufacturing, among other applications." Thanking ORPC for its support, Dr Al Rawas voiced hope that the agreement would help further strengthen the partnership between the two organisations. "We are very grateful to ORPC for taking this initiative in funding this project. We are very pleased to sign the agreement and I hope this will establish real partnership for research between the two organisations."
The two-year study, Dr Al Rawas said, was similar to research initiatives undertaken by the university in putting waste to beneficial use.
"At the university, we are trying to come up with beneficial uses of waste as construction material, in road making, in cement manufacturing, and also some environmental applications as absorbents. We have in fact developed this line of research in the Civil Engineering Department for the reuse of waste material. We have done other projects, such as the reuse of oil contaminated soil for PDO, and the reuse of cement effluent dust for Oman Cement Company."
By Staff Reporter
© Oman Daily Observer 2009
