Double wins for Sime Darby and Petronas at IChemE Malaysia Awards

SIME Darby and Petronas both won two awards at IChemE’s annual Malaysia Awards, held virtually on 17 October.

Sime Darby won the Sustainability and Palm Oil categories for using enzymes to enhance palm oil recovery. IChemE said that the company’s easily adaptable, low cost, and more sustainable process improves palm oil extraction rates as well as increasing revenue.

Petronas Group Research and Technology won the Oil and Gas category for a nanobubble flotation technology that removes oil from water. Meanwhile, Petronas Penapisan won the Process Safety award for creating Chemical Hazard Reactivity and Physical Hazard Compatibility Charts in response to the port warehouse explosion that killed more than 200 people in Lebanon in 2020. The charts were implemented to help ensure adequate controls are taken on site and maintain compliance with regulatory standards.

Khoo Kuan Shiong of UCSI University was awarded the Young Researcher Award for his dedication to high-quality research and his commitment to sustainability. Khoo’s work collecting and cultivating microalgae from the region supports the commercialisation of sustainable feedstock, bioproducts and bioenergy as well as reducing greenhouse gases. He has also developed a safer extraction process for microalgae.

University of Nottingham, Malaysia won the Student Chapter category for a second year running for its diverse programme of activities across eight countries. Universiti Teknologi Petronas’ Interactive Virtual Reality Plant Tour earned it the training and development award.

Viknesh Andiappan, who chairs the IChemE Malaysia Awards judging panel, said: “Many congratulations to all the 2022 IChemE Malaysia Award winners. This year's winners demonstrate chemical engineers' commitment to sustainability, safety and quality of life. Plus, it’s wonderful to see how our academics and student community are actively sharing that passion and pushing forward with new technologies. Our awards recognise the highest standards within the chemical engineering community and all our winners should feel very proud of their achievements. I am thrilled to recognise and celebrate the value that they bring, both to the profession and to society.”

Rafil Elyas, Vice Chair of the IChemE Malaysia Board, said: “I’m delighted to be able to celebrate our community of chemical engineers in IChemE’s centenary year. From the Institution’s inaugural meeting in 1922 in London to more than 30,000 chemical engineers worldwide today, our profession has certainly evolved. I would like to congratulate all the winners for their hard work and commitment to the profession.”

Winners of the IChemE Malaysia Awards will automatically be entered into corresponding categories at the IChemE Global Awards, which will be held in Manchester, UK, on 17 November 2022.