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

Loss Prevention

Alternatives to flare gas recovery for sour refinery flare gas

Trimeric Corp.: McIntush, K.  |  Mamrosh, D. L.  |  Jones, R. A.  |  Beitler, C. M.

For many sour gas streams present in a flare header, less expensive options than flare gas recovery may exist. The compressors, liquids management, downstream treating and other systems required for flare gas recovery (FGR) can be expensive to install and/or operate reliably. Some refineries allow the flaring of sweet gases.

Implement proactive asset management techniques

T.A. Cook Consultants Inc.: Natarelli, J.

The drop in crude oil prices since 2014 has impacted both upstream producers and downstream players. Upstream producers—those responsible for exploration, drilling and production—were the first to feel the effects. While refining margins benefitted from the drop in crude oil pricing, they began to suffer when record surpluses of gasoline and diesel flooded the market a year later.

Expand crude diet flexibility through comprehensive oil management

Baker Hughes: Arensdorf, J.  |  Hoffman, G.

One of the primary means for refiners to boost profitability is to improve crude diet flexibility. Many refiners are challenged with increasing their margins while the quality of the global crude oil supply declines.

Enhance reliability of process pumps with lubrication management for antifriction bearings

Indian Oil Corp. Ltd.: Sahoo, T.

Rolling bearings must be adequately lubricated to operate reliably and to prevent direct metal-to-metal contact between rolling elements, raceways, cages and other components. The choice of a suitable lubricant and lubrication method, and controlling contaminants, are important for improving the reliability of the machinery where these bearings are used.

Hybrid technique for electroslag strip cladding of critical process equipment

Lincoln Electric: Chattopadhyay, P.  |  Nateghi, A.

One of the major challenges in the oil and gas processing industry is to strike a balance among handling the changing qualities of petroleum products and byproducts, increasing the productivity and service life of critical components and reducing environmental hazards. As an example, new refineries are moving to applying conversion methods, such as hydrocracking, to increase yields, while also utilizing conventional distillation. This juxtaposition translates into a higher Nelson Index rating. Greater refinery complexity makes processing low-quality crude oil difficult, if not impossible, thereby precluding bottom-of-the-barrel products.

EIA: Planned refinery outages through first half of 2017 not expected to affect availability

The US Energy Information Administration's (EIA) latest analysis of planned refinery outages during the first half of 2017 finds that such outages are not expected to cause a shortfall in the supply of petroleum products including gasoline, jet fuel, and distillate fuel, relative to expected demand, either nationally or within any US region. This result occurs despite the current high level of US gasoline demand, which in 2016 was as high as or higher than in any past year.

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.

Engineering Case Histories: Case 95—How to avoid becoming overwhelmed in a failure situation

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

When you are involved with a major failure and find yourself staring at pieces of debris scattered all over the area, it can be easy to become overwhelmed.

Veracity tapped by US DOE to develop next-gen network security

ALISO VIEJO, CA -- Veracity Industrial Networks, a developer of next-generation Operational Technology (OT) network cybersecurity for the industrial internet, announced that it is part of a three-company team tapped by the US Department of Energy to develop a secure networking solution that reduces cyberattacks against US industrial and utility networks.

Performance testing: The key to successful revamps

Process Improvement Engineering: Lieberman, N.

Process unit revamps often do not result in a refiner achieving its desired objectives. This is typically not the result of mechanical defects with process equipment.