September 2015

The SWAATS process can unload SRU capacity and reduce plugging problems and operating costs in a safer and environmentally-friendly way, especially as refiners find rising amounts of ammonia and SWSG.

Within this “new” economy, automation systems must be capable of delivering new levels of productivity and scalability, while ensuring safety, managing globalizations and addressing new workforce demographics.

Several lessons learned were identified during the refinery project implementations.

Due to the growth in the region’s middle class, Latin America has seen tremendous petroleum products demand growth over the past decade.

Fouling, which is caused mainly by the deposition and accumulation of an undesired layer of solids on a heat transfer surface, is very common in tubular heat exchangers.

Operators have a significant influence on a plant’s reliability.

The hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) has changed significantly with an abundance of available discounted crude oils, a rise in markets served beyond the traditional local or regional demands, and a renewed focus on being both competitive and profitable while complying with ever-changing regulations.

Alberta, Canada oil sands production is projected to reach 3.2 MMbpd by 2020 and to further increase by 2030, to about 5.2 MMbpd.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) proposed Rule 33 CFR Part 328, a regulation intended to redefine and clarify the reach of the EPA’s jurisdi..

The global refining sector has been a bright spot for the oil and gas industry for nearly a year.

In March, Hydrocarbon Processing obtained feedback on its February “Reliability” column.

With few exceptions, control architecture in the process industries has changed little over the past 40 years.

The ISA 84 (IEC 61511) standard on safety instrumented systems (SISs) in the process industries states that assessments and audits are required to determine that functional safety has been achieved and maintained.

The first phase of new refining capacity in the Middle East has already come onstream, with more than 1.1 MMbpcd of incremental capacity in Saudi Arabia (at SATORP and YASREF refineries) and the UAE (..

What is an auger feed screw? Feed screws are used to transport granules and other products by pushing or pulling the product along.

In 2005, the US Congress determined that fuels derived from renewable resources, such as biofuels, will play a major role in ensuring US energy independence.

To satisfy its growing refined fuel demand, Latin America has relied heavily on imports from the US. Major refinery projects have been announced to curb this reliance, but the drop in crude oil prices has limited capacity expansions.

The US product market continued to reflect a surge in domestic gasoline demand, allowing gasoline cracking spreads to hit levels not seen in more than two years.

New valve offers zero leakagePentair Valves and Controls has expanded its Vanessa triple offset valves (TOVs) product line with the launch of the Series 30-RS.

Golnar Motahari Pour has been named to succeed Gerard de Reuver as president of DSM Dyneema.

Even after the recent downturn in oil and natural gas pricing, our analysis shows why downstream E&C companies can depend on a strong backlog to last through the decade.