2026 STS-AIChE Southwest Process Technology Conference

The program spans chemical engineering, process industries, and process safety. Spring Meeting topics include process intensification; automation, data analytics, and machine learning in Industry 4.0; ethylene production; gas processing, conversion, and utilization; refinery operations; distillation; petrochemical processing; and energy-transition technologies, policies, and industry strategies. The AI and Energy Nexus and Chemical Engineering & the Law are also listed as program areas. Process-safety programming includes the Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) International Conference, the Process Plant Safety Symposium (PPSS), the Annual Loss Prevention Symposium (LPS), the Process Safety Management Mentoring (PSM2) Symposium, and a Process Safety Topical Conference. Listed subjects include process-safety management practices, plant-level methods and tools, explosion prevention, fire protection, lessons from incident investigations, hydrogen production, storage and use, and process-safety issues affecting regions around the world.

Under the theme “Chemical Engineering Reimagined,” the meeting covers chemical-engineering research, technologies, and emerging growth areas. Program guides highlight AI and machine learning, climate change, industrial careers, and early-career faculty. The AI and machine-learning program includes sessions on process development; polymer simulation, informatics, and data analytics; data-driven pharmaceutical process controls; AI-enabled process design, scale-up, and workforce readiness; nuclear chemical engineering; manufacturing-system modeling; computational catalysis; digital twins in energy systems; biomass utilization; and data-driven medicine. Featured discussions consider digital transformation, evolving industrial ecosystems, sustainability pressures, and changing workforce expectations, as well as ways to incorporate data science into chemical-engineering curricula, degree programs, certificates, and teaching of statistics and programming. Featured lectures address chemical engineers’ roles amid advances in AI, sustainable energy, and an interconnected global economy, and the use of catalysis to convert biomass, CO2, and end-of-life polymers into fuels, chemicals, and materials. Other lecture themes include carbon circularity, process intensification, renewable hydrogen, and pathways toward net-negative carbon manufacturing.

Described as one of the largest petrochemical events in the world, the conference draws participants from companies across the globe to hear from industry leaders on political, economic and environmental issues facing the petrochemical sector. Sessions include Reflections from the C-Suite with the CEO of BASF Corporation, a TotalEnergies refining and petrochemicals SVP, and Dow's Chief Operating Officer; The Evolving Global Policy Landscape and its Impacts on the Petrochemical Industry; and Supply Chains Under Stress, examining how leaders are responding to global supply disruptions with executives from LyondellBasell, Brenntag North America, and the Economic Alliance Houston Port Region. A workforce-focused session, Shaping Tomorrow: The Petrochemical Workforce and Next-Gen Leaders, addresses talent pipeline challenges. Market analysis sessions include S&P Global's "Petrochemicals: The Phoenix Amid the Flames" and Chemical Market Analytics by OPIS's "Chemical Crossroads: Mapping the Route to 2060." A Women in Industry panel addresses mid-career leadership in the chemical industry, and the International Petrochemical Luncheon features a conversation with former President George W. Bush.

Technical conference focused on improving plant-wide performance in the refining and petrochemical industries.

The conference theme is “Pipeline to Possibilities: Securing Energy, Shaping Futures.” Stakeholder Engagement & Outreach covers community and public engagement, API Recommended Practices 1162 and 1185, environmental justice, Tribal and First Nation considerations, emergency responder education, and damage prevention. Pipeline Operational Excellence addresses safety performance, in-line inspection lessons, pipeline safety management systems, safety culture, management of change, asset remediation, and operational and enterprise risk management. Technology, AI & Innovation includes inspection tools, engineering practices, control room technologies, artificial intelligence, API RP 1165, and emerging fuels. Workforce Training & Development covers succession planning, knowledge transfer, recruitment and retention, multigenerational workforces, operator qualification, inspector certification, and competency-based learning. Sustainability & New Fuels addresses CO2, hydrogen and other low-carbon fuels; safety, integrity, leak detection, corrosion management, emergency preparedness, methane emissions, and environmental stewardship. Other tracks address pipeline construction, project management, commissioning, major maintenance, contract management and trenchless technologies; leak detection systems and predictive analytics; SCADA/OT modernization, industrial control system cybersecurity, threat response and regulatory compliance; and alarm and control room management, including fatigue mitigation, controller training, management of change, records, and regulatory interpretations.

The program covers specialty chemical business strategy, regulatory developments, and manufacturing operations across three tracks: C-Suite Executive Leadership, Regulatory & Policy, and Manufacturing & Operations. Sessions address the U.S. economic outlook and chemical industry impacts; AI in commercial operations and supply planning; domestic pharmaceutical supply chains; process safety; workforce succession and knowledge transfer; mergers and acquisitions; TSCA and the CMAS RTR final rule; trade policy and supply-chain resilience; operational disruption; and contract manufacturing partnerships and market trends. The program also includes an economic outlook briefing, an analysis of the 2026 election’s implications for manufacturing and chemicals, SOCMA’s Annual Meeting and update, and the Awards & Safety Recognition Dinner.

The program focuses on cybersecurity for the oil and natural gas industry, with an emphasis on safety, best practices, innovation, and resilience. Listed subjects include application security and SecDevOps; compliance and new regulations; ICS cybersecurity; identity and access management; cyber incident management; next-generation SOC and security orchestration; generative AI platform risks and security; zero trust; threat hunting and threat intelligence; cyber insurance; the human element; and cybersecurity architecture. The program also includes a CISO leadership panel, a cyber incident management workshop, an API conference retrospective and past-chair panel, and the keynote session “AI Made Me Do It: Confessions of an AI-Era CISO.”

The technology conference covers ironmaking, steelmaking, finishing processes, and engineering and equipment technologies. Program topics include safety and health; environmental technology; cokemaking; ironmaking and direct reduced iron; electric and oxygen steelmaking; specialty alloys and foundry operations; secondary refining and continuous casting; hot and cold rolling, galvanizing, tinplate, plate and long products; pipe and tube; metallurgy; energy and utilities; electrical and digitalization applications; project and construction management; maintenance and reliability; refractory systems; material handling; cranes; and transportation and logistics. Technical topics include hydrogen-based ironmaking, scrap optimization, energy efficiency, greenhouse-gas reduction, carbon capture and storage, water treatment and reuse, AI and digitalization, predictive maintenance, industrial control-system cybersecurity, steel product quality, and process reliability. The schedule lists technical sessions, the Howe Memorial Lecture, an undergraduate student project presentation contest, a graduate student poster contest display, a Steel to Students roundtable, Technology Committee meetings, and a Town Hall Forum. The event also includes an iron and steel exposition.

The meeting brings together executives, decision-makers, and technical experts from refining businesses, technology providers, contracting and consulting firms, and equipment manufacturers. Sessions address policies, regulations, geopolitics, and disruptions affecting downstream businesses. The agenda includes general sessions, concurrent breakout sessions, and a Government Relations Breakfast.