MOL GROUP SCIENTIFIC MAGAZINE 2014 / 2 MOL GROUP SCIENTIFIC MAGAZINE 2014 / 2 › Messages from WPC21, Moscow › Regional booking platform for allocating natural gas transmission system capacities › Design divided wall columns for more energy-efficient distillation › MOL enters butadiene value chain 4 Introduction On the front page: Construction of Butadiene extraction unit at TVK Chairman of the Editorial Board: József Molnár Editorial Board: Adam Beck, PhD; László Boda; Zsolt Csattos; Jenő Hancsók, Dr. habil., Prof.; Gyöngyi Janky; Pál Kapusy; Gábor Kis, PhD; Lajos Kisdeák; Andrea Kiss; Márta Krámer, Dr.; László Lázár; Zsolt Molnár; László Rácz, Dr.; Örs Ringhoffer; Gabriella Szalmás, Dr.; Artur Thernesz Editor-in-chief: László Rácz, Dr. Published by MOL Group Corporate Communications ISSN 2060-338X Scientific Magazine 3 INTRODUCTION MOL Group Scientific Magazine is a publication we can be proud of. It is rich in content, has high professional standard and attractive design. For the profitability of the work and knowledge in each article it is important to get the published articles in the Magazine to be widely read by MOL Group colleagues, above all to all those professionals and organisational units who are affected by the content of the articles. I strongly believe that this publication is an important channel of sharing knowledge within MOL Group. As such it is a source of important new values. In the following period of MOL Scientific Magazine I expect proactivity, deep and high standard research and analysing work of my colleagues. I also count on the professional support of my leader partners and on the motivation and recognition of the professional writing of my colleagues. I count on the interest and feedback of our readers, encouraging DEAR READERS thinking together in the mutually important This has been the seventh year for MOL Group topics. Scientific Magazine to be published in a new form, both in content and in design. In the last period the Magazine went through a continuous development. After a transition period English language is utilised thoroughly, expressing our company’s international quality and making the reading of the József Molnár articles possible to all of the interested employees Chairman of the Editorial Board of MOL Group. According to the intentions of the editors, the content of the articles became more diversified, covering all of our company’s business and functional activity, along with the activities of the different subsidiaries. It is good to see that the number of authors is increased and we are able to read more articles from the professionals of the younger generation as well. Besides the electronic form, which is good for a wide reach of people within MOL Group and outside as well, we have reserved the printed edition of the Magazine in a limited number. 4 Messages from WPC21, Moscow MESSAGES FROM THE ‘OLYMPICS OF THE OIL INDUSTRy’1 ON THE WORLD PETROLEUM COUNCIL countries. This is a basic forum where WPC (World Petroleum Council) is a decisive participants discuss questions concerning forum of global oil and gas industry. This global oil and gas industry. international organisation with seat in London, at this time counts with 69 member countries, In 2014 World Petroleum Council held its 21st representing 95% of global oil and gas production congress in Moscow, between 15th and 19th and consumption. WPC membership is unique of June, where more than 5 000 participants in its kind, OPEC and non-OPEC countries are including 30 ministers and 400 CEOs and its members representing both national and organisation heads from 119 countries dealt independent oil corporations. with the responsible energy supply for the growing world economy. In order to meet World Petroleum Council was formed in 1933 future demands in a sustainable and socially with the main purpose to facilitate sustainable responsible way, huge investments, high supply of oil, gas and other energy sources and tech production methods, skilled labour their efficient use to the benefit of the public. and business practices able to meet the highest ethical standards are needed. To this WPC membership can be requested through coordinated cooperation of the producers, forming a national committee representing consumers and governments is essential in the decisive majority of oil and gas industry of the energy market. The Moscow meeting the given country by its members. Beside oil was designed to promote this. In 2017, companies, universities, research institutions WPC22 will be held in Istanbul, Turkey. and government agencies are also involved in the national committees. There are more reasons why WPC21 conference was a success for MOL Group. World Petroleum Council is a strongly First, the world organisation elected József professional organisation serving its founders’ Tóth, Dr., former officer of the company as goals through forwarding dialogues between president of the Executive Committee for the parties. The first public appearance of OPEC next three years (an interview with professor and IEA (International Energy Agency) and the Tóth will be presented). Secondly, for his presentation of their positions at the World nine-year participation in the Programme Petroleum Congress held in Calgary, in 2000, Committee, professor István Bérczi received serve as an example for the above. WPC’s ‘Outstanding Achievement’ award (see laudation on page 148). Additionally, A WPC congress is organised in every three two MOL Group officials became elected years, hosted always by one of the member committee members for the period of 1 These articles are based on a related report published in the September, 2014 issue of Hungarian ’MOL Panoráma’, by permission of the ’MOL Panoráma’ Publisher. The Editorial Board wants to thank the Publisher for the permission. The Board also like to thank Messrs. József Molnár, Sándor Fasimon, Szabolcs Ferencz I, Béla Kelemen, Dr., Ms. Adriana Petrović, PhD, Ms. Judit Tóth, PhD, and Mr. Marcell Lux for their contributions to these articles. Scientific Magazine 5 2014−2017: Mr. György Palásthy in Congress of all in the USA and Canada, where further Programme Committee and Mr. Csaba Zsótér significant development is to come in this in Youth Committee. area. The abundant and relatively cheap unconventional natural gas and oil is an MAIN TRENDS IN THE OIL INDUSTRY important driver of economic growth in these two countries and is also an important factor A GLOBAL OVERVIEW for the competitiveness of industry. Long-term sustainability of world's oil and gas economy (“Responsibly Professionals expect that close to a major energising a growing world”, “An enhanced portion of the world's conventional understanding and image of the oil and hydrocarbon reserves also unconventional gas sector’s contribution to sustainable deposits are present. These could be utilised development”) was the central topic of the if the following conditions are met: 1) the 21st World Petroleum Congress (WPC). The presence of drilling and fracturing capabilities presentations and subsequent discussions needed to carry out the exploration, 2) primarily were about the ways the industry logistics infrastructure necessary to collect can respond to the challenges ahead. and transport the produced oil and gas volumes, 3) society’s concerns regarding World energy demand is increasing primarily these activities are overcome. in non-OECD regions – in the developing countries – thanks to which in 25 years According to industry estimates, about 20% the global consumption will grow by 30% of yet undiscovered hydrocarbon reserves of compared to the 2010 level. The volume of world are expected to come from the deep- growth will be higher than the current total sea deposits. The amount of produced oil energy consumption of Russia, India, Africa, and gas from these sources, increasing to a Latin America, and the Middle East. Fossil level two and a half times higher than that of fuels will still be dominant – about 75% – in 2010, will yield over 12% of the total output, meeting the needs. The ‘new energy’ – the by 2040. majority of which will be wind and solar energy – will increase its share of 1% in 2010 The expected strong growth of the to 6% by 2035. unconventional and deepwater oil and gas exploration and production will change the Leading representatives of the oil and gas present main export and import routes in industry were generally optimistic about the the world. These sources will also represent future. The world's hydrocarbon reserves significant export opportunities for the USA, are abundant, but an innovative approach Canada, Brazil, Mexico as well as for some and a paradigm shift are required to their other countries, thereby restricting OPEC’s exploitation. We have to abandon the long- and Russia's long-standing dominant role in prevailing view that sites to be discovered the world's oil supply. Primarily due to the in the future are delivering smaller amounts rich gas reserves the USA, by 2018 surpassing of stocks, and that exploitation is becoming Russia, will be the world's number one less profitable. In addition, existing oil and producer of natural gas, and will become a gas fields also have significant quantities net exporter before 2020. As a result, the recoverable with new technologies. The world's geopolitical exposure in oil and gas presenters stressed that in order to meet the transport will get reduced, and the market world's growing energy needs, oil and gas as a whole will become more stable. research activity should concentrate on new areas such as the Arctic and deep sea areas, With the growth of proportion of LNG as well as other unconventional sites. Latter (liquefied natural gas) supplies, the world type activities are currently in course first natural gas market will be increasingly 6 Messages from WPC21, Moscow global. An important condition for this is capacity utilisation of the (currently) working ‘cost controlling’. The natural gas imports refineries has been significantly reduced.