Panorama, The Lamp: 2007 Number 4

ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Refinery receives ENERGY STAR award

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has presented its ENERGY STAR award to the ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Refinery for its efforts and improvements in energy efficiency. 

The award recognizes individuals and organizations nationwide that adopt cost-effective, energy-efficient technologies and practices and better manage their energy costs.

In 2000, ExxonMobil developed a global energy-management system to conserve energy. At Baton Rouge, the refinery implemented programs such as heat-exchanger monitoring, upgraded furnace air pre-heaters and took other steps to improve its energy efficiency by 12 percent in the past seven years.

“We are proud to be recognized for our superior energy performance as a recipient of the EPA’s 2007 ENERGY STAR award,” says Stan Vanderleeuw, refinery manager. “ExxonMobil is committed to continuous efforts to improve our energy efficiency in Baton Rouge and everywhere we do business.”

Heroes of Chemistry
Seven ExxonMobil scientists were honored this summer by the American Chemical Society for their work in developing a selective catalytic process for producing paraxylene, a precursor in the production of polyester. The Heroes of Chemistry award was presented to current and former ExxonMobil Research and Engineering employees Jeevan Abichandani, Jeff Beck, Arthur Chester, Tom Degnan, Jocelyn Kowalski, Sharon McCullen and David Olson.

Their innovation, which is being licensed by ExxonMobil under the name PxMax, significantly lowers the cost of producing one of the world’s most widely used polymers. The process also generates less waste and requires less energy than previous methods, which, in turn, lowers CO₂ emissions from the eight ExxonMobil and licensee plants where PxMax technology is being used.

“This was an accelerated catalyst development project,” says Tom Degnan, one of the recipients of the 2007 award. “PxMax technology is very subtle and precise; it is chemical engineering at the molecular level.”

On the Run stores mark decade of service
Those bright, clean and conveniently located On the Run stores where customers can grab a quick meal, a hot cup of delicious Bengal Traders coffee or just about any other thing you need during your busy day are celebrating more than 10 years of fast, fresh and friendly service.

Now with about 1,900 sites in more than 40 countries, the On the Run convenience stores offer time-crunched customers a wide range of quality brand-name products and food offerings. Customers can fuel their vehicles, buy a hot dog and beverage, purchase a variety of snacks and, at many locations, get a car wash — and pay for it all with the company’s Speedpass, which is more convenient than cash and faster than a credit card.

The first test store opened in 1994 in Holden, Massachusetts, and the company registered the On the Run franchise in 1997. Worldwide sites include nearly 900 in the United States alone.

Briefly
Esso Brazil earned the highest score in Petrobras’ new responsible partnership program, ranking first among 62 companies involved in fuels marketing and distribution throughout the country. Brazil’s national oil company started the program to encourage fuels distributors in the country to adopt business improvement and ethical operating practices, and to practice safe and environmentally sound operations. Such factors as leadership, customer relationships, employee development, environmental responsibility and other qualities determined the country’s top performers.

ExxonMobil Libya Limited, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, signed a heads of agreement to execute an exploration and production-sharing agreement with Libya’s National Oil Corporation to initiate exploration activity offshore Libya in the Sirte Basin. The agreement includes four blocks in Contract Area 21, approximately 110 miles (177 kilometers) off the Libyan coast. The contract area comprises 2.5 million acres (10.1 square kilometers) and is situated in water depths ranging from approximately 5,400 feet (1,646 meters) to ultra-deep areas of more than 8,700 feet (2,652 meters).

ExxonMobil Chemical Company has broken ground on its second world-scale petrochemical project in Singapore. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was guest of honor at the groundbreaking ceremony held at the future site of the fully integrated project on Jurong Island. When the project is completed, ExxonMobil’s largest owned and operated petrochemical complex and the corporation’s largest integrated chemical and refining site will be in Singapore. Startup is expected in early 2011.

A new program — funded in part by ExxonMobil China — is helping young women from rural areas in China learn marketable computer skills to strengthen their ability to find work. Thirty-five young students from one of the poorest areas of China’s Gansu Province were selected to take part in the training. At the end of a three-month computer course, the students used Photoshop software to make bookmarks as a gift to ExxonMobil. One of the young women wrote, “Thanks for your help to rural girls like us. I am not able to repay your kindness right now. But my school performance expresses my appreciation. Thanks for your loving heart!”