August 2023
Special Focus—Plant Safety and Environment
A fire incident in an oil refinery or petrochemical plant can be a very frightening event—the vast flames, the noises, the smells, and the feeling that at any moment, everything might explode.
The use of optical gas imaging (OGI) cameras has benefited the oil and gas industry greatly by improving worker safety and plant efficiency while reducing emissions; however, the technology has yet to gain a similar foothold in the petrochemical industry, despite offering similar advantages.
Accident investigations are to a safety manager as a stethoscope is to a doctor.
Plant Design, Engineering, Construction and Commissioning
Over the last 20 yr–30 yr, manufacturing facilities and project teams have spent significant time and money developing tools to navigate the issues of designing, procuring and building projects.
Carbon Capture/CO2 Mitigation
Energy and chemical companies around the globe obtain value from digitalization across all stages of the asset lifecycle, from design to operations.
Global demand for crude oil, natural gas, coal and other fossil fuels is continuously increasing in various industries and petrochemical plants.
Maintenance and Reliability
A hydrocracker makeup compressor in a refinery in Saudi Arabia failed during operation. Upon internal inspection of the compressor, it was found that the cylinder liner was cracked and needed a replacement (FIG. 1).
Of the condensers in process industries such as refineries and petrochemical facilities, many are flooded-type condensers.
Valve, Pumps and Turbomachinery
Reciprocating compressors receive and deliver gas in discrete slugs (or pulses) as the pistons move back and forth.
In refineries and petrochemical plants, valves and related components often come into contact with process media.
Process Controls, Instrumentation and Automation
When addressing process controls, the immediate interest is to invest in advanced process control (APC) technology without knowing the performance and stability of complex wide primary (PID) control.
There are several reasons to quantify and qualify the material properties of liquids in vessels and pipes.
LNG
Cost reduction has always been an important focus for industrial plants to improve their bottom lines.
At roughly 50 yr old, the liquified natural gas (LNG) industry is a relatively new part of the global energy market.
Plant Turnaround and Project Management
The months leading into an impending turnaround (TAR) have never been an easy time for operations and maintenance personnel.
Columns
One operational aspect that should never be overlooked in the hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) is safety.
In the petrochemical industry, business leaders are continuing to push for new approaches to optimize technology applications without disrupting their operational targets and key performance indicators.
Trends and Resources
Gulf Energy Information’s Global Energy Infrastructure database is tracking nearly 1,050 active projects in the HPI.
Flowserve Corp., a leading provider of flow control products and services for the global infrastructure markets, has released the Flowserve FlowSync™ Bluetooth Actuator App.
- India receives fuel oil cargo in Russian SCF tanker after brief halt 4/26
- Biden administration (U.S.) to release SAF tax credit model 4/26
- Boeing, Wagner advance Australia’s SAF Industry 4/26
- S-Oil expects Q2 refining margins to remain steady then trend upward 4/26
- Vitol to charter supertankers from U.S. to Nigeria's Dangote refinery 4/26
- Refiner Valero beats profit estimates on resilient demand, tight supplies 4/26
