Columns
HP Reliability: Enhance equipment reliability by applying engineering quality control
Much has been written about design details, operating guidelines, and maintenance procedures that focus on improving the reliability of individual types of equipment or systems. However, to minimize t..
HPInternet: Chemcyclopedia – commercially available chemicals
New and updated for 1998, Chemcyclopedia from the American Chemical Society (ACS) is a real gem of a Web site (http://pubs3.acs.org:8899/chemcy98/). Like any other encyclopedia, it will not make you a..
HP Insight: Wanted: Innovative solutions to common problems
While preparing the 1999 editorial calendar, the HP editorial staff debated over the subjects covered for the magazine's special reports. A contentious argument ensued over loss prevention (LP). Do we..
HPIn SHE: The banane flambée syndrome
Last Saturday, we had several of my wife's colleagues over for dinner and I agreed to cook my famous banane flambée for dessert famous not only for its taste but also for the riot of color..
HPIn Processing: Keep in touch with the basics
Every day, new things arrive. In the process industry, new developments include advanced process control, plant optimization and real-time control. These systems all have their place in improving plan..
HPIn Competitiveness: Measuring plant availability performance
I recently had an occasion to work with a plant availability performance simulation software called MIRIAM. The generated reports were impressive. Their depth and quality underlined to me how much som..
Trends and Resources
HP Innovations: HPInnovations
Self-cleaning heat exchanger Klarex Technology BV (KTBV) and Whitson Sullivan Co. are offering their new self-cleaning heat exchanger technology to the process industries. KTBV has developed a major..
HPInformer: HPInformer, North America edition
Aqua Care Systems, Angola, New York, has formed a metering pump group (MPG) to serve processing industries in the handling of corrosive fluids. Establishing MPG as a subsidiary of Aqua Care Systems,..
HPInformer: HPInformer, International edition
AEA Technology, Harwell, UK, has agreed to acquire EA Systems, Inc., Almeda, California. EA Systems, which markets the PASCE suite of software applications for plant design and lifecycle management in..
New Developments: NEW Developments
Pressure relief valve with flame arrester The new Protege diaphragm-type pressure/ vacuum relief valve provides protection against explosion during processing, storing and product movement of inflam..
HP Construction: HPIn Construction
ABB Lummus Global to build large cracker in Texas ABB Lummus Global has been awarded a lump-sum turnkey contract to build a liquids feed steam cracker by a joint venture of BASF Corp. and FINA Inc. ..
HP In Brief: HPIn Brief
Now that BP and Amoco have united their global operations through an agreed merger, combining the chemicals operations of the two companies creates a business with revenues of $13 billion. This "marri..
HP Impact: HPImpact: Vinyls market: look for price adjustments
Demand for PVC grew 4.6% from 1992 to 1996. The market experienced strong growth in 1996; world demand increased 7.4% as compared to 1995, according to a new study from CMAI, Houston, Texas. Analys..
HP Impact: HPImpact: Naphtha, gasoline demand is forecast
Total global naphtha consumption in 1997 was 666 million tons. About 40% of this was consumed for petrochemical production, either as olefin plant feedstock or reformer feedstock for aromatics product..
HP Impact: HPImpact: Shifts in China's energy development
Recently, the financial strength of Asia-Pacific, including China, has been questioned. Some very important facts, however, cannot be ignored when discussing China's energy future. In a new report, En..
HP Impact: HPImpact: How to improve your progress reports
How do your monthly progress reports measure up? Quality status reporting is really an important positive team reflection. Project management analysts stress that good progress reporting is "a solid w..
HP Impact: HPImpact: API standards to be used in software
The American Petroleum Institute has reached an agreement with Berwanger, Inc. It allows the Houston-based oil, gas and petrochemical consulting firm to use API's engineering standards to create SAP R..
HP Impact: HPImpact: Checklist for helping corporate bottom line
What strategies can you use to positively impact your organization's financial performance? If you are responsible for specification and purchasing, the following suggestions from the National Associa..
HP Impact: HPImpact: World LPG, NGL markets assessed for 1998
The latest LPG outlook from Purvin & Gertz (P&G) assesses key market developments and pricing relationships, and provides a forecast of LPG pricing in major world markets. Highlights from the regional..