Process engineers and stakeholders in the refining and chemical industries will gather in Houston, TX, when AIChE’s South Texas Local Section hosts the 16th Southwest Process Technology Conference (SPTC). First held in 2009, the conference is a signature annual event of the Houston-based South Texas Section and attracts hundreds of engineers, plant managers, and vendors from the U.S. and abroad. The 2025 conference takes place Sept. 22–23 on the Univ. of Houston campus.
The 16th edition of the SPTC will cover topics pertinent to industries along the U.S. Gulf Coast and beyond, including the rapidly changing business environment in the oil refining and chemicals sectors. The program spotlights the essential role of process technology in adapting to these shifts, and the conference will examine how established components of industrial processes — including distillation, reaction engineering, process control, process safety, and energy management — can be integrated with newer approaches, such as the Industrial Internet of Things and artificial intelligence (AI), to meet the demands of industry today.
Can't-miss featured speakers
A slate of keynote speakers and panelists will reflect on some of the conference’s overriding themes. On Sept. 22, Dean Foreman (pictured below), Chief Economist of the Texas Oil and Gas Association, sets the stage for the conference with reflections on the outlook for global energy and economics under the current U.S. administration.
To kick off the second day of the conference on Sept. 23, Dan Coombs (pictured below), Chairman of PureCycle Inc. and former Executive Vice President at LyondellBasell, discusses the forces that shape the process industries, and how those forces can influence the trajectory of the profession.
Among other highlights, a session on distillation and separation will feature two thought leaders in the field: Tony Cai, Chief Scientist at Fractionation Research, Inc. (FRI); and “Tower Doctor” Henry Kister, Senior Fellow and Director of Fractionation Technology at Fluor Corp. Along another track, a Leadership and Management Forum will offer wide-ranging career development discussions that can benefit professionals at any career stage. Scheduled panelists include Mona Setoodeh (President, CH-IV International); Don Victory (ExxonMobil, retired); and Cindy Yeilding (The Center for Houston’s Future; former Senior Vice President with bp America).
Reduced registration rates apply until Sept. 12. Professional Development Hours (PDHs) are available to attendees, including for a session on engineering ethics. To register, visit www.aiche.og/SPTC16.
