The 5th International Conference on Petroleum Phase Behaviour and Fouling

Welcome from the Conference Chairman

On behalf of the Conference Organization Committee (COC), I am delighted to welcome you to the 5th International Conference on Petroleum Phase Behaviour and Fouling. The COC members have spent countless hours putting together a three and a half day program featuring a wide range of topics of interest to industrial and academic professionals involved in petroleum refining and production. The conference will include 48 oral presentations and over 60 poster presentations covering six main themes:

1. Thermodynamics of Heavy Oils and Asphaltenes
2. Characterization of Petroleum Macromolecules
3. Chemistry and Physics of Petroleum-Water Emulsions
4. Wax Thermodynamics and Deposition
5. Mechanisms and Mitigation of Fouling in Refining and Upgrading
6. Mechanisms and Mitigation of Fouling in Petroleum and Natural Gas Production

The organization of this year’s conference reflects a few changes from previous events. Each oral session consists of a keynote presentation followed by three regular papers, a 20 minute coffee break, and another four regular papers. The first day has morning and afternoon oral sessions followed by a formal poster session in the evening. The second day has only a morning oral session allowing for an afternoon break. During this time, delegates are encouraged to take advantage of the planned social events such as the group excursions to explore the breathtaking Canadian Rockies, trips to other local tourist attractions and, of course, shopping. A formal conference dinner with live entertainment is planned for Tuesday evening. Day three has both morning and afternoon oral sessions and day four has only a morning oral session followed by lunch and conference adjournment. Poster presentations will remain on display and accessible during the entire conference.

We would also like to draw your attention to the special discussion group “Standardization of Asphaltene Separation and Characterization” located on the conference website. Research progress in this field is hindered by the complexity of petroleum fluids and a lack of research standards on how asphaltenes and other colloid-forming materials in petroleum are obtained and analyzed. We hope to conclude the discussions regarding the standardization of asphaltene separation and characterization during an open session on Wednesday evening.

We have also made arrangements with the editor of Energy & Fuels to have a special issue of this journal to include the papers submitted and presented at our conference. Acceptance to this issue is, however, strictly limited to authors who have given oral and/or poster presentations at this conference. All submissions are optional and would be subjected to peer review to be considered for publication in the special issue of Energy & Fuels.

We very much hope you enjoy the 5th International Conference on Petroleum Phase Behaviour and Fouling. This conference surely provides an excellent forum for presenters and attendees to learn and exchange valuable experiences on the topics and, in turn, become more competitive in this ever challenging and growing field. We sincerely hope you have a productive week and wish you a pleasant stay in Banff as our guest at this premier event!