Revolution of Non-Conventional Hydrocarbon Production

Dr. Kalman Koczo gave a presentation on the “Revolution of Non-Conventional Hydrocarbon Production in the USA and the Application of Silicones in the Oilfield” on BME.

The program was organized by the Hungarian Chemical Society (Commission of Colloid Chemistry and Nanotechnology) and the Department of Physical Chemistry and Materials Science in Budapest on May 31 in the Schay Room of the Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, BME.

Dr. Koczo formerly worked at the Physical Chemistry Department, BME until his departure in 1990 and now he works as a Senior Chemist at the Momentive Performance Materials (MPM) company, in Tarrytown, NY, USA.

First he introduced MPM, the second largest silicone manufacturer in the world and the many uses of silicone fluids (personal care, detergents, agriculture, textiles etc.). Then a large part of the talk discussed the fundamental changes in the Petroleum Industry, especially in the USA, during the last decade or so, when the production of hydrocarbon sources from non-conventional sources has developed with rapid - sometimes called “revolutionary” speed.

He discusses the steam assisted extraction bitumen from Canadian oil sands; the possibilities of oil shales; deep sea oil production and in details, the new technologies of shale gas, tight gas and shale oil.

MPM is developing and selling silicone based products, such as antifoams, non-emulsifiers, demulsifiers, for various applications for both conventional and non-conventional applications and dr Koczo reviewed these materials.