Engineering & Design
Case history: Troubleshooting a leaking valve in a hydrogen unit
A Middle East refinery installed a hydrogen plant that was designed to produce 20,000 Nm3/hr of pure hydrogen (H2) to support a diesel hydrotreater. The unit was commissioned in 2006. This H2 plant wa..
Examining the ecological and profitable uses of refinery residues
With prices pressured and stricter environmental legislation being implemented, refineries are being increasingly forced to look at new ways of processing heavy residues.
Innovative modeling of heavy crudes provides competitive advantages
The increase in heavy crude production, together with the diversity of heavy crude characteristics and sources, leads to technical challenges in accurately predicting production and refining process performance.
How are leading organizations implementing operational excellence?
ExxonMobil did not devote four full pages to operational excellence (OE) in its 2012 annual report because they had nothing else to talk about, but rather because they viewed it as one of their five k..
Use information management tools to support best practices and increase reliability
The recently published ISO 55000 series of standards aims to promote best practices in asset management. Other goals of this standard include: achieving tangible benefits through the effective managem..
Case history: Modernization of Russia’s refining industry—Part 2
Russia’s refining industry is set to make major changes to improve profitability and produce cleaner transportation fuels. Such changes will enable the refining industry to export cleaner fuels t..
HP Automation Strategies: Energy management lessons from Europe
ARC Advisory Group research indicates that, by applying appropriate energy management measures, energy-intensive companies can reduce their energy consumption by 30% to 40% over a 15-year timespan. Th..
HP Reliability: Advances in gasket designs making progress
Long service life and maintenance cost avoidance for equipment are of great interest to reliability professionals in the hydrocarbon processing industry. These goals are supported by a renowned gasket..
HP Project Management: What skills will project managers need in the next decade?—Part 2
The role of the PM is evolving as new HPI projects are constructed across the world and enlist engineers and service companies scattered in different countries and regions. As discussed in Part 1, new..
HP Engineering Case Histories: Case 80: Sudden temperature change in a centrifugal compressor
A process upset occurred that caused the gas temperature of a centrifugal compressor to increase from the design condition of Tstart = 300°F to Tinf = 600°F in t = 0.25 hours. Some engineers..
- Transitional Industries and CFEnergia sign feedstock supply contract for $3.3-B Pacifico Mexinol project 2/17
- Neste and World Fuel Services extend partnership, expanding SAF availability at more than 100 airports in Europe 2/17
- U.S. refined product exports by tanker increase to > 6.3 MMbpd in January 2/17
- Japan's oil and gas independence climbs to highest since 2009 2/17
- Dangote signs $400-MM equipment deal with China's XCMG to speed up refinery expansion 2/17
- Former Lukoil-owned ISAB refinery in Sicily exits crisis procedure 2/17
