Adapting Through the Use of New Technologies

Q: How would you describe your work developing the Etileno XXI project?

A: Historically, in North America and in the Middle East, ethane is the preferred basis for petrochemical industries, while naphtha is used in Europe and Asia. Asia and Europe depend on naphtha because the global supply chain of crude oil is many times more accessible than the global supply chain of natural gas. In terms of infrastructure, all you need is a traditional refinery to perform the necessary processing, and you are set to produce naphtha. This began to change at the beginning of 2008 when the Etileno XXI project kicked into high gear, and when US shale gas revolution took off. The price of natural gas began to fall and the lower prices for natural gas relative to oil prices began to make ethane-based development more attractive worldwide. During this time, Etileno XXI represented one of the largest petrochemical investments of its kind in North America in decades. Since then, ethane has gained ground, even in Europe. In part, because supply lines have been widened and strengthened.

Q: How are these digital platforms structured and what is their main function?

A: The first of these two platforms focuses on training and education. We offer them through three packages. The first is a series of customized courses that we offer to companies wishing to adapt to the use of new technologies. The second package is certificate delivery. We are trying to negotiate with institutions such as the Institute of Supply Chain Management to have them qualify and expedite these certifications. The third package is what we call flexible learning pathways, which is meant to keep corporate leaders updated on relevant issues such as supply chains of natural gas or LNG. Through this platform, we share our expertise and generate important data. Our second platform falls into the category of business intelligence and data analytics.