July 2012

While catalysis has made many advances in the last 90 years, the application of new technologies developed in other areas may offer great promise for future breakthroughs.

The technologies needed to shape an industry transformation exist and have been proven on a large scale, the authors say.

The driving force for process safety has been primarily based on catastrophic events.

Future industry innovations may include more integration of tools and information, improved hardware/software access, and the development of new energy resources.

As long as there have been hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) facilities to process crude oil and intermediates, there have been instruments in place to assist plant operators in measuring, recordi..

In the global HPI, changing market dynamics are putting a premium on petrochemical and refining units that can crack ethane.

A review of the energy price shocks of the 1970s and 2000s shows the range and extent to which fundamental and technical factors may influence oil market sentiment.

The relationship between the military and the petroleum industry dates back to the years before World War I (WWI), when the US and British navies started to switch from coal to oil as a fuel source. M..

A closer look at the HPI: 1901 to present

Qatargas hopes to become the world’s premier LNG producer by 2015, seeking innovation, operating excellence, corporate citizenship and environmental responsibility.

The latest expansion project includes an ethane cracker (EU3), two PE and two PP plants, and a low-density PE (LDPE) unit.

Refiners are leveraging hydrocracking to respond to momentum in global dieselization, with crude prices forcing refiners to process distressed crudes and difficult feedstock.

All hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) facilities use machinery, and every one of these machines requires lubrication of some type. Modern, profitability-minded plants thoughtfully manage their lub..

This column has suggested using simple analytical models to troubleshoot equipment. However, in some cases, a more detailed solution may be required. The following case histories examine the heat up o..

Last month, we discussed the need for project engineers to talk to process engineers about the water systems as a capital project takes shape. This month’s column discusses additional ways to bri..

Air Liquide starts up SMR in La Porte, TexasAir Liquide recently celebrated the formal startup of a new steam methane reformer (SMR) in La Porte, Texas. The 120 million scfd of gaseous hydrogen (H2) p..

A new era of energy frugality is taking hold in the US, even as the economy slowly recovers, according to a survey from the Deloitte Center for Energy Solutions.Businesses are forging the way by targe..

Auto repair costs for consumers could rise due to adverse effects of fuel containing 15% ethanol blends (E15), according to new results from a two-year study on engine durability.The study was conduct..

T.D. Williamson (TDW) recently performed its first pipeline interventions in Belgium. The interventions made it possible for two nitrogen pipelines located in the Albert I Canal in Antwerp to be reloc..

Hydrocarbon Processing has covered refining events large and small in its storied history. To provide an illustration of “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” have a look at..

The third annual International Refining and Petrochemical Conference (IRPC) opened its doors in mid-June, bringing record crowds to Milan, Italy, as leading downstream players shared and debated new h..

Air Liquide Large Industries U.S. LP has started up a new steam methane reformer (SMR) in La Porte, Texas, just east of Houston. The 120 million scfd of gaseous hydrogen produced by the SMR will feed ..

Alfa Laval has won an order from a Korean engineering company to supply heat exchangers for a natural gas project in Saudi Arabia. The order value is approximately SEK 80 million, and delivery is sche..

A groundbreaking ceremony has taken place for Evonik’s new hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plant in China. The plant is scheduled to go online, with a production capacity of 230,000 metric tpy, at the e..

Flowmeters and controllers for severe industrial environmentsThe Porter Instrument 3600 series of digital mass flow instruments offers digital control electronics that are said to provide unparalleled..

Interactive guide for oil refineriesMETTLER TOLEDO’s interactive guide for oil refineries gives a comprehensive overview of relevant industry standards, relevant tests and proposed measurement so..

1920s: THE FORMATION OF THE MODERN HPIDuring this period, a new industry was evolving focused on the refining of crude oil into fuels and other products. New demand for crude oil-based products, such ..