Interview with John Koo, Business Development Director for Becht, Asia Pacific Operations

Its engagement with these standards is a critical part of the company’s offering, helping clients ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, improve safety and reliability, and optimize the performance of their assets. This allows Becht to offer highly customized solutions that are tailored to specific client needs, from design and engineering to operational support and troubleshooting.

Becht also stands out by providing comprehensive end-to-end support, covering everything from mechanical integrity assessments to long-term reliability solutions, allowing clients to improve performance, safety, and cost-efficiency. The firm’s strong reputation for tackling complex projects, including those that require advanced technical problem-solving, gives it a unique edge in the industry.

Question: What are some of the key challenges associated with implementing carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) technologies in the energy sector? How can Becht’s expertise help address these challenges and facilitate the deployment of CCUS solutions?

Key challenges in implementing CCUS include:

• High costs and economic viability: Building and maintaining CCUS infrastructure is expensive, making it challenging for widespread adoption without incentives.
• Energy consumption: CCUS processes can be energy-intensive, adding to the operational costs and complexity.
• Storage and utilization: Safe and reliable long-term storage options for CO2 and finding viable ways to utilize captured carbon are ongoing technical challenges.
• Regulatory and policy hurdles: Differing global regulations and lack of consistent policy frameworks create uncertainty for companies investing in CCUS.

Becht’s expertise in process design, engineering, and large-scale project management can help address these challenges by developing cost-effective and energy-efficient CCUS systems. Becht’s experience in navigating complex regulatory environments also positions the company to guide clients through the policy and permitting processes required to deploy CCUS technology. By leveraging their technical and operational know-how, Becht can support clients in optimizing the economic and environmental benefits of CCUS projects.

Question: As the use of hydrogen as a fuel source continues to grow, what are some challenges associated with hydrogen combustion, especially in the context of existing infrastructure and equipment? How can Becht’s engineering expertise help address these challenges?

Some challenges associated with hydrogen combustion include:

• Materials compatibility: Hydrogen can embrittle metals and other materials used in existing infrastructure, potentially leading to leaks or failures.
• Flame properties: Hydrogen has a higher flame speed and a wider flammability range than conventional fuels, which requires careful handling and design considerations to avoid combustion issues.
• Retrofit challenges: Modifying existing pipelines, storage facilities, and combustion systems to accommodate hydrogen often requires significant engineering expertise.
• Energy efficiency: Hydrogen versus other options.  While hydrogen has a high energy content by mass, it is less energy-dense by volume compared to other fuels, meaning more space or higher pressure is required for storage and transportation.
• Safety concerns: Hydrogen is highly flammable, and its light molecular weight makes it more prone to leaks, requiring stringent safety measures.

Becht’s engineering expertise can help by assessing the compatibility of existing equipment with hydrogen and recommending materials and design changes to prevent issues like embrittlement. The firm’s deep experience in process engineering and safety can ensure that combustion systems are adapted to handle hydrogen safely and efficiently. Becht can also provide support in retrofitting and upgrading existing infrastructure to handle hydrogen with minimal disruption to operations.

Question: As the Asia-Pacific region continues to be a major growth market for the energy industry, what are Becht’s strategic priorities for expanding its presence in this region? What specific markets or sectors are you targeting for growth?

Our objective is not growth per se, but to form high value partnerships where our experience and expertise can deliver sustained and long term successful outcomes

The key growth areas in the Asia-Pacific region, including:

• Refining and petrochemicals: As demand for fuel and chemicals continues to grow, Becht’s expertise in mechanical integrity and plant optimization will be critical for companies looking to enhance performance.
• Energy transition and renewables: The shift toward cleaner energy sources in Asia-Pacific presents opportunities for Becht to assist with CCUS, hydrogen, and renewable energy projects.
• Upstream and midstream oil & gas: As major players in the region continue to explore and produce hydrocarbons, Becht can provide engineering and operational expertise in both traditional and unconventional resource development.

Strategically, Becht may prioritize building partnerships with key stakeholders in countries like China, India, Malaysia, and Indonesia, where energy demand and industrial growth are particularly high. Becht’s ability to deliver long-term reliability and sustainability improvements is a key part of its growth strategy in this region.

Question: Could you elaborate on some of Becht’s key projects in the Asia-Pacific region?

While specific project details may not be available due to confidentiality, Becht has been involved in various critical projects in the Asia-Pacific region, especially in the refining and petrochemical sectors. These projects typically include:

• Mechanical integrity assessments: Helping large refineries and petrochemical plants improve the safety and reliability of their equipment.
• Turnaround management: Providing expertise in scope challenges, planning and executing maintenance turnarounds for major industrial facilities, minimizing downtime while ensuring compliance with safety and performance standards.
• Capacity expansions and retrofits: Supporting clients in the region in expanding capacity or retrofitting existing infrastructure to meet rising demand or regulatory changes.
• We partner with many of the regions energy companies to provide multidisciplinary support across a range of day-to-day challenges and to help address longer  term strategic considerations  ranging from complex technical  issues  to  training and enabling tomorrows workforce.

In addition to traditional oil and gas projects, Becht may also be involved in newer energy transition projects, such as hydrogen and CCUS, aligning with Asia-Pacific’s increasing focus on decarbonization.

Question: Given the increasing focus on sustainability, what role can Becht play in helping clients achieve their environmental goals?

Becht plays a significant role in helping clients meet their environmental and sustainability objectives by offering expertise in:

• Energy efficiency improvements: Becht helps clients optimize plant operations to reduce energy consumption and emissions, often with minimal capital investment.
• Decarbonization technologies: The firm’s knowledge in areas such as CCUS, hydrogen, and renewable energy integration positions Becht to assist clients in adopting technologies that reduce their carbon footprints. – independent technology and licensor selection.
• Sustainability assessments: Becht can perform comprehensive sustainability audits to identify areas where clients can improve their environmental performance, from resource utilization to emissions control.
• Regulatory compliance: Becht’s extensive experience navigating complex regulatory landscapes helps clients stay compliant with evolving environmental standards.

In summary, Becht serves as a trusted partner for companies looking to improve their sustainability performance while maintaining operational efficiency and profitability.  Our mission is to help our clients to succeed.

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