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

Loss Prevention

Analyze the startup vibration of hot pumps to prevent trips

Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Co. (TAKREER): Thomas, J.

Online monitoring and diagnostic systems are used by petrochemical plants and refineries worldwide for their critical machinery monitoring capabilities.

Modified revamp process to reduce energy use in an SDA unit

CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum: Kumar, S.  |  Nanoti, S. M.  |  Garg, M. O.
Chennai Petroleum Corp. Ltd.: Amutha, R.  |  Nandagopalu, N. V. N.

Solvent deasphalting (SDA) is emerging as a low-cost, bottom-of-the-barrel upgrading process to recover valuable oil from short residue. This oil can either be further processed to make lube-oil-based stocks or cracked in secondary processing units.

Innovations

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Andrew, Bob

Siemens has been working closely with the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) on a cyber security project.

Industry Perspectives: The digitalization of the downstream industry

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Nichols, Lee

The digitalization of the hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) is in full swing. Numerous companies have created, and are optimizing, digital technologies to improve plant operations, increase energy efficiency and lower costs.

Digital: Transitioning from the spreadsheet to the Cloud

GE Digital: Renick, J.

The Industrial Internet of Things is expected to create a $225-B market by 2020, opening new opportunities for industrial organizations related to data and asset management.

California safety, health board approves new hazard regulations for refineries

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Department of Industrial Relations' (DIR) Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board approved a regulation to strengthen workplace safety and health at oil refineries across the state. The new regulation provides a framework for anticipating, preventing and responding to hazards at refineries.

Equipment critical analysis: The need for an effective maintenance program

Toyo Engineering Canada Ltd.: Zardynezhad, S.

Oil refineries and large petrochemical plants contain thousands of pieces of process and utilities equipment that are subject to wear, erosion, deterioration, aging, etc., resulting in increasing breakdowns and outages. Imagine being a maintenance engineer and receiving 50 work orders during an overhaul with a limited budget, time, labor, spare parts, tools, machines, etc. How does that engineer prioritize the work?

Business Trends: Human reliability—a disruptive innovation

Small Hammer Inc.: Snider, B.

Annual bottom-line losses due to equipment failures total more than $100 MM at major refineries and petrochemical complexes. Corporate executives charge plant personnel with improving the reliability of the facility.

Editorial Comment: Maintenance—a value-added expense

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Nichols, Lee

This issue of <i>Hydrocarbon Processing</i> tackles one of the most integral aspects of the downstream industry (or any industry, for that matter): maintenance and reliability. These two terms go hand-in-hand and help to ensure efficient and safe operations.

Installation of liquid sulfur degassing processes in existing SRUs

Jacobs Comprimo Sulfur Solutions: Van Grinsven, R.  |  Van Son, M.

Over the last 35 yr, more companies worldwide have installed liquid sulfur degassing processes in their sulfur recovery units (SRUs) to minimize the dangers of the release of hydrogen sulfide from the produced elemental sulfur.