Latest & Greatest
Recent Stories From Across Our Global Businesses
For more than a century, KBR has set the standard for excellence across a variety of industries. Today we continue that legacy, while maintaining our culture of Zero Harm. Here are a few of the exciting initiatives, announcements and innovations from across our business units that demonstrate KBR’s expertise, continued growth and commitment to a safer, more sustainable future.
GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS U.S.
KBR Will Be First to Train Private Astronauts at NASA
After seeing Earth from orbit, Apollo 11 astronaut and first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong, said, “It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn’t feel like a giant. I felt very, very small.” Now, everyday citizens, trained by KBR, may get the chance to gaze at Earth from the stars like Armstrong. Through a Space Act Agreement with NASA Johnson Space Center, KBR will be the first — and currently the only — company to provide human spaceflight operation services to commercial companies and train private astronauts in a wide variety of spaceflight tasks. These will include operating onboard International Space Station systems, integrating into the station’s existing crew, performing routine operational tasks, maintaining health and performance, and responding to emergencies. KBR will also provide medical operations and services prior to, during and after spaceflights. “We will train these private astronauts using the same facilities and lessons that NASA’s astronauts use, which will prepare them to live and work on board the space station,” said Stan Schaefer, KBR’s Integrated Mission Operations Contract Program Manager. KBR will provide specialized services leveraging its more than 60 years of experience, which includes supporting every astronaut since 1968. KBR is one of the world’s largest human spaceflight support organizations and currently operates at 11 NASA centers and facilities. As part of this work, KBR executes International Space Station operations, performing 24/7, real-time human spaceflight command and control from the NASA Johnson Space Center Mission Control. Additionally, KBR trains and provides medical support to NASA and space station international partner astronauts, and also supports all planning and execution aspects of mission operations. "KBR has pioneered space travel for more than half a century. We will leverage our domain expertise to assist private astronauts with their human spaceflight activities," said Stuart Bradie, KBR President and CEO. “This historic agreement is a testament to KBR’s long-standing partnership with NASA. We will continue to work together to propel NASA’s mission to fuel a low-Earth orbit economy and advance the future of commercial space.” The agreement directly supports NASA’s plan to open the space station to new commercial and marketing opportunities that will continue the agency’s efforts to enable a sustainable low-Earth orbit economy. KBR will further support NASA’s mission by working as a subcontractor to Axiom Space on the first commercial destination module for the space station. “Opening up the space station to commercial companies and private citizens will spark curiosity in spaceflight among the general public and spur new commercial interest in the unique aspects of low-Earth orbit from marketing and manufacturing to pharmaceuticals and space tourism,” said Schaefer. “KBR and our work training private astronauts will help usher in this new era of space travel and exploration.”
GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS EMEA
Inspiring Future Leaders Through Social Value
KBR is increasingly putting social value at the forefront of project delivery in the U.K. While corporate social responsibility is about doing good in the community separately from the business (volunteering, for example), social value is about delivering a full range of benefits to the communities where we live and work while supporting the agenda of the government and our clients. It allows us to provide social and economic opportunities to a wider range of suppliers so we can create vibrant, healthy, innovative and competitive outcomes, as well as demonstrate additional value. KBR is currently generating social value across many projects. Part of our strategy is promoting vocational skills and hiring from within the areas where we operate. One example is the Programme and Project Partners (PPP) in Cumbria, North West England — a KBR-led collaboration between five companies for the safe decommissioning of the Sellafield Nuclear Site, currently the largest decommissioning project in the U.K. Cumbria has a statistically lower youth employment rate compared to the rest of England. To support the economic growth and sustainability of the community, KBR is investing in training and development opportunities for students through the PPP, including apprenticeship schemes, job interview preparation and résumé-writing courses. “It’s really important that we lead the market by using the breadth and depth of our spend with our supply chains to harness the finest talent from across the public, private and voluntary sectors, and proactively deliver social value to our communities,” said Tim Barber, Head of Advisory in GS EMEA, and Social Value lead. Employer engagements of this type can reduce the chances of a student becoming NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) by an amazing 86%! In the long run, this reduces unemployment while filling gaps in student’s education, providing them with the necessary skills they need to begin their career journey. KBR is committed to our communities and looks forward to working with young minds to create a bright future. Social value is a key focus for KBR and we’re delighted to announce that we will soon be featured in the Social Value UK (SVUK) Newsletter, officially announcing our membership to the organization as a Social Value Pioneer.
Watch the video below to learn more about KBR’s social value strategy.
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ENERGY SOLUTIONS
Family Safety Days: Celebrating our 24/7 Commitment to Safety
KBR’s commitment to Zero Harm goes beyond the boundaries of an office or worksite. It’s a mentality that also extends to our homes and families, 24/7. It was this idea that inspired Jay Ibrahim, President, Energy Solutions, Services, to launch Family Safety Days in 2018. These events bring KBR employees and their families together for a day of games, hands-on activities, and educational demonstrations, all set in a fun and relaxed atmosphere that promotes KBR’s culture of safety and accountability. In February 2020, KBR employees and their families from the Abu Dhabi and Dubai offices gathered for the most recent Family Safety Day. Through games, entertainment, arts and crafts, and activities such as meditation, safety talks, and detailed CPR demonstrations, the event highlighted the importance of living Zero Harm, both at home and at work.
“It was so energizing to be a part of the KBR Family Safety Day in Abu Dhabi and to see the silent heroes — the families and loved ones of our amazing KBR people — gathered in one place for a common cause was so motivating.”
AHMED AL-DADAH, VICE PRESIDENT, ENERGY SOLUTIONS, MIDDLE EAST REGION
Watch this compilation video of all five Family Safety Days.
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“It was so energizing to be a part of the KBR Family Safety Day in Abu Dhabi and to see the silent heroes — the families and loved ones of our amazing KBR people — gathered in one place for a common cause was so motivating,” said Ahmed Al-Dadah, Vice President, Energy Solutions, Middle East Region. “We shared our Zero Harm culture, which is working safely and also living safely with zero impact to people, property and the environment. I would like to thank all who took part — it was truly inspirational.” This was the third year Energy Solutions has celebrated Family Safety Days. The initiative launched in 2018 in Kwidzyn, Poland. Since then there have been celebrations in:
- Baku, Azerbaijan –2018
- Chennai, India – 2019
- Singapore – 2019
“KBR family days have become a part of the fabric of Zero Harm within our organization, a true testimony to one of our core principles of taking safety home with you and exercising safe work practices in an environment in which the only governance is your personal choice,” said Nick Anagnostou, Vice President, Health, Safety, Security and Environment (HSSE). "These celebrations are a true reflection of how each of us is creating a personal relationship with safety.”
TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
Green Ammonia:
Taking Renewable Energy to the Next Level
When you think about renewable energy, ammonia might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But did you know that ammonia has 9X the energy density of lithium-ion batteries and 3X that of compressed hydrogen, making it the most preferred carbon-free energy carrier? Green ammonia offers the flexibility to store energy and help decarbonize the transportation, power, fertilizer and chemical sectors supporting a reliable energy future. What is Green Ammonia? Green ammonia is produced with no greenhouse gas emissions. The sun, air and water provide everything needed to create this versatile source of energy, nutrition and chemical feedstock. Using renewable power, nitrogen is separated from the air, and hydrogen is extracted from water through electrolysis to deliver the pure elements necessary for producing green ammonia. With the increasing availability of renewable energy, green ammonia offers a flexible way to store energy and transport it for use either as energy or feedstock. Benefiting from the well-developed available infrastructure for storage and distribution of ammonia, it has applications in many industries including power, chemical, fertilizers and more. K-GreeN™ – KBR Green Ammonia Technology Backed by 100 years of expertise providing innovative technology solutions and over 50% market share in commercial ammonia synthesis plants, KBR uses K-GreeN™ technology to produce green ammonia as a long-duration energy storage medium. KBR Technology Solutions offers:
- Complete green ammonia plant delivery, from electrolyzer to ammonia
- Low-cost add-on electrolyzer unit for existing ammonia plants with no ASU or synthesis loop required
- Unsurpassed ammonia synthesis plant reliability, with lower energy consumption at lower capital cost (because there is less equipment)
- Various capacities: demonstration units (<200 MTPD), small-size plants (200-600 MTPD) and large-scale plants (600-6,000 MTPD)
- Trouble-free project execution by evaluating:
- Minimum economic turndown capacity - Flexibility in ramp-up/ramp-down - Impact assessment on economical feedstock and product storage requirements
- Proprietary equipment and catalyst
- Life-cycle support through KBR’s Ammonia InSite® plant operations management system and KBR technical services. This offering goes hand in hand with KBR’s overall engagement in the green hydrogen/ammonia developments. KBR is an advisory member of Japan’s Green Ammonia Consortium and KBR Consulting is equally providing advisory services to both companies and governments globally. “Hydrogen produced from water using renewable energy and stored as ammonia is what the world needs today to store carbon-free energy,” said Graham Hoar, KBR Vice President, Technology Solutions. “There is a strong drive from governments in Europe, Australia, Japan and many other countries to decarbonize their economies and hence the desire to exploit this technology in their power, transportation fuel, fertilizer and chemical sectors.”
