In a report 1 issued by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE; www.aceee.org), one of the key summary points is that industrial decarbonization is essential to fighting climate change. The report states that the industrial sector accounts for more than 25% of energy-related U.S. emissions and the manufacturing subsector — which includes petroleum refining, food processing, and the production of chemicals, paper, cement, metals and other products — is the largest industrial user of energy with the largest share of emissions.
Climate-change goals
The chemical process industries (CPI) are indeed increasingly committing to climate-change-related goals with some ambitious targets. A number of companies including Dow (www.dow.com), DuPont (www.dupont.com), Eastman Chemical (www.eastman.com) and Total (www.total.com) are aiming to be carbon neutral by 2050.
The importance placed on climate-change goals is exemplified by Total’s recent announcement to not renew its membership with the American Petroleum Institute (API) for 2021. In its announcement, Total says that it assesses industry associations according to their alignment with the company’s climate positions, and that API’s positions were “partially aligned,” but that there were divergences. Total listed a number of its positions including: support for the objectives of the Paris Agreement; support of policies and initiatives that promote renewable energy; supporting the development of CO2 capture and storage; as well as the need for carbon pricing; confidence that natural gas plays a key role in the energy transition; and the science-based position that the link between human activity and climate change is an established fact.
CPI companies have a multi-faceted approach to their decarbonization goals, including implementing renewable energy, carbon capture and storage strategies and through increasing energy efficiency. The previously mentioned ACEEE report says that “Energy efficiency should be the foundation of industrial decarbonization because it can immediately and simultaneously reduce emissions, cut costs and provide additional benefits…” As an example of energy efficiency strategies, Total has set a target of improving energy efficiency at its industrial facilities by 1% a year. The company says it has invested nearly $450 million to maximize energy efficiency in the Refining & Chemicals business segment, which accounts for 66% of Total’s energy consumption.
In this issue
This month’s cover story (Unlock the Energy Potential of Your Plant, pp. 28–33) explores specific ways to improve energy efficiency. It uses a steam-methane reforming process for hydrogen production as an example to illustrate principles that can be more widely applied. Our Newsfront (New Offerings Aid Heat Exchanger Design and Operations, pp. 12–15) offers insights and information on new products and tools related to heat transfer equipment that can influence industrial energy consumption and process efficiency.
We hope that you find these articles, as well as the many other sections in this issue, interesting and informative. ■
November 9-11, 2026Irving Convention Center | Dallas, TX
Explore this topic and more — live at Clean Americas. Join environmental, health, safety, and emergency response professionals tackling the industry's most urgent hazards. View Conference Program →
When a major incident strikes, the people stepping into Incident Command aren't always the ones who trained for it. Engineers, operators, trades supervisors, and compliance specialists may suddenly find themselves filling Command and General Staff roles — not because they volunteered, but because the situation demands it. Panelists will share practical strategies for leading without positional authority, tools and frameworks that help personnel rapidly orient to ICS roles, and approaches for closing the gap between day-to-day job functions and emergency command readiness before the next incident makes it urgent.
Speaking
Scott Andrews (Trans Mountain Canada Inc., Manager Emergency Management)
Kelly Codlin , MSPH, CIH (Marathon Petroleum Company, Emergency Preparedness Director)
Nick Hickson (Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), Hazmat Training Manager)
Josh Dubach MSc, CEM (Onterris, Senior Response Management Consultant)
This session will examine produced water as the largest waste stream in the oil and gas industry and one of its most pressing emerging challenges. It will address the growing volumes of produced water, the increasing regulatory and public scrutiny of constituents such as PFAS, salts, and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM), and the operational implications for management, treatment, reuse, and disposal. The discussion will also explore how operators, regulators, and communities are redefining approaches to produced water management in response to environmental, technical, and stakeholder pressures.
Speaking
Steve Pepper, Ph.D., (Onterris, Director of Response Management)
Charles Maguire (Railroad Commission of Texas, Advisor, Oil and Gas Division)
Prof. Shane Walker Ph.D. (Texas Produced Water Consortium, Director)
Ray Cheatham (Onterris, Energy Sector Leader)
This session will present a detailed case study of a large-scale lithium-ion battery fire response that extended over 12 months. Attendees will explore the hazards associated with thermal runaway events, the operational challenges of suppressing lithium battery fires, and the response strategies that proved effective in this prolonged incident. The
Drawing on insights from U.S. EPA Region 9 wildfire response efforts, the session will also highlight tactics such as hazard characterization, air monitoring and evaluation, and household hazardous waste collection and disposal. Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of the complexities involved in large-scale battery fire incidents and the critical factors to consider when planning and executing an effective response.
Speaking
Robert W. May PG (Clean Harbors, Senior Vice President, Branch Services and Sales)
Crosley Welch (Missouri Department of Natural Resources, State On-Scene Coordinator)
Samuel Cheek , CSP, RRPT (U.S. EPA, Region 6, Federal On-Scene Coordinator)
Christopher Myers (U.S. EPA, Region 9, Federal On-Scene Coordinator)
This session introduces use of remote sensing technologies to detect, characterize and monitor spills across marine and coastal environments. Discussion will highlight how tools can integrate into modern spill response workflows to improve safety and support data-driven decision making.
Speaking
James Hanzalik (Clean Gulf Associates, Vice-President)
Gordon Staples (MDA Space Ltd., Senior Radar Applications Scientist)
Grant Coolbaugh (Applied Research Associates / Ohmsett, Mechanical Engineer)
Speaking
Allyson Purcell MEP, CEM (ConocoPhillips, CMER Director)
Michael Delio (Maxum Petroleum, EHS & SECURITY MGR)
This session provides a practical, ground‑level introduction to the essential steps required after a battery undergoes a thermal event. We’ll break down how to assess site conditions, stabilize and prepare damaged cells or packs, select appropriate containment and packaging methods, and navigate the regulatory landscape that governs transport and disposal. The lecture emphasizes real‑world decision‑making, safety considerations, and compliance requirements, giving participants a clear framework they can apply immediately in field operations or emergency response planning.
Speaking
Mark Steadman (The Battery Network, Program Manager)
Environment, Health, Safety & Security
Addressing climate change
| By Dorothy Lozowski
In a report 1 issued by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE; www.aceee.org), one of the key summary points is that industrial decarbonization is essential to fighting climate change. The report states that the industrial sector accounts for more than 25% of energy-related U.S. emissions and the manufacturing subsector — which includes petroleum refining, food processing, and the production of chemicals, paper, cement, metals and other products — is the largest industrial user of energy with the largest share of emissions.
Climate-change goals
The chemical process industries (CPI) are indeed increasingly committing to climate-change-related goals with some ambitious targets. A number of companies including Dow (www.dow.com), DuPont (www.dupont.com), Eastman Chemical (www.eastman.com) and Total (www.total.com) are aiming to be carbon neutral by 2050.
The importance placed on climate-change goals is exemplified by Total’s recent announcement to not renew its membership with the American Petroleum Institute (API) for 2021. In its announcement, Total says that it assesses industry associations according to their alignment with the company’s climate positions, and that API’s positions were “partially aligned,” but that there were divergences. Total listed a number of its positions including: support for the objectives of the Paris Agreement; support of policies and initiatives that promote renewable energy; supporting the development of CO2 capture and storage; as well as the need for carbon pricing; confidence that natural gas plays a key role in the energy transition; and the science-based position that the link between human activity and climate change is an established fact.
CPI companies have a multi-faceted approach to their decarbonization goals, including implementing renewable energy, carbon capture and storage strategies and through increasing energy efficiency. The previously mentioned ACEEE report says that “Energy efficiency should be the foundation of industrial decarbonization because it can immediately and simultaneously reduce emissions, cut costs and provide additional benefits…” As an example of energy efficiency strategies, Total has set a target of improving energy efficiency at its industrial facilities by 1% a year. The company says it has invested nearly $450 million to maximize energy efficiency in the Refining & Chemicals business segment, which accounts for 66% of Total’s energy consumption.
In this issue
This month’s cover story (Unlock the Energy Potential of Your Plant, pp. 28–33) explores specific ways to improve energy efficiency. It uses a steam-methane reforming process for hydrogen production as an example to illustrate principles that can be more widely applied. Our Newsfront (New Offerings Aid Heat Exchanger Design and Operations, pp. 12–15) offers insights and information on new products and tools related to heat transfer equipment that can influence industrial energy consumption and process efficiency.
We hope that you find these articles, as well as the many other sections in this issue, interesting and informative. ■
Dorothy Lozowski
Dorothy Lozowski, Editorial Director
Featured Conference
When a major incident strikes, the people stepping into Incident Command aren't always the ones who trained for it. Engineers, operators, trades supervisors, and compliance specialists may suddenly find themselves filling Command and General Staff roles — not because they volunteered, but because the situation demands it. Panelists will share practical strategies for leading without positional authority, tools and frameworks that help personnel rapidly orient to ICS roles, and approaches for closing the gap between day-to-day job functions and emergency command readiness before the next incident makes it urgent.
This session will examine produced water as the largest waste stream in the oil and gas industry and one of its most pressing emerging challenges. It will address the growing volumes of produced water, the increasing regulatory and public scrutiny of constituents such as PFAS, salts, and Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM), and the operational implications for management, treatment, reuse, and disposal. The discussion will also explore how operators, regulators, and communities are redefining approaches to produced water management in response to environmental, technical, and stakeholder pressures.
This session will present a detailed case study of a large-scale lithium-ion battery fire response that extended over 12 months. Attendees will explore the hazards associated with thermal runaway events, the operational challenges of suppressing lithium battery fires, and the response strategies that proved effective in this prolonged incident. The
Drawing on insights from U.S. EPA Region 9 wildfire response efforts, the session will also highlight tactics such as hazard characterization, air monitoring and evaluation, and household hazardous waste collection and disposal. Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of the complexities involved in large-scale battery fire incidents and the critical factors to consider when planning and executing an effective response.
This session introduces use of remote sensing technologies to detect, characterize and monitor spills across marine and coastal environments. Discussion will highlight how tools can integrate into modern spill response workflows to improve safety and support data-driven decision making.
This session provides a practical, ground‑level introduction to the essential steps required after a battery undergoes a thermal event. We’ll break down how to assess site conditions, stabilize and prepare damaged cells or packs, select appropriate containment and packaging methods, and navigate the regulatory landscape that governs transport and disposal. The lecture emphasizes real‑world decision‑making, safety considerations, and compliance requirements, giving participants a clear framework they can apply immediately in field operations or emergency response planning.