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ABPG – Brimstone Sulfur Symposium

Vail - 2011
Presentation hard copy material
I. ABPG Mission – History

See following pages 2 -3

II. ABPG Membership

See following page 4

III. ABPG Member Correspondence: August 2010--Aug 2011

See following pages 5 - 35 -2-

ABPG MISSION - HISTORY
Mission:
To accumulate a database on amine unit operations and become a clearing- house for the analysis
and distribution of such data to the gas processing and refining industry on a global basis through
articles in trade journals and through symposiums.
Purpose:
To provide an open forum for exchange of operating experiences for the purpose of
benchmarking, troubleshooting and developing best practices leading to improved unit operations
and reliability.
Scope:
The focus will be primarily issues pertaining to process units that will include amine treating, sour
water treating, sulfur recovery and tail gas treating.
History:
The history of the ABPG is relatively short. It was formed in late 1992 when a group
representing the refining industry, design engineering and an independent consultant met to
discuss the possibility of developing a real-world database for amine unit operations. The
impetus for this initial meeting was a stated interest by many refiners, both major and
independent, in evaluating their amine unit operations with respect to others in the industry.
The early meetings were devoted to developing an amine unit survey questionnaire and the
ABPG Best Practices Manual. Responses from the questionnaire were the basis for the 1994
database and includes 75 amine units.
In subsequent meetings, ABPG members analyzed the 1994 database and developed two
articles that were published in industry trade journals. The database was also the basis for the
ABPG Amine Users Symposium held in 1995.
In 1995 ABPG members developed a new survey questionnaire that focused on amine unit cost
control. The results of this survey database were published in the Summer 1997 issue of
Petroleum Technology Quarterly. -3-
 In 1997, the ABPG established a Data Exchange Network (DEN) to provide members with an
open forum to post questions and exchange operating experiences.
Since 1998, ABPG members have met annually to address specific topics of interest and
develop outlines for future articles to be published that focus on issues of general interest to the
industry.
In 2000, the ABPG adopted a focus project to develop a protocol, format and procedure for
standardized amine testing to present to the industry. This effort is still in progress.
In 2002, the ABPG established a website to host the DEN. Currently, only ABPG members and
ABPG member company personnel have access, but an effort is under way to make selected
DEN data available in the public domain. -4-
AMINE BEST PRACTICES – MEMBERSHIP ----- August 2011
Title: Member Directory
AMINE BEST PRACTICES – MEMBERSHIP ----- August 2011
Title: Member Directory