Environment & Safety Gas Processing/LNG Maintenance & Reliability Petrochemicals Process Control Process Optimization Project Management Refining

Corrosion

Reduce costs by following grab sampling best practices

Swagelok: Dixon, M.

Accurate grab sampling practices are necessary to validate the quality of chemical products with precise compositions. Operators must follow proper procedures to avoid compromising the sample. Otherwise, the result may be an inaccurate analysis of their product, leading to quality lapses and potentially costing a facility thousands of dollars in revenue.

Improving ammonia production sustainability

Emerson: Machuca, M.

While approximately 70% of ammonia production is used to make fertilizers, it is also identified as the largest carbon dioxide (CO2)-emitting chemical industry process. This article examines several novel technologies to improve the sustainability of the ammonia production process.

Use advanced thermal insulative coatings to improve safety, maintain access and protect against corrosion

Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine: Wilds, N.  |  Dammen-Brower, E.  |  Daum, J.

Throughout refineries, petrochemical plants and offshore oil and gas platforms, personnel are often required to work near equipment that operates at high temperatures. Protecting those workers from skin-contact burns has typically involved two approaches: implementing physical barriers and covering the hot assets with insulation and cladding. This article details how thermal insulative coatings can be used to improve safety and guard against corrosion.

Refinery/petrochemical makeup water treatment: A general guide for technical personnel—Part 3

Buecker & Associates: Buecker, B.

A very important—and sometimes overlooked—unit operation within hydrocarbon processing facilities is makeup water treatment for steam generators and other processes. Many cases have been documented in which makeup system upsets have led to boiler tube failures that partially or completely shut down unit processes. The three parts of this article (August, September and October 2024) serve as a guide for those employees who may be on a steep learning curve when it comes to makeup system understanding. 

Validate skin temperature in refractory-lined pipes using manual calculation vs. FEA analysis

Black Cat Consulting & Engineering Services W.L.L.: Nelluri, V.

Accurately estimating skin temperature and understanding the impact of refractory lining on thermal performance are crucial aspects of piping system design, operation and maintenance. By recognizing the multifaceted role of refractory lining in enhancing operational efficiency, mitigating risks and extending the lifespan of industrial piping systems, industries can optimize their processes and ensure the reliability and safety of their infrastructure. 

Meet gasoline quality and process safety requirements through new alkylation technologies

Petrobras: Da Silva, M. W.

The catalytic alkylation process is very attractive to countries with high gasoline consumption and a sizable availability of LPG. This process can produce high-octane gasoline with low levels of contaminants, although there are high capital investment and operational costs associated with this technology.  

Case study: Developing mildew-resistant coatings on ethanol tanks

Sherwin-Williams Global Supply Chain: Hair, J.  |  Rook, T.

Scientists from the authors’ company determined how best to combat persistent black mildew on aboveground storage tanks by first using a novel strategy to identify it. This discovery led to the identification of coating formulations with superior capacity to prevent mildew growth. The scientists proved the performance of the coatings by conducting field tests involving painting sample patches onto an ethanol storage tank. 

The effects of cooling water parameters on condenser brass tubes

Tüpraş: Yıldız, D.

This work is focused on the effect of cooling water parameters on admiralty brass tubes. The effect of high free chlorine on the corrosion rate of brass tubes has been investigated by scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) and eddy current test (ECT) methods and the laboratory results of the cooling water were determined and discussed. Also, the tendency of the feed water scaling indices that is LSI, PSI & RSI was calculated. The results show that a dezincification corrosion mechanism was observed due to the high-level free chlorine on the admiralty brass tube.

New research reveals increasing strategic importance of maintenance in oil and gas industry operations

Jotun has published a new report, derived from a survey of over 1,000 senior professionals, showing that 88% of respondents anticipate an increase in maintenance budgets over the next five years and 75% say that the requirement to report on environmental performance has led to increased investment in maintenance.

PPG launches PPG PITT-THERM 909 spray-on insulation coating for oil and gas, infrastructure industries

PPG announced the launch of PPG PITT-THERM® 909 spray-on insulation (SOI) coating. This silicone-based coating is designed for high-heat environments in the oil and gas, chemical, petrochemical and other critical infrastructure industries.