Lummus Technology (Houston) and KazMunayGas (KMG) announced the companies have signed a preliminary agreement to establish a digital center of excellence in Atyrau, Kazakhstan. The center will serve as a hub for technology transfer and workforce development, providing advanced training, enhancing technical skills, improving industrial safety and strengthening operational excellence for Kazakhstan’s growing petrochemical sector.
“Lummus and KMG are working together to deliver transformative projects, and this will strengthen our collaboration,” said Leon de Bruyn, President and Chief Executive Officer, Lummus Technology. “By combining Lummus’ digital and technology expertise with KMG’s leadership in the region, we can deliver solutions that will build a strong talent pipeline and shape the future of Kazakhstan’s petrochemical industry.”
“Digitalization is key to achieving safer, more efficient and sustainable operations,” said Askhat Khassenov, KMG Chairman. “Through this partnership with Lummus, we are developing a smarter, more resilient petrochemical industry that supports Kazakhstan’s long-term economic and strategic goals.”
The center in Atyrau will be modeled after Lummus’ other digital centers of excellence in the U.S. and India, which provide operators, engineers and technology specialists with simulation-based training and interactive scenarios that mirror real-world petrochemical environments using Lummus’ proprietary Operator Skills Sharpening Simulator (O3S™) system. This immersive experience helps users develop and refine the skills needed to run modern, technology-driven plants.
Lummus is the technology licensor for several major projects and facilities in Kazakhstan, including Kazakhstan Petrochemical Industries Inc. (KPI), which utilizes Lummus’ propane dehydrogenation and polypropylene technologies. Lummus’ is also licensing its ethylene technology to Silleno LLP, which is building Kazakhstan’s first polyethylene plant, as well as several petrochemicals technologies to Butadiene LLP, which is building Kazakhstan’s first synthetic rubbers production plant.