EPF (Engineering, Procurement, and Fabrication) solutions, from concept-to-IFC (Issued for Construction) engineering and turnkey project execution

Key Insights on Chemex Global and KP Engineering: Integrated Service Offering for Gas Processing, Refining, and Renewable Technologies

Chemex Global and KP Engineering, wholly-owned subsidiaries of The Shaw Group, have joined forces to bring an integrated service offering to a wide range of industries. As sister companies, they deliver complete EPF (Engineering, Procurement, and Fabrication) solutions, from concept-to-IFC (Issued for Construction) engineering and design support to turnkey project execution. Their comprehensive services span across gas processing, conventional refining, plastic pyrolysis, gasification, renewable fuels (HEFA and ATJ), syngas-derived products like hydrogen, methanol, and ammonia, and general waste-to-X technologies.

### Comprehensive EPF Services

Chemex and KP Engineering combine expertise to offer a fully-integrated approach for clients in various sectors. With in-house engineering disciplines covering all aspects of process design, including process safety and mechanical, civil, electrical, and instrumentation, these companies ensure a seamless execution of projects.

Key applications include:

- Gas processing: Comprehensive design and execution for gas conditioning, treatment, and separation. Gas processing is critical for purifying natural gas and separating valuable components (e.g., ethane, propane, butane). Key processes include:

• Cryogenic distillation (for extracting NGLs from natural gas)
• Absorption and Adsorption (for removing contaminants like CO? and H?S)
• Membrane separation (used for hydrogen or CO? recovery)

- Conventional Refining Processes: From distillation to hydrotreating, they handle all conventional refining operations. These processes convert crude oil into usable products, such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, and include:

• Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) – The first step in refining, separating hydrocarbons based on boiling points.
• Hydrocracking and Hydrotreating – To increase the yield of lighter products and remove sulfur, nitrogen, and other impurities.
• Catalytic Cracking (FCC) – Produces lighter hydrocarbons (like gasoline) from heavy fractions of crude oil.
• Alkylation and Reforming – Converts lighter olefins and low-octane naphtha into high-octane gasoline components.

- Plastic pyrolysis & gasification: Pioneering solutions for converting waste plastics and biomass into valuable fuels and chemicals. Pyrolysis of plastic converts plastic waste into useful products like fuels or feedstock for new plastic production:

• Thermal Pyrolysis – Breaks down plastic at high temperatures (450–600°C) without oxygen to produce pyrolysis oil, syngas, and char.
• Catalytic Pyrolysis – Uses catalysts to reduce the temperature and improve the yield and quality of the oil produced.
• Steam Pyrolysis – Adds steam to enhance reaction rates and improve the quality of products.
• Gasification

- Gasification processes convert carbonaceous materials (coal, biomass, waste) into syngas (CO + H?), which can be used for:

• Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) – For power generation with carbon capture.
• Waste-to-Energy (WtE) – Converts municipal solid waste (MSW) or biomass into syngas, which can be used to produce electricity, fuels, or chemicals.
• Coal Gasification – Converts coal into syngas to reduce the dependency on conventional combustion-based power plants.

- Renewable fuels: Advanced technology solutions for HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids) and ATJ (Alcohol-to-Jet) fuel production. Renewable fuel technologies convert biomass, used oils, and fats into fuels:

• Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) – Converts vegetable oils and animal fats into renewable diesel or jet fuel.
• Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) – Converts alcohols (such as ethanol or butanol) into jet fuel by dehydration, oligomerization, and hydro processing.

- Syngas-derived products: Expertise in the production of hydrogen, methanol, and ammonia from synthesis gas.Syngas (a mixture of CO and H?) is a versatile feedstock for producing various chemicals and fuels:

• Hydrogen Production – Via water-gas shift reactions, or through renewable pathways like electrolysis using syngas-derived hydrogen.
• Methanol Production – Syngas can be converted into methanol, which is used as a fuel, chemical feedstock, or precursor for synthetic fuels.
• Ammonia Production – Used primarily for fertilizers, ammonia is produced via the Haber-Bosch process from syngas (H? and N?).

- Waste-to-X technologies: Handling the complete process for waste-to-energy and waste-to-products technologies, including solid materials handling aspects.Waste-to-X refers to technologies that convert waste into valuable products, such as fuels, electricity, chemicals, or materials:

• Waste-to-Fuel – Pyrolysis and gasification can be used to convert solid waste into fuels like bio-oil, synthetic diesel, or ethanol.
• Waste-to-Chemicals – Converts waste streams (e.g., plastic, municipal waste) into chemicals like methanol, ammonia, or synthetic natural gas (SNG).
• Solid Materials Handling – Essential for feeding solid waste or biomass into reactors (e.g., through auger systems or fluidized beds), ensuring continuous and safe processing.

Solid Materials Handling in Gasification and Pyrolysis Projects: Handling solid materials is crucial in waste-to-energy and gasification plants. Key aspects include:

• Feedstock Preprocessing – Shredding, drying, and sorting waste or biomass before gasification or pyrolysis.
• Conveying Systems – Transporting material to reactors while maintaining operational continuity and safety.
• Ash and Residue Removal – Efficient handling of char and ash post-process to minimize downtime and environmental impact.

### Advanced Capabilities and Market Leadership

Their integrated model allows for FEED (Front-End Engineering Design) and detailed design execution, enabling precise project planning and minimizing risks during execution. By having every engineering discipline on staff, Chemex and KP Engineering bring flexibility, speed, and reliability to their projects. Their process design capability and project management expertise make them leaders in EPF services for energy, refining, and renewable sectors.

### Driving Innovation in Emerging Markets

As industries shift towards renewable and sustainable technologies, Chemex and KP Engineering are well-positioned to drive innovation in the circular economy. Their expertise in pyrolysis, gasification, and waste-to-X technologies aligns with the global push for decarbonization and energy transition, making them key players in addressing future energy challenges.

Conclusion:

These technologies are interwoven in the efforts to decarbonize and create more sustainable production pathways. Innovations in gas processing, gasification, and renewable fuels production are creating synergies with waste management systems, plastic recycling, and even hydrogen economy strategies. The integration of such technologies enables the development of a circular economy, where waste products can be revalorized into fuels, chemicals, and materials, reducing reliance on fossil-based feedstocks.

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This article outlines the integrated capabilities of Chemex Global and KP Engineering, providing insight into how these companies deliver cutting-edge solutions for gas processing, refining, and renewable technologies.