Catalytic advances make chemical upgrading a reality for heavy sour feeds

Eric Burnett is president and CEO of Auterra Inc. and has over 35 years of experience in engineering, business development and executive leadership. A graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a tenured executive with three successful companies, Eric has directed a number of early-stage businesses to accelerated growth and profitability in technology licensing and professional services markets. Auterra is his third successful startup, where he has focused the past six years on developing the company’s unique process technology and establishing global strategic partnerships.

Kyle Litz is the chief technology officer of Auterra Inc. He has over 22 years of experience in process chemistry and new materials development. Dr. Litz is the lead co-inventor of the FlexOX catalyst and the FlexUP process, and he is responsible for Auterra’s technology development toward commercial introduction. Dr. Litz has more than 30 issued US patents co-filed in over 30 countries and 12 peer-reviewed publications. He earned his BS degree in chemistry from UT-Dallas and his PhD in chemistry at the University of Michigan. In 2016, he was admitted as a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Gene Schmelzer is acting vice president of engineering at Auterra Inc. and has nearly five decades of experience in the hydrocarbon processing industry. A graduate of Case Western Reserve University, he worked for 39 years for UOP in a variety of technical and managerial positions. Since his retirement from UOP in 2007, he has worked as a technical and management consultant for companies in the US, India, and Europe. His consulting activities included refining and petrochemicals process technologies, as well as biomass conversion to renewable fuels and chemicals.