ExxonMobil's efforts win recognition for 6th year

ONE of Singapore's largest foreign manufacturing investors with over S$25 billion in fixed asset investments here, ExxonMobil, has been recognised for Best Practices under Honourable Mention.

This year marks the 6th year that it has garnered either an Energy Efficiency National Partnership Best Practices Award or a Best Practices Honourable Mention for its efforts in improving energy efficiency in its operations in Singapore. In 2017, it was also recognised with the Excellence in Energy Management award.

"The EENP Honourable Mention project at the ExxonMobil Singapore Chemical Plant (SCP) - the olefins compressor surge margin reduction initiative saw us question the operating boundaries of the unit in turndown conditions, when the surge margin - needed to prevent the compressor running into a surge that will damage the internals of the equipment - is higher," Raymen Chee, ExxonMobil Singapore Chemical Plant (SCP) technical director, tells BT.

"After much careful evaluation, and testing with the help of our third party vendors, we succeeded in safely and reliably reducing the operating limit of the margin, thereby saving on fuel gas consumption of almost 30,000 MWh per year. These energy savings translate to carbon abatement akin to planting 35,000 trees."

As part of the ExxonMobil Global Energy Management System (GEMS) best practices, the plant is on a constant lookout for opportunities to improve its energy use - big and small.

The pandemic and general market conditions reinforced just how critical continuous improvements in energy efficiency are for maintaining a lead over the competition, both regionally and globally. There is even stronger drive nowadays for the company to uncover and progress such enhancements without the need for a significant investment, says Chee.

"We continuously look for opportunities to enhance our energy efficiency at the ExxonMobil complex. We have to place a high priority on driving energy efficiency, if we want to meet the growing demand for energy and high-quality chemical products that are vital for everyday life, while minimising environmental impacts and climate change risks."

Over the last year, the company also introduced wireless monitoring at the crude preheat trains in its refining facilities. Doing so provides it more robust, real-time data, without having to lay down costly, complex instrumentation cabling. The data then allows it to better identify which equipment needs to be taken down for maintenance. A well maintained, reliable operation leads to less energy loss and more efficient energy use.

ExxonMobil's Singapore affiliate, ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte Ltd (EMAPPL), has about 4,000 employees and its manufacturing facilities include an integrated world scale refining and petrochemical complex in Jurong and on Jurong Island.

EMAPPL also has a network of service stations under the Esso brand, supplies cylinder cooking gas and serves the commercial markets in the region with industrial, aviation and marine fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and liquefied natural gas.

ExxonMobil contributes to community programmes in Singapore that support the arts, education, health and the environment. It is also the first founding member of the Singapore Energy Centre led by Nanyang Technological University and the National University of Singapore.