Training

Instructors

John O'Connell is an “authority” in SRU environmental and engineering circles. John has a proven track record in Sulfur Recovery in Gas Plants and Refineries Worldwide. John’s commitment to helping clients meet and exceed stringent global regulatory environmental emissions standards for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through his expert analysis of SRUs is remarkable. He spent two years as an operator at the Husky Energy Ram River Gas Plant rotating duties between sulfur recovery units, amine units, compressors and utilities. Western Research hired John in May 1991 to lead their team of specialists for conducting sulfur plant performance evaluations both nationally and internationally.

Today, John leads the Sulfur Recovery Engineering team. With his commitment to helping our clients worldwide, John O’Connell’s experience and skill is transforming the Sulfur Recovery Business, worldwide. John remains keenly focused on helping preserve and protect our environment.

John O’Connell graduated from the University of Calgary in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. He has been a member of the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA) since 1989. John’s vision, commitment and innovation through science is renowned worldwide.

Ed DeGraaf  is a process engineer with over thirty years of broad experience, starting out operating pilot plants.  He has worked in the US, Canada, Denmark, India, South Africa and Japan.  He has been fortunate to have worked for several companies who own or license special technologies in many areas, among them UOP, Davy Powergas/Davy McKee and Haldor Topsoe.  These technologies included gas treatment technologies such as Dow GasSpec, Union Carbide Ucarsol and Benfield as applied in refineries, syngas processes and natural gas processing plants. 

In recent years he participated in the design two major new sour natural gas plants employing MDEA and glycol dehydration and is active in debottlenecking and troubleshooting of four more.  Ed trains in design, troubleshooting, commissioning and operations. Because his work projects are current, students enjoy his fresh, animated and relevant instruction.