February 2011

Opportunity crudes require more hydrogen addition to upgrade orphan product streams into higher-value ‘clean’ products

Integrating residue hydrocracking operations with advanced fluid catalytic cracking optimizes upgrading of heavy crude oils

Alternatives hold promises to decrease dependence on crude oil, but they also uncover other challenges in distribution and engine use

Many critical factors are involved in the design and welding of hydrocracking reactors

Reevaluate emissions efficiencies on sulfur-removal operations

Tuneable diode laser analyzers offer diagnostic benefits

Follow these guidelines for substantial capital cost savings with existing flare systems

It is not a secret that I prefer to base inferential models on engineering principles, rather than on regression. Having said that, the use of regression is widespread, and being a consultant in the f..

Optimists tell us about steady industry trends toward reliability-imparting procedures and work processes, while realists continually make us aware of pressures to reduce expenditures. As outside obse..

Plant data historians are moving beyond their traditional role as a tool for collecting and archiving data to better understand past plant performance, to becoming a powerful tool that can be used to ..

NPRA wants to be sure that adding greater amounts of ethanol to gasoline is safe and will not cause engine damage

Ethanol infrastructure lackingThe US does not have the infrastructure to meet the federal mandate for renewable fuel use with ethanol but could meet the standard with significant increases in cellulos..

The Dow Chemical Co. plans to increase ethane-cracking capabilities on the US Gulf Coast over the next two to three years, and improve these capabilities by 20%–30% in this timeframe. In addition..

Foster Wheeler AG’s Global Engineering and Construction Group has been awarded a basic engineering design and front-end engineering design (FEED) contract for two grassroots refineries in Brazil ..

Technip has been awarded an engineering, procurement services and construction-management contract by Total to increase hydrocracker capacity at the Normandy refinery located in Gonfreville, France. T..

Technip has been awarded a contract by Sonatrach, the Algerian national oil company, for refurbishment and revamping of the Algiers refinery. This lump-sum turnkey contract, worth approximately $908 m..

Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has awarded a seven-year engineering and maintenance services contract (EMC) to Wood Group–CCC, a joint venture set up to provide operations and maintenance servi..

CB&I has announced that Lummus Technology has been awarded a contract by Liaoning Tongyi Petrochemical Co., Ltd., for the license and engineering design of grassroots olefins-conversion technology (OC..

Despite a poor start, 2010 finished as a “wonderful year” for energy investors, with more than 65% of oil and gas stocks delivering positive returns last year, according to a report from IHS..

A newly engineered yeast strain can simultaneously consume two types of sugar from plants to produce ethanol, researchers report. The sugars are glucose, a six-carbon sugar that is relatively easy to ..

Siemens expands anaerobic- digestion product offeringSiemens Water Technologies has acquired the JetMix hydraulic mixing system from Liquid Dynamics Corp. This proprietary system agitates sludge withi..

High-performance nanoceramic grease  Four-page brochure from Dayton Progress details its new DAYLube high-performance grease. Nanoceramic particles in the grease act as sub-microscopic ball beari..

Ultra-compact Coriolis flowmeter  The Cubemass Coriolis flowmeter is said to be ideal for installing in spraying or coating equipment, engine test stands and process skids. Cubemass measures mass..

Oil sands add complexity to separation units and require a new approach