Ahead of the North American Gas Forum, Energy Dialogues is running a Speaker Q&A Series and recently spoke to Cam Thrutchley, Vice President of Strategic Ventures, Honeywell
Ahead of the North American Gas Forum, Energy Dialogues is running a Speaker Q&A Series to bring first-hand content from our speakers to our network. Monika Simões, Managing Director of Energy Dialogues LLC recently spoke to Cam Thrutchley, Vice President of Strategic Ventures, Honeywell. You can read the full interview here.
Monika Simões, Managing Director, Energy Dialogues LLC: Technology has been a key driver in accelerating the shale gas boom in the US and globally. How does Honeywell experience the various breakthroughs and their impact on the industry?
Cam Thrutchley, Vice President of Strategic Ventures, Honeywell: The technology breakthroughs – primarily Hydraulic Fracturing and Horizontal Drilling – have had a significant impact on Honeywell, both on our UOP and Process Solutions businesses. As North American gas and liquids production has dramatically increased in just the last few years, Honeywell and UOP have been supporting clients with gas processing and automation infrastructure to help the industry expand to meet the growing volumes. As those molecules flow downstream, UOP and Honeywell help clients design and execute new, capital intensive projects to monetize the gas and liquids in the form of LNG Export, Ammonia/Urea, Ethylene & other petrochemical processes, as well as refinery reconfigurations & expansions.
Monika Simões, Managing Director, Energy Dialogues LLC: What breakthroughs yet to come have the ability to continue transforming the sector in North America and also globally?
Cam Thrutchley, Vice President of Strategic Ventures, Honeywell: With such a significant industrial expansion taking place in North America, experienced resources are becoming more and more at a premium than ever before. Both in construction of major projects and in lifecycle operations. Where we see the industry making significant breakthroughs are first in the area of modular construction. This is already taking place, and we will only continue to move more aggressively in that direction, as modular construction can significantly free up constructability and resource limitation barriers. Our UOP Gas Processing & Hydrogen business is considered a leader in modular construction. We also are seeing clients more and more driving towards leveraging remote operations, automated procedural operations, and managed or outsourced automation services, where companies like Honeywell can more efficiently and consistently deliver business results with less resources required.
Monika Simões, Managing Director, Energy Dialogues LLC: Talking about the economic opportunity, can you tell us more about what you see as the important economic impacts and advantages of the natural gas boom in North America?
Cam Thrutchley, Vice President of Strategic Ventures, Honeywell: I can’t emphasize enough the tremendous economic impact and potential this natural gas boom has in North America. Just a few years ago, I think it’s fair to say we all had significant concerns for the next generation in the United States and in North America. What we saw at the time was minimal to no opportunity for growth – certainly in the energy sector locally – for the next generation of Americans. But now here we are in the midst of this Boom, this Hyper growth, the excitement, and what I think is most exciting: this growth and this innovation is infectious. It spurs us many of us as Americans with that entrepreneurial and innovative spirit to strive to create more growth and more success. And I get excited that Honeywell can play a big role in fueling this growth, leading to American job creation, growth in the American economy.
Monika Simões, Managing Director, Energy Dialogues LLC: Can you tell us a little about where Honeywell sees the biggest potential for natural gas use and what your strategic priorities are in the sector? What are you excited about when looking at the North American gas future and the potential ahead?
Cam Thrutchley, Vice President of Strategic Ventures, Honeywell: The opportunities here are all across the board. The availability of abundant, low cost North American Gas is having significant effects on the manufacturing, transportation, and the petrochemical industries. As an industrial conglomerate, Honeywell sees opportunity to support growth with our solutions and technology in all of these areas. What motivates me personally is that this time of North American energy growth gives us at Honeywell an opportunity to execute on our vision every day. And that vision is “to build a world that is safer and more secure, more comfortable and energy efficient, more innovative and productive.” During this time of tremendous growth, we have tremendous opportunity to deliver significant value for our clients and for the general population, to make our world a better place.
Monika Simões, Managing Director, Energy Dialogues LLC: Honeywell is a regular participant in the North American Gas Forum – what are you looking forward to at the NAGF and where do you see the greatest value in being part of this key industry dialogue?
Cam Thrutchley, Vice President of Strategic Ventures, Honeywell: The North American Gas Forum is a unique environment to bring industry and regulatory leadership together to help maximize this tremendous opportunity we have before us in North America. At this event, what I have seen is a common vision and desire from all parties to collaborate, to lead, and to drive growth for our shareholders, for our companies, and for our communities and families.
Monika Simões, Managing Director, Energy Dialogues LLC: With so many moving parts and important developments in the natural gas sector, there is a real need for industry engagement, dialogue, and exchange and to create new business and partnership opportunities. As a past attendee of the NAGF, what is your recommendation for those considering to participate in this year’s NAGF, what are the things they can look forward to?
Cam Thrutchley, Vice President of Strategic Ventures, Honeywell: Quite simply, the NAGF is an opportunity for attendees to learn, to hear first hand from both industry leadership and from regulatory leadership, to collaborate with peers and partners across the value chain, and to develop and explore new partnerships and opportunities.
