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Distillation

Business Trends: The state of the global refining sector

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Nichols, Lee

Over the past few years, the world has witnessed significant downstream capacity growth in all sectors of the hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI).

Editorial Comment: Is the refining market oversupplied, or is the capacity needed?

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Nichols, Lee

Over the past two years, the editorial comment in our September issue has focused on the topic of overcapacity in the global refining sector.

Dividing wall column applications in FCC naphtha splitter columns

GTC Technology US, LLC: Bhargava, M.  |  Kalita, R.  |  Gentry, J. C.

Dividing wall column (DWC) technology is becoming more widely accepted throughout the process industries as a means to increase efficiency and reduce capital and energy costs.

Distillates to boost US refiners' bottom line through year-end

NEW YORK (Reuters) — US refiners such as PBF Energy and Valero Energy are heading into the winter season on their best footing in years, as months of surprisingly robust distillate demand has eaten away at stubbornly high inventories and boosted margins.

EIA: Seasonality of US distillate consumption, stock levels declining

Changes in demand trends, trade patterns, and fuel specifications have significantly reduced the role of traditional seasonal factors in driving US distillate markets. Historically, distillate use in the United States was highly seasonal because of its use as a home heating fuel. In recent years, use of distillate as a heating fuel has decreased significantly, while its use as a transport fuel has remained relatively flat.

Identify the cause of liquid maldistribution inside packed beds

Tracerco: Pless, L.

Diagnosing liquid maldistribution problems inside packed beds that can cause mass transfer efficiency loss is a challenge to process engineers.

Viewpoint: The future of India’s refining capacity and the rise of clean fuels

Contributing Writer: Kanwar, R.
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Nichols, Lee

India is emerging as the world’s new oil demand center, with burgeoning consumption providing huge potential for downstream oil and gas growth. With a GDP ranked in the top 10 globally and a large, growing population, India has seen continuous increases in demand for energy in all forms.

Business Trends: Standardized modularization—Drivers, challenges and perspectives in the oil and gas industry

RTS Ltd.: Eftimie, C.

Modularization is an alternative way of performing engineering aimed to reduce the number of interfaces, the total installed cost (TIC) and overall schedule length of a project, while optimizing the return on investment (ROI) and allowing standardization for similar future projects.

Driving innovation in the downstream: IRPC returns to New Delhi

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Adrienne Blume

Gulf Publishing Company and Hydrocarbon Processing are pleased to announce that IRPC 2017 will be held April 18–20 in New Delhi.

Editorial Comment: Corrosion prevention starts at fabrication

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Andrew, Bob

Preventing corrosion begins with the choice of materials and methods used to fabricate the equipment, piping, valves and instruments that will be exposed to varying process conditions and weather. At present, designers and fabricators can select from a multitude of modern materials and methods. Once in service, effective asset integrity programs will use smart condition monitoring and, where needed, a treatment regime to sustain the useful working life of all components. In the Special Focus section of this issue, we provide several articles that illustrate good practices in vessel fabrication, corrosivity analysis and corrosion prevention treatment.