The 12th Kuwait –Japan Joint Symposium

JCCP and Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research (KISR) sponsored the 12th Kuwait–Japan Joint Symposium on “Innovations in oil refining processes” on January 18 and 19, 2011. The symposium is held annually in Kuwait on themes alternating between the process catalyst field (heavy oil processing, desulfurization, new fuels) and the refinery equipment maintenance field (corrosion, inspection, materials). Implemented on commission by the Japan Petroleum Institute (JPI), this year’s symposium featured presentations by five Japanese lecturers.
The symposium opened with words of greeting from Mr. Asaad A. Al-Saad, Deputy Managing Director, Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery, Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), and Dr. Naji Al-Mutairi, Director General of KISR, on the Kuwait side; from H.E. Mr. Yasuyoshi Komizo, Japanese Ambassador to Kuwait and Dr. Takahashi Tatsumi, Professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology and leader of Japanese speakers, on the Japanese side.
Ambassador Komizo noted that this year marks the 50th year of diplomatic relations between Japan and Kuwait, and among the various commemorative events being planned by Japan, he said that this symposium holds significant meaning as the first of such events. The Ambassador also recognized the remarkable growth of KISR, which initially started out as a research institute under the Japanese company, Arabian Oil Company, Ltd., and has since expanded and developed into the comprehensive institute that it is today. He also expressed his hope that KIRS will continue to engage in technical cooperation with Japan and achieve even greater development.
The symposium featured a total of 15 speeches and presentations. The Japanese side gave on keynote speech and five presentations, which included presentations by members of JCCP technical cooperation projects in Kuwait, and the Kuwaiti side gave two keynote speeches and seven presentations. Approximately 60 people attended symposium, including 40 from the Kuwaiti oil industry.
JCCP hopes that the symposium will continue to contribute to prompting technical exchanges between Japan and Kuwait.
The names and presentation themes of the Japanese researchers are as follow.
1) Dr. Takahashi Tatsumi, Chemical Resources Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology Presentation theme: Improvement of ZSM-5 catalyst for cracking of naphtha.
2) Dr. Sachio Asaoka, Faculty of Enviromental Engineering, The University of Kitakyushu Presentation theme: Selective conversion of n-paraffins to gasoline fraction on metal/nano-sized xide/zeolite hybrid catalyst
3) Dr. Miki Niwa, Faculty of Engineering, Tottori University Presentation theme: Characterization and catalytic cracking activity of USY zeolite
4) Dr. Takao Masuda, Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University Presentation theme: Selective production of intermediate species of reaction in series using catalytic zeolite membrane as contactor
5) Mr. Yoji Sunagawa, Chief Researcher, Advanced Technology Research Laboratories, Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd.
Presentation theme: Development of zeolite hydrocracking catalyst and system for residhydrodesulfurization unit