Environment & Safety
Convert heavy oil residue into synthetic fuel
Over the past several decades, oil extractors and refiners have been maximizing the production of easy-to-drill, high-quality light sweet oil, mostly concentrated on the Arabian Peninsula. With “..
HP Editorial Comment: The silent assassin: Corrosion
This month’s special report focuses on corrosion. Often, uncontrolled corrosion undermines the mechanical integrity of process equipment and infrastructure. It is often identified as the root cau..
HP Global: Africa’s drive to a clean fuel regime
The challenges facing Africa’s drive to a clean fuel regime are captured by a success story in South Africa and a heartbreaking tale in Kenya, with both countries striving to achieve low-sulfur (..
HP Petrochemicals: Rail safety becoming key issue for US, Canadian producers
The first five years of the modern shale revolution have been a boon for petrochemical producers throughout North America. While proposed energy exporters must go through lengthy approval processes an..
HP Automation Safety: What are safety engineering ethics?
In many professional engineer (PE) programs, continuing education is required. In some US states, this education includes specific requirements for engineering ethics training. The author recently att..
HP News
Country spotlight: KazakhstanAccording to data from the Kazakhstan Ministry of Oil and Gas, the country’s three oil refineries processed nearly 14.3 million tons (MMt) of crude in 2013. The 2013 ..
HP Innovations
Bitumen blowing unit converts residues to asphaltPoerner Ingenieurgesellschaft’s Biturox oxidation process (Fig. 1) converts suitable feedstock blends to road and industrial asphalt/bitumen. Feed..
Fire halts major Russian polymers operation
Lukoil’s Stavrolen petrochemical plant experienced an explosion and fire in the ethylene plant.
API highlights plan to improve US rail safety
The API group has assembled top experts to develop a comprehensive standard for testing, classification, loading and unloading of crude oil based on the best available science and data.
US safety board seeks more regulation of chemical storage tank areas
At a congressional hearing into the spill at a Freedom Industries site that leaked last month, the US Chemical Safety Board said regulators should limit where such storage facilities are built or operate. Preliminary research suggested a gap in regulations for above-ground storage tanks.
- Industry collaboration brings new insights on corrosion under insulation 7/1
- IMI secures major contract to supply wireless vibration monitoring solution in Omani refinery 7/1
- KBR, ReVentas partner to scale polymer dissolution technology to recycle polyethylene and polypropylene 7/1
- Yara to reallocate capital from abandoned $2.9-B Louisiana Clean Energy complex project 7/1
- Schneider Electric to acquire Cognite in $3.1-B all cash deal 7/1
- BASF and Carlyle complete coating transaction, an enterprise value of €7.7 billion 7/1

