October 2006

Avoid safety incidents and runaway reactions

Automated technology performs both open-loop and closed-loop testing simultaneously

Online monitoring helps prevent liquid injection and operating in choke

Use Clifftent principles to account for operating limit tradeoffs and risk to substantially improve financial performance

This project resulted in a $12.5 million/yr profit increase and one-month payback

Ignorance of the procedures can be dangerous, while knowing a few basics can prove invaluable

Benefits include device and process health monitoring that enable establishing asset management and predictive maintenance practices

Rigorous simulation methods assist engineers to develop accurate material/ energy balances for hydrotreating operations

Guidelines help engineers select the best tank design for plant applications

For the past 16 years, this monthly column has often dealt with vibration issues. While many of these would best be addressed in the context of data collected and operational experience with a particu..

Designing, operating and maintaining (DOM) an asset is a complex endeavor that consists of multiple distinct but interrelated phases, some of which are performed concurrently while others are done con..

Last year, I said that the next refinery constructions in Europe or the US would only get the go-ahead if they included plans to capture and store CO2. I played it just a bit safe by restricting my pr..

The traditional liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply chain applies a carefully structured and contractually defined system to share risk among all participants. Central to this structure is the long-ter..

The ANSI ISA 94.00.01-2004 (IEC 61511 Mod) standard has a clear statement about personnel competency. It says, "Persons, departments or organizations involved in safety life cycle activities shall be ..

CB&I has a contract with Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC to engineer, procure, fabricate and construct a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal located near Sabine Pass, Texas. Contract value is in ..

Solvay Indupa has approved a $150 million investment to expand and modernize its vinyls production plant at Santo Andre, Brazil. Included in the program is upgrading the plant's electrolysis unit by i..

KBC Process Technology Ltd. has a multi-year contract with Rompetrol Rafinare SA (Rompetrol). The agreement provides for a technical service partnership at the Petromidia refinery over an initial thre..

Foster Wheeler Energy Ltd. and Foster Wheeler (Nigeria) Ltd., in a joint venture with National Engineering & Technical Co. Ltd. (NETCO), have the front-end engineering design (FEED) contract with Chev..

Toyo Engineering Corp. (TOYO) and Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd. (Hyundai) have jointly received a lump-sum contract for the engineering, procurement and construction of a liquid proces..

Dahua Group Ltd. has a licensing agreement with GE Energy to use its gasification technology at a chemical production facility. It will be utilized to expand Dahua Group's plant in Dalian, Liaoning, C..

Motors for potentially explosive atmospheres MarelliMotori offers motors for hazardous areas, synthesis of quality and convenience, and more. Motors are available for low/ medium voltage. They are fe..

  EOR project sited in Alabama The US Department of Energy (DOE) is sharing the costs of a new project that will ..

Results of a recent survey reveal that, while the chemical industry is ranked highest in disaster preparedness among six private sector industries, one in four professionals who are responsible for co..

China aims to reduce the import dependence for ethylene by bringing around 15 naphtha crackers onstream from 2006 to 2010. The eight new crackers under construction total 5.5 million tons/yr (MMtpy) o..

Wireless technology, now the networking backbone in homes and offices worldwide, is about to see widespread adoption where it could have its most "profound impact": on the plant floor and out in the f..

Plastic film demand in the US is forecast to increase 2.6%/yr. This amounts to 15.2 billion pounds in 2010, valued at $12 billion (resin cost only). Total plastic film demand (including resins, additi..

 Fig. 1     High-performance companies are expected to increase their outsourcing of procurement spending to developing ..

A review of energy technologies by the International Energy Agency suggests that innovation will make the decisive difference in creating a sustainable energy future – but only if there is bold a..

With the HPI industry thriving, opportunities along with challenges are confronting owners and contractors during this time of unprecedented capital spending. Mark Albers, president of ExxonMobil Deve..

Approximately $20.7 billion will be spent on new construction projects in Western Canada in 2007, according to market research from Industrial Info Resources (IIR). The capital outlays will go toward ..

Valero's Bill Greehey refinery achieves historic safety milestone. The plant, located in Corpus Christi, Texas, has become the first refinery to have all of its primary contractors certified with OS..

APC survey I am offering comments on the "HPIn Control" editorial dialog between my colleagues Dr. Y. Zak Friedman and Dr. Gregory D. Martin about "Solomon Associates' advanced process control survey"..

Highest pressure rating for screw gas compressors Kobe Steel Ltd. (KOBELCO) has unveiled a series of high-pressure screw gas compressors rated up to 1,500 psig (100 barg) suction/ discharge pressure. ..

Steady-state performance algorithms can be modified to improve accuracy

Robust growth throughout HPI sectors

Controller to benchmark valve performance The ND9000 intelligent valve controller reportedly operates with most control valve actuators, allowing users to benchmark control performance on rotary and l..