麻豆传媒

Stefana Ciumpiliac is the Ethylene Oxide (EO) Catalysts Business Manager for the Middle East and India at Shell Catalysts & Technologies. She joined the company in 2012 as an intern pursuing a professional doctorate in engineering at the Eindhoven University of Technology. Since then, she has held roles in both technical and commercial functions at the company.

In this interview on 鈥�How I Make Every Molecule Matter鈥�, Stefana discusses the challenges of working toward energy efficiency and emissions reduction in the Middle East and India, why partnerships and collaboration are the driving force behind growing potential, and how investigating pain points creates better solutions and trust between Shell Catalysts & Technologies and its customers.

1. Please tell us more about your current work and how it supports the energy transition.

I am based in Dubai and my day-to-day work is about supporting customers in the Middle East and India. I am fortunate enough to speak to customers, most of whom are in the refining and petrochemicals space, where there are tremendous opportunities to increase efficiency and aid customers in hitting sustainability targets.

Together with the technical team, we showcase our portfolio of products, services and technologies and how it can help move the needle towards the energy transition. Our open conversations with operators reveal opportunities to help them become more profitable and sustainable.

It is challenging work.

The journey toward energy efficiency and sustainability in the Middle East is in its earlier stages compared to Europe or the US. However, we see increased interest in addressing these topics in our conversations with customers in the Middle East, in both the refinery and petrochemical side of the business. Our team focuses on providing insights on the value that a partnership with Shell Catalysts & Technologies can unlock.

2. What project have you worked on that you found particularly interesting or rewarding? Can you give some details as to why this project was special or unique?

During the COVID pandemic, maintaining business as usual was a challenge. At that time, I was a Technical Service Engineer for hydrotreating catalysts. One activity I found particularly rewarding was my involvement in planning and executing the first remote hydrotreating catalyst loading and start-up support in Europe, which prevented delays, preserved customer value, and strengthened our relationship with the refinery. The tools developed by our team became standardised, improved upon, and used by other groups in subsequent remote activities.

The main challenge we faced was convincing the customer to follow a new, untested approach. This meant understanding and addressing their concerns as well as adapting to their individual preferences. The aim was to help them feel comfortable with taking ownership of critical steps and the risk mitigations. It was vital that the safety standards were not jeopardised with this new approach. New risks also had to be properly evaluated and mitigated. Therefore, we had to develop robust communication protocols and implement a step-by-step procedure to ensure job clarity and a safe and timely unit start-up.

The personalised and proactive 24/7 remote start-up support contributed to the project鈥檚 success. It was truly fulfilling to create and successfully implement this alternative mode of support. We received positive feedback, and this activity likely contributed to the 20% boost in customer satisfaction compared to previous metrics.

What did you learn from that experience and how has it impacted the way in which you work now?

One massive learning for me focused on active listening and proactive communication with the customer. This entails ensuring alignment and understanding their concerns, which in this case were regarding the additional responsibility placed on their shoulders since our experienced team could not physically be on site.

I believe the commitment we showed in spending as much time with the client as needed was key. That鈥檚 critical when dealing with different cultures and people in different countries. It proved to be the right thing to do in that we equipped the customers鈥� team with the knowledge required for remote support. By the end of our collaboration, they were convinced it could work. What helped a lot was that we had met the customer several times prior to this activity which allowed for open communication and a clear understanding of their concerns.

This leads to the secondary learning related to the communication piece, which is creating a team spirit in a virtual world. In this case, it was creating the feeling that we were all pushing for the same outcome, a successful and safe loading and start up. It was not easy, as the communication was solely virtual, in a large group, with a contractor used predominantly to field work and with a language barrier added to the mix. It took perseverance and a willingness from all parties involved to make it work. It creates a true partnership, and this is the power that drives the energy transition forward.

3. Thinking about understanding and addressing customer pain points and then using that information to tailor catalyst solutions, can you give an overview of the process?

We have excellent conversations and ask various questions when talking with potential customers or existing ones. We spend time asking relevant diagnosis-type questions to ensure we understand the issues they face before going into solutions mode. This means listening intently and crafting a realistic picture of the customer鈥檚 pain points and challenges and frequently testing if our understanding is correct. With these insights, we can go to the drawing board to offer solutions that can help improve and close their gaps.

We try to have similar conversations with stakeholders at different levels within the customer鈥檚 organisation. The focus on working with customers and broader stakeholders generates new value by optimising what they do well today and, in parallel, challenging them to reimagine the way they operate to target energy efficiency and lower emissions at stack. Shell Catalysts & Technologies has the right capabilities and knowledge to help unlock significant value from existing and new assets.

4. You鈥檝e used the word 鈥榗ollaboration鈥� and 鈥榩artnerships鈥� multiple times. Can you discuss that practice鈥檚 importance in today鈥檚 world especially when it comes to solving problems?

Collaboration is essential in addressing the massive challenges we and our customers face. No single company or individual can handle these challenges alone. When we collaborate, we can tap into a wide range of expertise and perspectives, leading to more innovative solutions. By leveraging each other鈥檚 strengths, such as diverse resources, capabilities, and technology, we can tackle problems more effectively.

Collaboration sparks creativity, fosters innovation, and enables us to scale our impact. I also believe it promotes collective responsibility, with multiple stakeholders being held accountable for progress. Teamwork, innovation, and collective responsibility are critical to a brighter future.

Discover: Resiliency, innovation and collaboration 鈥� A 2023 energy sector outlook

5. What are the most important pieces of the puzzle when it comes to creating successful partnerships?

If I had to pick one thing, it would be trust. We need to be honest about why we鈥檙e doing this and whether the outcome aligns with everyone鈥檚 expectations. It鈥檚 essential to avoid any hidden agendas. Sure, in some partnerships, one party might benefit more than the other, but if there鈥檚 no trust, the collaboration won鈥檛 go anywhere anyway.

For me, trust is, in a way, like energy. Without it, we just can鈥檛 get to where we aim to be on the exciting ride towards a greener future.

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date with energy transition updates