Searching for Expertise – INTOTA

Finding an expert when you need one is not the easiest thing you will ever do. Thanks to the miracle of the Web, tools are available to lighten the load. I ran across a company called Intota (while searching for something else, as is so often the case) that looks pretty interesting. Caveat … I have no experience with this company, so you will have to vet it yourself, but here is what they have to say about themselves …

INTOTA

What is Intota ?

Intota is a business-to-business service connecting business, technical and legal professionals to over 10,000 rigorously screened peer-recommended experts in over 30,000 areas of science, engineering, medicine/healthcare, regulation, and business. Intota is not a directory and our experts do not pay to be listed.

Intota experts provide Expert Consulting , Expert Witness Services , and Expert-based Research covering a wide variety of needs such as market research, product development, materials sourcing, manufacturing production, and litigation consulting. Experts may be engaged for quick telephone or e-mail consulting or extended consulting engagements which may include both remote and on-site work.

Who are Intota Experts?

Intota Experts are peer-recommended authorities who have been carefully selected and rigorously screened for competency and suitability. Each Intota expert is examined against an extensive list of objective and subjective criteria by Intota expert recruiters. Applicants are interviewed, their credentials qualified and their overall profile scored to determine if they meet the certification requirements. To ensure quality, experts are continuously evaluated based on customer feedback and internal review.

The Intota Expert Network is primarily composed of independent consultants, academics, and industry professionals. Our experts communicate well with clients and are skilled at answering tough questions. They are enthusiastic about their areas of expertise, stay oriented to the practical application of their specialized knowledge, and are active listeners who display sound judgment.
source: http://www.intota.com/aboutus/AboutUs.asp

A search of the Intota site on “desulfurization” produces the following results …

Experts
1 to 25 of 39 Desulfurization Experts Request Free
Expert Quote
Expert 107612 Expert in Stainless Steel
Expert 724793 Expert in Refining and Petrochemical Processes including Safety and Energy Conservation Audits, Expert Witness
Expert 724493 Expert in Commissioning, Process Start-Up Oil & Gas Industry and Associated Production Systems Worldwide
Expert 718821 Expert in SO2, H2S, & CO2 Removal
Expert 108359 Expert in Organic Chemistry, Heterogeneous Catalysis, Coal, Stereochemistry
Expert 716794 Expert in Coal Science and Engineering
Expert 108062 Expert in Chemical Process Synthesis, Sulfur Recovery, Sour Water Treatment, Acid Gas Removal
Expert 108266 Expert in Air Quality Engineering, Aerosols
Expert 108492 Expert in Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Expert 724628 Expert in Industrial and Residential Power Distribution, Home Inspection, Root Cause Failure Analysis, EE
Expert 723505 Expert in Industrial Chemical Production, Natural Gas Conversion to Liquid Fuels, Fine Chemicals
Expert 108327 Expert in Chemical Reactors
Expert 725444 Expert in Hydrogenation, Gasification, Amination, Reactor, Kinetic Modeling, Distillation, Thermodynamics
Expert 107843 Expert in Environmental & Energy Engineering
Expert 722837 Expert in Refining, Hydroprocessing, Catalytic Reforming
Expert 714112 Expert in Chemical Reaction Engineering
Expert 722030 Expert in Chemical and Petroleum Process Technology Assessment
Expert 722669 Expert in Chemical Decontamination, Precommissioning, Commissioning, Bolting and Joint Integrity Management
Expert 715010 Expert in Waste Processing, High Temperature Chemistry
Expert 107913 Expert in Biotechnology: All Areas of Business and Technology
Expert 107763 Expert in Petroleum Refining and Optimization
Expert 719779 Expert in Process Engineering
Expert 720334 Expert in Metal Alloy Welding, Stainless Steel, and Nickel Alloy Properties
Expert 714496 Expert in Petroleum Refining Evaluation
Expert 722156 Expert in Gaseous Air Pollution Measurement and Control
Expert 723341 Expert in Resistance Welding, Laser Welding, Arc Welding, Ultrasonic Welding, Brazing, and Soldering
Expert 711793 Expert in Catalysis, Surface Chemistry
Expert 721060 Expert in Reaction Kinetics, Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Catalysis, Adsorbents
Expert 717488 Expert in Fermentation, Product Recovery, Bioprocess Scale-Up, Bioinformatics, Former ISO 9000 Auditor
Expert 723069 Expert in Stainless Steel Welding, Fabrication, and Failure Analysis
Expert 108173 Expert in Steel Product Manufacture
Expert 721787 Expert in Mixing Processes and Equipment
Expert 108017 Expert in Air Pollution Control and Waste Management Consulting, Environmental Engineering, etc.
Expert 107879 Expert in Welding Engineering: Application, Arcs, Laser, Base Metal, Troubleshooting, Pressure, Nuclear, Code
Expert 107943 Expert in Air Toxics, Hazardous Waste
Expert 108099 Expert in Petroleum Refining and Petrochemical Operations
Expert 716753 Expert in Sour Gas Chemistry
Expert 720094 Expert in Ultrasonics, Sonochemistry, Sonoluminescence, Sensors, Electronic Nose, Porphyrins, Spray Pyrolysis
Expert 722916 Expert in Chemical Project Development, Chemical Engineering & Construction, Chemical Business Development

ResearcherID

“Smooth ice is paradise for those who dance with expertise.” -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“Sometimes it takes an expert to point out the obvious.” -- Scott Allen

The search for expertise never ends … and tools to help you engage in that search are available. One such tool is produced by Thomson Reuters in the online database, ResearcherID (www.Researcherid.com). Registration is free, as of the date of this post.
An example … a keyword search using “sulfur” produced, among others, the following …

Armando Gonzalez-Sanchez
Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana - Cuajimalpa. (UAM C) B-2499-2009 sulfur, hydrogen sulfide, voc, biofiltration, bioreactor Armando Gonzalez
ResearcherID: B-2499-2009
E-mail: agonzalez@correo.cua.uam.mx
URL: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/B-2499-2009
Subject: Environmental Sciences & Ecology
Role: Researcher (Academic)
Primary Institution: Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana - Cuajimalpa. (UAM C)
Role: Researcher (Academic)
A few of Armando Gonzalez-Sanchez’s recent listed publications are …
1. Title: The effect of chemical oxidation on the biological sulfide oxidation by an alkaliphilic sulfoxidizing bacterial consortium
Source: ENZYME AND MICROBIAL TECHNOLOGY Volume: 40 Issue: 2 Pages: 292-298 Published: JAN 4 2007

2. Title: Oxygen transfer and consumption in a thiosulfate oxidizing bioreactor with sulfur production
Source: LETTERS IN APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY Volume: 41 Issue: 2 Pages: 141-146 Published: 2005

3. Title: Evaluation of feed COD/sulfate ratio as a control criterion for the biological hydrogen sulfide production and lead precipitation
Source: JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Volume: 151 Issue: 2-3 Pages: 407-413 Published: 2008

4. Title: Alkaline biofiltration of H2S odors
Source: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY Volume: 42 Issue: 19 Pages: 7398-7404 Published: 2008

5. Title: Sulfur formation and recovery in a thiosulfateoxidizing bioreactor
Source: ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY Volume: 29 Issue: 8 Pages: 847-853 Published: 2008

6. Title: Development of a kinetic model for elemental sulfur and sulfate formation from the autotrophic sulfide oxidation using respirometric techniques
Source: WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Volume: 59 Issue: 7 Pages: 1323-1329 Published: 2009

7. Title: Biological sulfide removal under alkaline and aerobic conditions in a packed recycling reactor
Source: WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Volume: 59 Issue: 7 Pages: 1415-1421 Published: 2009

Your corporate librarian can help you search for the expertise you need to advance your research. Or you can contact an Independent Information Professional. For details, send a request to us at research@JeanSteinhardtConsulting.com

In Search of Expertise (Part 9): LinkedIn Advanced Search Statements

"We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special." -- Stephen Hawking

LinkedIn is such a rich source of information on experts that it makes sense to repeat myself … master Boolean logic and use it in LinkedIn’s Advanced search form.

For example, to find people with expertise in catalysis, you might use the following search string …

catalyst (scientist OR researcher) (sulfur OR desulfurization)

You could type the search string directly into the Keyword search box.  But I find it more convenient to compose the search string in word or notepad, and then copy and paste the result into the LinkedIn search box.  This makes it easier for me to spot typos and other mistakes.

Here is a screenshot showing a couple of the results of the above search …



 
And here is a screenshot of me inviting you to join my LinkedIn network (http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeansteinhardtresearch)

In Search of Expertise (Part 8): Ride the Hyperlink Express

“Stepton ran a rat-race! It wasn't so much the way he trained the rats to race - it was the way he got the mice to ride them.” – Unknown author

 

 

Among the many benefits of monitoring patent activity in your technical field is the list of references included in the patent.

 

Some of those references are to other patents.  Others are references to non-patent technical literature.

 

Both cases represent opportunities to identify experts in the field.

 

Google® hyperlinks have made it easy to explore these possibilities.

 

For example, I did a Google Patent Search for dibenzothiophene between the years 2012-2013. 

 

• Next, I clicked the Patent Citations hyperlink.
• Step two was to click the US7731838 hyperlink
• Step three was to click the hyperlink to an inventor associated with that patent:  Madhav Acharya

 

Browsing the list of other patents associated with this inventor suggests that he is not only an expert in the field, but still quite active.

 

Here are the details …

 

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Google Patent Search for dibenzothiophene between the years 2012-2013

 

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Hydrotreating of aromatic-extracted hydrocarbon streams

 

 

www.google.com/patents/WO2013019586A2?cl=en

App. - Filed Jul 27, 2012 - Published Feb 7, 2013 - Refa Omer Koseoglu - Saudi Arabian Oil Company

Abstract

Deep desulfurization of hydrocarbon feeds containing undesired organosulfur compounds to produce a hydrocarbon product having low levels of sulfur, i.e., 15 ppmw or less of sulfur, is achieved by first subjecting the entire feed to an extraction zone to separate an aromatic-rich fraction containing a substantial amount of the aromatic refractory and sterically hindered sulfur-containing compounds and an aromatic-lean fraction containing a substantial amount of the labile sulfur-containing compounds. The aromatic-rich fraction is contacted with isomerization catalyst, and the isomerized aromatic-rich fraction and the aromatic-lean fraction are combined and contacted with a hydrotreating catalyst in a hydrodesulfurization reaction zone operating under mild conditions to reduce the quantity of organosulfur compounds to an ultra-low level.

 

 

Click Patent Citations hyperlink

 

 

 

Patent Citations
Cited Patent	Filing date	Publication date	Applicants
US5897768	28-Feb-97	27-Apr-99	Exxon Research And Engineering Co.
US7731838	11-Sep-07	8-Jun-10	Exxon Research And Engineering Co.

Click US7731838 hyperlink

Solid acid assisted deep desulfurization of diesel boiling range feeds
US 7731838 B2

Click Inventor Madhav Acharya hyperlink

The resulting list appears below.

A catalyst system and its use in manufacturing low sulfur fuels
www.google.com/patents/WO2005012462A3?cl=en
App. - Filed Jul 27, 2004 - Published Apr 28, 2005 - Madhav Acharya - Acharya, Madhav
The instant invention relates to a catalyst system and its use in ...
Overview - Related - Discuss
Improved method for hydrocarbon isomerization
www.google.com/patents/WO2004074221A8?cl=en
App. - Filed Dec 30, 2003 - Published Oct 14, 2004 - Madhav Acharya - Exxonmobil Research And Engineering Company
The present invention is directed at a process to isomerize ...
Overview - Related - Discuss
Multi-stage reforming process using rhenium-containing catalyst in ...
www.google.com/patents/EP1187890A1?cl=en
App. - Filed May 18, 2000 - Published Mar 20, 2002 - Madhav Acharya - Exxonmobil Oil Corporation
This is a process for upgrading a petroleum naphtha fraction. The naphtha is subjected to reforming and the reformate is cascaded to a benzene and toluene ...
Overview - Related - Discuss
Improved method for hydrocarbon isomerization
www.google.com/patents/EP1592650B1?cl=en
Grant - Filed Dec 30, 2003 - Issued Jan 5, 2011 - Madhav Acharya - Exxonmobil Research And Engineering Company
The present invention is directed at a process to isomerize C10+ hydrocarbon feedstreams by contacting a C10+ hydrocarbon feedstream with a steamed ...
Overview - Related - Discuss
A catalyst system and its use in manufacturing low sulfur fuels
www.google.com/patents/EP1663485A2?cl=en
App. - Filed Jul 27, 2004 - Published Jun 7, 2006 - Madhav Acharya - ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
The instant invention relates to a catalyst system and its use in the production of high octane, low sulfur naphtha products through skeletal isomerization of feed ...
Overview - Related - Discuss
D.c. motor speed control circuit
www.google.com/patents/EP0027129B1?cl=en
Grant - Filed Nov 4, 1980 - Issued Aug 29, 1984 - Rajguru Madhav Acharya - Ncr Corporation
A speed control circuit for a motor (24) is responsive to variations in motor supply voltage (Vs) and torque wherein a voltage output (72) is produced by means ...
Overview - Related - Discuss
Producing low sulfur naphtha products through improved olefin ...
www.google.com/patents/EP1660617A1?cl=en
App. - Filed Jul 27, 2004 - Published May 31, 2006 - Madhav Acharya - ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
The instant invention relates to a process to produce high octane, low sulfur naphtha products through the removal of basic nitrogen-containing compounds with ...
Overview - Related - Discuss
Process to manufacture low sulfur fuels
www.google.com/patents/EP1689833A1?cl=en
App. - Filed Jul 27, 2004 - Published Aug 16, 2006 - Madhav Acharya - ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
The instant invention relates to a process to produce high octane, low sulfur naphtha products through the simultaneous skeletal isomerization of feed olefins ...
Overview - Related - Discuss
Multi-stage reforming process using rhenium-containing catalyst in ...
www.google.com/patents/WO2000071642A1?cl=en
App. - Filed May 18, 2000 - Published Nov 30, 2000 - Madhav Acharya - Mobil Oil Corporation
This is a process for upgrading a petroleum naphtha fraction. The naphtha is subjected to reforming and the reformate is cascaded to a benzene and toluene ...
Overview - Related - Discuss
Nitrogen removal from olefinic naphtha feedstreams to improve ...
www.google.com/patents/WO2005037959A1?cl=en
App. - Filed Sep 28, 2004 - Published Apr 28, 2005 - Madhav Acharya - Acharya, Madhav
The instant invention relates to a two step process for producing low sulfur olefinic naphtha boiling range product streams through nitrogen removal and ...
Overview - Related – Discuss

In Search of Expertise (Part 7): Thesis Refs + Google Scholar

“Kilometers are shorter than miles. Save gas, take your next trip in kilometers.” -- George Carlin (American stand-up Comedian, Actor and Author. b.1937)

The “References” section of a typical thesis or dissertation offers potential in the identification of experts in a given area of technology.

Combine this information with Google® Scholar tools, and you leverage the value of that information.

Let’s use the following dissertation to illustrate the concept.

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The Low Load Limit of Gasoline Partially Premixed Combustion (PPC): Experiments in a Light Duty Diesel EnginePatrick Borgqvist
Doctoral Dissertation (2013)
by due permission of the Faculty of Engineering, Lund University, Sweden.Free Full Text Source: http://www.energy.lth.se/fileadmin/energivetenskaper/Avhandlingar/Borgqvist_doc_thesis_final.pdf References [Excerpt]
[1] “Emission Standards – European Union – Cars and Light Trucks”, www.dieselnet.com/standards/eu/ld.php
[2] Richter, M., Engström, J., Franke, A., Aldén, M. et al., "The Influence of Charge Inhomogeneity on the HCCI Combustion Process," SAE Technical Paper 2000-01- 2868, 2000, doi:10.4271/2000-01-2868
[3] Hultqvist, A., Christensen, M., Johansson, B., Richter, M. et al., "The HCCI Combustion Process in a Single Cycle - Speed Fuel Tracer LIF and Chemiluminescence Imaging," SAE Technical Paper 2002-01-0424, 2002, doi:10.4271/2002-01-0424
[4] Christensen, M., Einewall, P., and Johansson, B., “Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) using Iso-octane, Ethanol and Natural Gas – A Comparison with Spark Ignition”, SAE Technical Paper 972874
[5] Christensen, M. and Johansson, B., "Supercharged Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) with Exhaust Gas Recirculation and Pilot Fuel," SAE Technical Paper 2000-01-1835, 2000, doi:10.4271/2000-01-1835 ///////
Here’s the strategy …

• Browse the references to find a title or titles of interest
• Google® Scholar search the title(s)
• Note the number of times the title has been cited. Presumably, the higher the cite count, the more authoritative the work is considered by peers within the field, and hence the greater the expertise of the author(s)
• Click the hyperlink for one or more authors of the selected item for more information on a given author
  

In Search of Expertise (Part 6)-What Have You Done For Me Lately?

“Lately it's occurred to me what a long strange trip it's been.” -- The Grateful Dead

Some of the greatest experts in any particular field are either dead or retired.  To find experts who are still active, add a date restriction to your key word search.

For example, after searching the two following key phrases in Ebsco’s Academic Search Premier database …

Academic Search Premier: "heavy crude" OR "heavy oil"

I restricted the results to the following date range …

 2012-2013

Here are a couple of results, including the bios that were attached to each article …

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Hydrocarbon Processing, 00188190, Sep2012, Vol. 91, Issue 9
Upgrade heavy oil more cost-efficiently
Cabrera, C. A., Silverman, M. A.
Abstract
Heavy petroleum resources are becoming significantly more important as the availability of light, sweet crude oil continues to decline (FIG. 1). Heavy-oil resources are difficult to extract, transport and refine. Producers are focused on heavy-oil regions around the world, such as Venezuela, the Amazon basin and Canada's oil sands. A new technology can be used in the field to economically upgrade and significantly improve the properties of heavy oil by reducing viscosity, increasing gravity and removing contaminants (FIG. 2). The authors discuss the economic drivers and benefits now available with this new method.
CARLOS A. CABRERA is the executive chairman of Ivanhoe Energy, a publicly traded oil and gas company. Prior to his appointment, he served as the founding president and CEO of the National Institute of Low Carbon and Clean Energy (NICE) based in Beijing, China. Mr. Cabrera was also a 35-year employee with UOP, holding posts as the president/CEO and then chairman. He is a distinguished associate to the world energy consulting firm FACTS and serves on the board of directors of GEVO, a publicly traded biotechnology company, and the Gas Technology Institute, a US-based leading research, development and training organization. Mr. Cabrera has been given many awards, including being inducted into the University of Kentucky Engineering Hall of Distinction and the Honeywell Corp. 2008 Senior Leadership Award. He earned a BS degree in chemical engineering from the University of Kentucky and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
DR. MICHAEL SILVERMAN is executive vice president and chief technology officer of Ivanhoe Energy. Dr. Silverman joined Ivanhoe in 2007 from Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR) and is responsible for all technical aspects of Ivanhoe Energy's proprietary heavy oil upgrading process -- HTL (heavy-to-light). This includes interfacing with leading engineering firms in the design of commercial HTL installations, technology development and intellectual property management. Dr. Silverman has almost 30 years of experience in technology development and management, including the commercialization and marketing of new technologies, and is a leading expert in the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes. Prior to joining KBR, Dr. Silverman was the manager of technology development for Stone & Webster, Inc. His earlier experience included the management of fluid catalytic cracking for Tenneco Oil Co., and an assistant professorship in chemistry at Rutgers University.

International Journal Of Energy And Environment, Volume 3, Issue 6, 2012 pp.949-960
Comparative study on sulphur reduction from heavy petroleum - Solvent extraction and microwave irradiation
approach
Abdullahi Dyadya Mohammed1, Abubakar Garba Isah1, Musa Umaru1, Shehu Ahmed1,
Yababa Nma Abdullahi2
1 Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, P.M.B 65, Minna, Nigeria.
2 National Petroleum Investment Management Services (Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation),
Lagos, Nigeria.
Abstract
Sulphur- containing compounds in heavy crude oils are undesirable in refining process as they affect the quality of the final product, cause catalyst poisoning and deactivation in catalytic converters as well as causing corrosion problems in oil pipelines, pumps and refining equipment aside environmental pollution from their combustion and high processing cost. Sulphur reduction has being studied using microwave irradiation set at 300W for 10 and 15minutes and oxidative- solvent extraction method using n- heptane and methanol by 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 crude- solvent ratios after being oxidized with hydrogen peroxide, H2O2 oxidants. Percentage sulphur removal with n- heptane solvent by 1:1 and 1:2 are 81.73 and 85.47%; but extraction using methanol by different observed ratios gave less sulphur reduction. Indeed when microwave irradiated at 300W for 10 and 15minutes, 53.68 and 78.45% reduction were achieved. This indicates that microwave irradiation had caused oxidation by air in the oven cavity and results to formation of alkyl radicals and sulphoxide from sulphur compound in the petroleum. The prevailing sulphur found in the crude going by FT-IR results is sulphides which oxidized to sulphoxide or sulphones. It is clear that sulphur extraction with heptane is more efficient than microwave irradiation but economically due to demands for solvent and its industrial usage microwave irradiation can serve as alternative substitute for sulphur reduction in petroleum. Sulphur reduction by microwave radiation should be up- scaled from laboratory to a pilot plant without involving extraction column in the refining.
Abdullahi D. Mohammed (dyamoh@futminna.edu,ng ) is Research Scholar at School of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Chemical Engineering Department, Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria. He is a corporate member of Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSChE), member American Society of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), and the proposed Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association in Nigeria (HAFCAN) to be affiliate to IAHE- TNV- World Hydrogen Energy Trust. He has completed M. Sc (Chemical Engineering) from Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria in the year 2010 and earned B.Eng (Chemical Engineering) from Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria in year 2002. Engr. Mohammed has authored several publication, among which are “Upgrading Heavy Crude Oil Potentials through Microwave Assisted Distillation”, “Biocide Injection as means of internal corrosion control of Oil Pipeline (a case study of Mobil Producing Nigeria)”, “Effect of Microwave Irradiation on Heavy Petroleum- Diesel distillate yield,”.
Abubakar G. Isah (ag_isah@futminna.edu.ng)  is an Academic Staff of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, He backed his B. Eng, M. Eng (Hons) in Chemical Engineering at Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria. He is a corporate member Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN). He is at present writing up his PhD after undertaking a one year research as an MPhil Student at the University of Birmingham, UK under the sponsorship of the prestigious Education Trust Fund (ETF) Abuja. His research interests are: Alternative energy source and process energy integration & optimization. He is the author of publication “Feed Quality and its Effect on the Performance of the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (A Case Study of Port-Harcout Refinery Company, Nigeria)”.
Musa Umar (umar.musa@futminna.edu.ng)  is a scholar at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria and a member of Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSChE). He earned a National Diploma (Chemical Engineering) in 1997 from Federal Polytechnic Bida, B. Eng (Chemical Engineering) in 2006 from Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria and M. Eng (Chemical Engineering) (in View) from the same University. His major research fields are on “Sustainable Energy Development & Utilization, Environmental Engineering and Material Science”. He authored the article “Optimization and Kinetics of Biodiesel Production from Nigerian Jatropha Curcas oil”.
Shehu Ahmed (nmaabdullahi_2006@yahoo.com) is a Research Technologist at School of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Chemical Engineering Department, Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria. He has earned Higher National Diploma (HND) certificate (Chemical Engineering) in 1998 from Federal Polytechnic Bida, Nigeria, and Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) in 2006 from NTI/COE affiliate to Usman Danfodio University Sokoto, Nigeria. He is an Associate Member of Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers (NSChE) and Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
Yababa Nma Abdullahi is a Process Engineer and Superintendent Resources Evaluation at National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NNPC) Lagos, Nigeria. He earned Higher National Diploma (HND) certificate 2001 in Chemical/Petroleum Engineering at Institute of Lobaratory Technology Ibadan, affiliate to University of Port Harcourt Nigeria; and Post Graduate Diploma in Chemical Engineering (PGDE) in 2011 from Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria. He is a member of National Institute for Science Laboratory Technologist Association (NISLT) Ibadan, Nigeria.
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By the way, I am still active … visit me at LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeansteinhardtresearch) and invite me to join your network.

In Search of Expertise (Part 5): OGJ

“Brilliance is typically the act of an individual, but incredible stupidity can usually be traced to an organization” -- Jon Bentley (American Writer, b.1951)
Each edition of that  old stalwart, Oil & Gas Journal (www.ogj.com), typically includes one or two technical articles.  At the end of each such article will be a brief bio of the author(s).  This is another rich potential source when searching for experts in a given field.

If you subscribe to OGJ, take advantage of this feature.  Even if you don’t, however, you may be able to access it through a commercial database like ABI Inform Complete.  Ask your organization’s librarian how to access it.

Here is the abstract of one recent OGJ technical article, including the bios at the end of the article …

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Understanding fines in coking more important now
Abstract
Growth in the need to upgrade heavy crude oils, such as Athabasca bitumen and others, into synthetic crude oils as well as the need to process heavier conventional crudes is increasing the use of coking. Fines, or solids, in delayed-coker feedstocks reduce the ability of the coker to utilize capacity fully. This first of two articles on the presence and effects of fines in delayed-coker feedstocks discusses the nature and sources of fines that enter a coking operation. Fines enter delayed-coker feed from several different sources. Both inorganic and organic fines degrade delayed-coker reliability and overall refinery economics. In some cases, sudden changes in the refinery or a major upset in the refinery's desalter can bring down the delayed coker within hours. In most cases, problems with solids fed to the coker are not as dramatic but still major. Organic fines are primarily hydrocarbons but typically have some inorganic constituents, such as metals, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen.
AuthorAffiliation
The authors
Scott Sayles (ssayles@kbcat.com ) is a principal consultant for KBC Advanced Technologies Inc., Houston, with more than 30 years of refinery and petrochemical experience, ranging from refinery plant manager to research engineer.His technical areas of expertise include operation and design, ebullated-bed residua hydrocracking, hydrotreating, FCCU, and practical understanding of most processes. Sayles is a member of the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers. He holds a BSChE from Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Mich., and an MSChE from Lamar University, Beaumont, Tex.
Sim Romero (sromero@kbcat.com ) is a principal consultant for KBC Advanced Technologies Inc. with more than 30 years as a chemical engineer. He spent 11 years with ConocoPhillips in delayed coking, then 7 years with BP Oil in heavy oils and delayed coking. He moved to ARCO then back to the Conoco/Bechtel Alliance in delayed coking, with a short stay with ExxonMobil, and then spent 7 years with Valero as director of heavy oils and delayed coking, before joining KBC. Romero is a member of the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers and sits on the technical steering committee for Coking.com. He holds a BS in chemical engineering from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque.
Source:
Sayles, S., & Romero, S. (2013, Jan 07). Understanding fines in coking more important now. Oil & Gas Journal, 111, 82-84,86-87. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1269690631?accountid=144790
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Today’s tips …

TIP #1: Get to know your organization’s librarian.  He or she will tell you about the organization’s subscribed databases and how to access them
TIP #2: Join my LinkedIn network.  Send an invitation to: www.linkedin.com/in/jeansteinhardtresearch/

In Search of Expertise (Part 4): KAUST

“The most powerful force in the universe is compound interest” -- Albert Einstein (German born American Physicist. Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. 1879-1955)

One could do worse, in the search for expertise, than exploring the KAUST (King Abdulaziz University of Science and Technology) Web (http://www.kaust.edu.sa/).  One path to KAUST expertise is to visit the People tab in each Research Center (http://www.kaust.edu.sa/research/centers/intro.html).  One of the people you will see is Prof. Jean-Marie Bassett …

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Prof. Jean-Marie Basset
Director, KAUST Catalysis Center, KCC
Named Professor, Chemical Science
Division of Physical Sciences & Engineering
Research Interest: environment and green chemistry, new Energy vectors, homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, methane and higher alkanes chemistry, single site catalysis, oxidation, metathesis of olefins and alkanes, olefins polymerisation, CO2 chemistry.
source: http://kcc.kaust.edu.sa/Pages/Home.aspx
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You will want, of course, to find out more about this expert.  As it happens, there is a fine Wikipedia article on him …

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Wikipedia
Jean-Marie Basset (born 9 June 1943) is a French chemist, currently the director of KAUST catalysis research center.[1]
 
Professor Basset received his PhD in 1969 from the University of Lyon, France. After a postdoctoral position in Toronto he moved to the Institute of Catalysis in Lyon where he became vice-director.[2] He is Chevalier dans l’Ordre National du Mérite. He came to CNRS in 1971 and has occupied several positions, including vice-director of the Institute of Catalysis Institut de recherches sur la catalyse et l'environnement de Lyon IRCEL Lyon. Dr. Basset also founded the consortium, "Actane," on alkane activation with 11 university labs and five companies. Since 1992, he also has served as scientific director of L’École Supérieure de Chimie Physique Electronique de Lyon (CPE Lyon), which is training 450 chemists and 350 physiscists in a three-year scholarship program. In 1987, he funded the Laboratory of Surface Organometallic Chemistry that became later the laboratory of Chemistry, Catalysis, Polymer, Process (C2P2) that he has held from 1994 to 2007. Professor Basset’s Lyon lab was home to 100 scientists, including Nobel Laureate Yves Chauvin Yves Chauvin who got his Nobel in 2005. He founded and served as President of a European Network on Catalysis, Integrated Design of Catalytic Nanomaterials for a Sustainable Production (IDECAT) which includes 40 labs and 20 companies.
 
Professor Basset holds various professional memberships: He is Member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts Academia Europaea, Member of the European Academy of Sciences European Academy of Sciences, Member of the French Academy of Technologies, Member of the French Academy of Sciences Academie des Sciences He is the recipient of several national and international awards: The Grand Prix de la Societe Chimique de France Grand Prix Pierre Sue, the «Grammaticakis Neuman» Award of the French Academy of Sciences, the «Alexander Von Humboldt» Award Humboldt Award, the Augustine award of the ORCS ORSC, the Distinguished Achievements Award of IMPI IMPI, the «Prix de l’Institut Français du Pétrole» from the Academy of Sciences, the «Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences» Award JSPS, the «Procope» Award for French–German collaboration. In 1991, he earned together with Prof. Wolfgang A. Herrmann the renowned scientific research award from the Max Planck Society. He gave several lectures tours including the "Pacific Coast Lecture », the Glen T. «Seaborg Lecture" GT Seaborg lecture (Université of Berkeley], the August-Wilhem-Von-Hofman-Vorselung“ Lecture.
 
He is the author of over 500 publications and 50 patents. His main research interests are the relations between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis, the metathesis of olefins and alkanes as well as Ziegler–Natta depolymerization. He has discovered thanks to the discipline of Surface organometallic Chemistry, several new reactions: -The “Metathesis of alkanes” that transforms most acyclic paraffins into their higher and lower homologues, -the “Cleavage of alkanes by methane” a novel reaction linked to the activation of a C-H bond which is even more difficult to activate - that of methane – followed by a series of concerted pathways. The “Transformation of polyethylene to diesel range gasoline” that we also called “Ziegler-Natta Depolymerization”, -the “Non oxidative coupling of methane to ethane and hydrogen” which allows forming a C-C bond from methane alone, -the “Direct transformation of light alkanes to gasoline” which represents another facet of the metathesis of alkanes. The “Direct transformation of ethylene to propylene” a very simple new reaction in which a tungsten tris-hydride on alumina can transform catalytically 3 moles of ethylene into 2 moles of propylene. The dissociative activation of di-nitrogen on a single Tantalum atom.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Marie_Basset

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The Wikipedia article includes a handy Google Scholar link to Dr. Basset’s publications …

Google Scholar: http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Jean-Marie%20Basset%20&hl=en&cts=1268335585573&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=ws

So, here are today’s TIPs …

TIP #1: Explore the KAUST Web (http://www.kaust.edu.sa/research/centers/intro.html)
TIP #2: Focus on the KAUST Research Centers (http://www.kaust.edu.sa/research/centers/intro.html)
TIP #3: View the People associated with each KAUST Research Center
TIP #4: Add value by searching for information on select individuals in other sources
TIP #5: Follow the Desulfurization Blog (www.desulf.blogspot.com) for a continuing stream of useful online search tips

In Search of Expertise (Part 3): ePTQ

“Technology makes it possible for people to gain control over everything, except over technology” -- John Tudor

The Petroleum Technology Quarterly site (www.eptq.com) includes a very informative feature called Technology Q&A.  Experts in various aspects of petroleum technology provide technical answers to very practical problems posed by people in the field.

Consequently, browsing through the Q&A can provide leads on experts you may want to get more information on.  Ralph Ragsdale is one of those people … read on …
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ePTQ Technology Q&A
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Question
Why does the stripping steam trip close when there's a high level in tower?

Answer
27/01/2013  A:  Ralph Ragsdale, Ragsdale Refining Courses, ragsdales@juno.com
The bottom section of a typical coker fractionator contains a proprietary layout of pans, discs and donuts or side-to-side baffles, but no valve trays. So, the typical answer of avoiding an upset of tray sections does not exactly, but does directionally apply. Stripping steam is injected into a vapor space, intended to flow evenly through either horizontal or vertically flowing layers of liquid. When a high level covers the injection point of the steam, unnecessary agitation occurs, adding to the possibility of damage to the internals. 
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To learn more about Ralph, I Googled him in Scholar.  Here is what I found …

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Google Scholar: Ralph Ragsdale

US refiners choosing variety of routes to produce clean fuels
R Ragsdale - Oil and Gas Journal;(United States), 1994 - osti.gov
Description/Abstract Passage of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 has prompted US
refiners to install new facilities to comply with stricter specifications for gasoline and diesel
fuel. Refiners are choosing a number of routes to produce these clean fuels. A roundup of ...
Cited by 6 Related articles Cite

Low pressure coker operation with distillate recycle
CJ Kruse, R Ragsdale, JR Roth, GC Hughes - 1995 - osti.gov
Description/Abstract Todays highly competitive refining industry requires new and existing
process units to maximize the production of high-value products while minimizing capital
and operating expenses. Refiners are rapidly optimizing the design and operation of units, ...
Cited by 2 Related articles Cite

[CITATION] Economics of Resid Conversion Processes
R Ragsdale - 1990 - National Petroleum Refiners …
Cited by 1 Related articles Cite

Reduction of Greenhouse Gases
RD Ragsdale - US Patent App. 12/725,409, 2010 - Google Patents
The heat removal and recovery systems of a nuclear energy source and the heat
requirements of a nearby industrial facility are designed to achieve zero or near-zero
greenhouse gas emissions from the industrial facility. Alternative arrangements of heat ...
All 2 versions Cite

[CITATION] The economics of integrating refining and petrochemicals
R Ragsdale, GL Ewy - PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY …, 1999 - CRAMBETH ALLEN

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Next, I searched for him in LinkedIn.  You can look for people from within LinkedIn, of course, but I like to use Google …

Google Search String: linkedin ralph ragsdale

Here is the result …

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Ralph Ragsdale
Owner at Ragsdale Refining Courses
Houston, Texas (Houston, Texas Area) Oil & Energy
Join LinkedIn and access Ralph Ragsdale’s full profile. It's free!
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•See who you and Ralph Ragsdale know in common
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View Ralph's full profile
Ralph Ragsdale's Overview
Current Owner at Ragsdale Refining Courses
Past Executive Technical Director at Bechtel
Technology Mgr. at MW Kellogg
Senior Process Engr. at Stearns Catalytic Co.
see all
Education Rice University
Connections
87 connections
Websites Company Website
Ralph Ragsdale's Experience
Owner
Ragsdale Refining Courses
June 2007– Present (6 years)
Courses in petroleum refining technologies
Executive Technical Director
Bechtel
Privately Held; 10,001+ employees; Construction industry
1991– 2001 (10 years)
Technology Mgr.
MW Kellogg
Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Oil & Energy industry
1986– 1991 (5 years)Houston
Senior Process Engr.
Stearns Catalytic Co.
1983– 1986 (3 years)Denver, CO
Process mgr.
Fluor
Public Company; 10,001+ employees; FLR; Construction industry
1972– 1983 (11 years)
Sr. Process Engineer
Tenneco Oil Co.
Public Company; 10,001+ employees; TEN; Automotive industry
1966– 1972 (6 years)Chalmette, La. and Denver, Co.
Process Engineer
Signal Oil & Gas Co.
1953– 1966 (13 years)Houston, TX
Formerly Eastern States Petroleum and Chemical Co.
Ralph Ragsdale's Skills & Expertise
Process Simulation
Oil/Gas
Petrochemical
Process Engineering
Petroleum
Ralph Ragsdale's Education
Rice University
BA, BS, ChE
1949 – 1954
Ralph Ragsdale's Additional Information
Websites:• Company Website
Groups and Associations:
Chemical Process Engineers
Hydrocarbon Processing
Oil & Gas Process Engineer
Oil Refinery Professional
Petroleum Downstream
The Process Engineer
The Process Engineering Connection
World Refining Technology
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The result of all this searching is that we know enough about Ralph to determine whether to trust what he says in the ePTQ Technology Q&A … and, by extension, whether to add him to our list of experts for future reference.

In Search of Expertise (Part 2): Do You Speak Boolean?

“Sometimes when I'm talking, my words can't keep up with my thoughts. I wonder why we think faster than we speak. Probably so we can think twice.” -- Bill Watterson (American Author of the comic strip Calvin & Hobbes, b.1958)

LinkedIn’s advanced search form is very good.  You can make it work even better by using Boolean search strings. Shown below are the number of hits returned from six search strings that were entered into the Keyword box.

LinkedIn Advanced Key Word Search

4	scientist dibenzothiophene
91	scientist (desulfurization OR dibenzothiophene)
859	scientist (sulfur OR desulfurization OR dibenzothiophene)
868	scientist (sulfur OR desulfurization OR benzothiophene OR dibenzothiophene)
967	scientist (sulfur OR desulfurization OR thiophene OR benzothiophene OR dibenzothiophene)
4081	(scientist OR engineer) (sulfur OR desulfurization OR thiophene OR benzothiophene OR dibenzothiophene)

See what power lies in the use of parentheses and OR. 

If your first search yields too few hits, throw a wider net with more key words, connected by OR and nested between parentheses.

Conversely, if you net too many results, remove some key words from the search string.

TIP #1: I find it easier to compose complex search strings in Word or Notepad, and then copy and paste into the LinkedIn Keyword search box.

TIP #2: Save the search strings for future use.  It will save some typing.

TIP #3: Invite me to join your LinkedIn network.  You can find me at: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeansteinhardtresearch