May 2005

Archive

Special Report: Maintenance/Reliability

Maintaining reliable engineered air
Kelley, A., FS-Elliott

Consider these factors to ensure a continuous supply

Achieving industry-best asset optimization
Mitchell, J. S., Meridium, Inc.

Three essential objectives gain the performance level needed to obtain and sustain business success

Instrumentation/Control

Model-based predictive control increases batch reactor production
Cardete, A., Lucio, R., Martinez, R., Munoz, S., Sanz, A., Repsol YPF; Papon, J., Sherpa Engineering; Ruiz, C., Soteica Europe; Ruiz, D., Soteica Visual MESA

Better dynamic control of the temperature in an exothermic chemical reactor allows increasing the injection of reactants

Maintenance and Reliability

Centrifugal pump selection and upgrading for revised operating conditions
Chaware, D. K., Shukla, D. K., Swamy, R. B., Reliance Engineers Associates Ltd.

Consider these options to reduce capital, energy and maintenance costs

Process Safety/Environment

Consider oxygen monitoring systems designed for safety and reliability
Waclzak, T. A., Critical Control and Safety Solutions, Ge Fanuc Automation

Programmable automation controllers can give added performance

Process Technology/Distillation

Improved scrubbing methods control pollutants from FCCUs
Amoroso, A., eni S.p.A. Refining and Marketing Division; Confuorto, N., Belco Technologies Corp.

A major European refiner installed an advanced wet scrubbing unit to reduce SO2 emissions

Optimize process operation with new vacuum distillation methods
Sloley, A. W., CH2M Hill; Kiong NG, W., Kolmetz, K., Lim, Y. T., Senthil, K., Sulzer Chemtech; Zygula, T. M., Nova Chemicals

Advanced fluid dynamics modeling fine-tunes vacuum separations that improve products' qualities and increase unit reliability

Columns

HP Control: Part 1 – What is advanced process control?
Friedman, Y. Z., Petrocontrol

A stream of e-mail that followed my January and February editorials1,2 has convinced me that an advanced process control (APC) tutorial would be beneficial. First, a conceptual discussion: What does..

HP Reliability: Buy from knowledgeable, cooperative pump vendors
Bloch, Heinz P., Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Selecting from among the many pump manufacturers may be tricky. That said, picking the right bidders may well be an important prerequisite for choosing the best pump. Three principal characteristics i..

HP Integration Strategies: Collaboration between IT and operations leverages common technology and enhances performance
Fiske, T., ARC Advisory Group

For years, there has been a schism between IT departments and operations. This divide is a product of the different needs and uses of IT in the business and manufacturing environments, along with the ..

HPIn Europe: Biodiesel new builds and a green superfuel
Wright, Tim L., Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Greenergy will go ahead and build its first biodiesel plant in the Humber Estuary in the UK, near the ConocoPhillips refinery. Greenergy may be a seasoned "early bird" in new fuels, but it certainly w..

HP Innovations: HPInnovations

First seal designed expressly for oil mist applications A US West Coast consulting engineer estimated that over 50% of all US refineries are using oil mist. Oil-mist lubrication is a key part of an ..

New Developments

Comprehensive simulation solution for processing plants The UniSim simulation solution, a family of software and engineering services, claims to improve performance throughout a processing plant's ..

HP Construction: HPIn Construction: North America
Jackson, Kim M., Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Valero Energy Corp. has selected UOP hydroprocessing technologies to produce ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) at its St. Charles, Louisiana, and Houston, Texas, refineries, plus treated FCC feed at the ..

HP Construction: HPIn Construction: South America
Jackson, Kim M., Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) and Axens finalized license agreements for 10 Prime-G+ units to be installed in eight refineries: Cubatão, Duque de Caxias, Araucaria, Betim, Porto Alegre, Pa..

HP Construction: HPIn Construction: Europe
Jackson, Kim M., Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

CB&I has a lump-sum turnkey contract with South Hook LNG Terminal Co. for Phase II of a new liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal to be built near Milford Haven, Wales, UK. Phase II is valued in..

HP Construction: HPIn Construction: Middle East
Jackson, Kim M., Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Qatar Petroleum (QP) and Shell have a heads of agreement (HOA) to develop a large-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) project located in Ras Laffan City, Qatar. The project is called Qatargas 4, and is ..

HP Construction: HPIn Construction: Asia-Pacific
Jackson, Kim M., Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Foster Wheeler (WA) Pty Ltd., a Foster Wheeler Ltd. Subsidiary, in a joint venture with WorleyParsons Services Pty Ltd., has a letter of intent (LOI) from Woodside Energy Ltd. The agreement is for the..

Free Literature

Specialty gas and equipment Catalog from Airgas, Inc., provides details about its specialty gases and equipment. It includes guidelines for specifying, measuring and managing gases for various appl..

HP In Brief: HPIn Brief
Weirauch, Wendy, Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

  LNG spending to surge The LNG business is poised for a ..

HP Impact: HPImpact: Petrochemicals: profile of market recovery
Weirauch, Wendy, Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Despite staggering blows, the global economy has held together and is growing at sustainable rates. Consequently, the industry is in a welcome period of excess capacity absorption. This translates int..

HP Impact: HPImpact: Ethylene industry rebounding from low profitability period
Weirauch, Wendy, Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Global ethylene demand grew over 5% in 2004. Ethylene unit utilization in all regions increased significantly, and prices in all regions were sustained at historically high levels. Profitability impro..

HP Impact: HPImpact: Canadian crude to move increasingly southbound
Weirauch, Wendy, Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Western Canadian crude production has been growing steadily. Incremental Canadian crude production is expected to be predominately the heavy sour crude grades, with a significant contribution from swe..

HP Impact: HPImpact: North American gas, power outlook
Weirauch, Wendy, Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

One of the most important physical changes in the global energy industry over the past decade has been the rapid growth of natural gas markets. This has been primarily driven by gas-fired power genera..

HP Impact: HPImpact: HPI in Asia-Pacific sees shifts in import, export roles
Weirauch, Wendy, Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Asia is clearly the focal point for the future growth of demand in the chemical, fiber and plastics industries. It has a substantial population that is forecast to increase in purchasing power, and a ..

Misc

Understanding microbiologically influenced corrosion

LORAINE A. HUCHLER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR       Comments? Write: editorial@HydrocarbonProcessing.com ..

Simple solutions to flange leakage
Bansal, J. S., Bhattachrya, A., Bechtel India Pvt Ltd.

Understanding the basics helps solve field problems

Calculate hydrocarbon dew point for natural gas

Using this methodology can save costs and time