ISA announces subject-matter and regulatory experts, and equipment and service suppliers

The symposium, to be held 21-23 May 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, will provide the more than 250 expected attendees with numerous opportunities to meet face to face with leading government officials on current and prospective regulatory requirements and activities, and gain and share best practices and product and service recommendations in air compliance.

Specific topics on this year’s agenda include:
• Environmental/LDAR compliance
• LDAR design and validation
• Consent decree updates
• MACT Cooling Tower Rule
• Low-leak technologies
• Long-term seal ability

The majority of ISA LDAR Symposium registrants are professionals charged with maintaining LDAR compliance and reducing facility air emissions. They include: environmental engineers, air compliance specialists, environmental managers, program administrators, program coordinators, program supervisors, monitoring services contractors, and other vendors who supply products or services to the fugitive emissions community.

“The ISA LDAR Symposium is the event for obtaining critical regulatory updates and forecasts direct from government regulators, and securing the tools and know-how needed to be more proactive in compliance and leak prevention efforts,” says Greg Walton, ISA LDAR Technical Program Chair. “We want to move the industry away from solely detecting and fixing leaks to implementing strategies and solutions that will prevent leaks in the first place, which is necessary to secure permanent reductions in fugitive emissions at facilities.”

In moving toward that objective, this year’s ISA LDAR event features an outstanding lineup of presentations, speaker forums and panel discussions.This year’s feature presenters and presentation topics include:

•David Reeves/ Jose Carlos Veiga, Teadit North America - “A leak-free scenario made possible through a responsive end-user/vendor relationship”
•Donald “Deever” Bradley III, P.E., ERM - “Planning now for future uniform standards”
•George Davet, Chief Engineer, Solon Manufacturing - “How Belleville springs help reduce fugitive emissions”
•Blake Coleman, Emerson Process Management - “Fisher packing solutions for enhanced Leak Detection and Repair programs”
•Mike Hebert, Team Industrial Services - “Solving the LDAR problem: Trust but verify squared”
•Brian K. Whitely, EMSI - “Thinking outside of the junction box”
•Tanya Jackson, Avanti Environmental Inc. - “LDAR programs with low leak standards: No big deal!”
•Ron Frisard, Chesterton Global Learning Services - “Fundamentals of valve packing installation”

All new for 2013 is a regulatory panel discussion on “Perspectives on LDAR Compliance” that involves representatives from a variety of governmental agencies. They include the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Enforcement Investigations Center, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Other invited speakers at the event include:
•Frankie Wood-Black, Ph.D., REM, MBA and Ben Leving, Trihydro Corporation
•Kosta Loukeris, US EPA Region 5
•Kerry Giesse, Sage Environmental
•Ken Garing, US EPA, NEIC
•Jodi Howard, US EPA
•Shane Kling, Environmental Intellect
•Graham “Buzz” Harris, Sage Environmental

Also on hand at the ISA LDAR Symposium will be an assembly of key industry supplier and service company representatives, all demonstrating their latest offerings.

“Our vendor exhibit furnishes an essential, value-added component to the symposium,” emphasizes Walton. “After all, after pinpointing the strategies and steps you need to take, you need to have the tools to help implement them.”

Companies scheduled to exhibit at the symposium include:
• A1 Tags.com
• A.W. Chesterton Company
• AREVA
• Avanti Environmental Inc. (Platinum Evening Reception Champion)
• Dexter Field Services
• EMSI
• EnRUD Resources
• Garlock Sealing Technologies
• Guardian Compliance
• Guideware Systems
• INFICON
• InspectionLogic Corporation
• IPR-EMS
• LDARtools
• Proactive Environmental
• Sage Environmental Consulting
• Shaw E & I, Inc.
• Solon Manufacturing Company
• Summit Inspection Services, Inc. (Silver Coffee Break Champion)
• Teadit North America
• Team Industrial Services
• Trihydro Corporation
• Trinity Consultants

To further illustrate the value of attending the ISA LDAR Symposium, below are a few notable comments submitted by attendees of last year’s conference.

“As a first-time attendee to the Annual ISA Fugitive Emissions LDAR Symposium, I was truly inspired and excited to return to work on Monday with ways to not only better our company, but to be better able to provide innovative ideas to our clients.”
--Tanya Jackson

“The presentations at the 2012 ISA conference in New Orleans inspired our team, sparked our creativity, and provided us with clear, concise and practical ideas on ways to improve our LDAR program.”
--Richard Stelma

“Thanks to ISA for providing an exciting and informative LDAR conference. ISA provides the best opportunity to learn about new issues, share best practices and network with LDAR experts. New Orleans provided a fun and energetic atmosphere. We are looking forward to this year’s event.”
--Kathleen O’Kelley