July 2020

Archive

Special Focus: The Digital Plant

What if your plant were truly digital?
Martins, F., AVEVA

With the increasing volatility of the oil and gas markets (involving price fluctuations and oil demand uncertainties) and stricter environmental constraints, a new normal for the world is being built right in front of us.

Define operational roles for industrial digital transformation
Cosman, E. C., ARC Advisory Group

The term “industrial transformation” is sometimes used to describe digital transformation in plants, factories, mills and other industrial environments.

Productivity gains through digital turnaround management
Radach, A., DuPont Sustainable Solutions

Turnarounds are regarded as a necessary evil by most of the hydrocarbon processing industry.

How AI can better serve the chemical process industry
Lou, H. H., Gai, H., Lamar University

Years of production have accumulated rich data assets throughout the chemical process industry (CPI).

Ergon Refining: A digital transformation story
Elwart, S., Ergon Refining; Carugo, M., Emerson

A lot of what is written in the business media today about digital transformation—and there is certainly no shortage of it—fails to focus on what digitalization means as a practical process that enables deep, lasting organizational success.

Calculating petroleum quantities in the 21st century
Tanner, L. S., Quorum Software

Over the past 100 yr, a number of technological advances and process improvements have dramatically changed how the oil and gas industry finds, produces and refines petroleum.

Environment and Safety

Improve refinery furnace control with burner management systems and model predictive control

Under the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) definition, a BMS includes the field devices, logic systems and final control elements dedicated to combustion safety and operator assistance in the starting and stopping of fuel preparation and burning equipment.

Process Engineering

Flare system design for a refinery mega-complex—front end and beyond
Chaudhuri, S., Singh, R., Bechtel India

Estimating flare loads for a greenfield facility is often a challenging activity in the front end design phase.

Sustainability

Digitally enabled sustainability in process manufacturing
Krishnan, V., IBM Corp.

Demands for sustainability are pervasive and are mandated, legislated or strongly encouraged in different social, industrial and political segments.

Black swans and gray rhinos: Building future resilience
Morse, P., Aspen Technology

These are extraordinary days as we collectively work to contain the COVID-19 virus.

IMO 2020: Keeping ships at sea while meeting sustainability targets
Müller, K., Clariant

On January 1, new rules for sulfur emissions on marine bunker fuel came into force.

Water Management

Cooling water microbiological control

The authors’ previous article, “Advanced cooling tower water treatment,” published in the June issue of Hydrocarbon Processing, outlined modern chemical treatment methods for scale and corrosion control in cooling towers and associated cooling systems, which are integral components of refineries, petrochemical plants and similar facilities.

Engineering and Construction

U.S. modularization—Keep an eye toward the most economical approach
Rentschler, C., Al Bassami Industries; Shahani, G., ShureLine Construction

Modularization has been discussed extensively as a means to facilitate the construction of significant projects.

Columns

Editorial Comment: A heartfelt thanks
Nichols, Lee, Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Each year, Hydrocarbon Processing hosts events to bring together professionals in the oil and gas industry to share ideas and knowledge on the latest advancements in processing technologies and operations.

Reliability: Finding a maintenance cost optimum
Bloch, Heinz P., Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

An Italian company is among those that design and build industrial machinery for the tissue industry.

Executive Viewpoint: Digital twin—Today’s disruptive technology leader
Micklem, D., Yokogawa Corp. of America

Among numerous emerging technologies in the process industries, the digital twin is the most powerful and disruptive.

Executive Viewpoint: Digital transformation and how it is advancing the processing industries
Herweck, P., Industrial Automation; Dartnell, C., Schneider Electric

Hydrocarbon Processing was pleased to speak with executives Peter Herweck (PH) and Chris Dartnell (CD) of Schneider Electric.

Digital: Restricted site access shines a new light on the benefits of remote operations

It is no secret that the oil and gas sector has eyed the advantages that can be gained from remote operations as it seeks to improve both operational efficiency and safety.

Digital: Data security and privacy: The five questions energy company boards need to ask
Falk, S., Winston & Strawn

Over the past 5 yr, the energy industry has been forced to navigate highly volatile conditions, including unstable economics, increased sustainability concerns and a shortage of experienced leaders to succeed those approaching retirement.

Industry Perspectives: HP reader poll: Free time during work-from-home
Nichols, Lee, Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

In the May issue of Hydrocarbon Processing, the editors proposed a two-part question to gauge how our readers were adjusting to “work-from-home” initiatives put in place due to the COVID-19 virus.

Business Trends: Application of blockchain technology in the petrochemical industry
Ezzat, A. A., Pharos University

The petrochemical industry relies on an extensive supply chain system to bring products and services to competitive markets.

Innovations
Rhodes, Mike, Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Bentley Systems Inc. has opened its ProjectWise 365 cloud service,

People
Rhodes, Mike, Hydrocarbon Processing Staff

Roeland Baan has joined Haldor Topsoe as its new CEO.