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

Maintenance & Reliability

Reliability: Transform ODR-OPPM into a worthwhile initiative

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

ODR, which stands for operator-driven reliability, has recently morphed into a new arrangement of letters: OPPM.

Codes and Standards: How much fireproofing do we need?

The Augustus Group: Murti, D. G.

This article is the first under the Codes and Standards series. The purpose of this series is to make readers aware of code requirements, the interpretations and the limitations as they stand today, and what engineers can do as an alternative engineering. This series is based on the actual implementation of what is narrated and the satisfactory experiences drawn.

Unipetrol shuts Litvinov refinery for planned work

The Litvinov operations in the Czech Republic were hit by a blast at the steam cracker unit last August, and the plant's refinery has been running at reduced capacity.

Improved corrosion prevention with acid-aided regeneration technology

Shell Global Solutions: Critchfield, J.  |  Valenzuela, D.  |  Brok, T.  |  Klinkenbijl, J.  |  Lee, D.

Enhancing regeneration in amine treating systems has proven beneficial in many applications by improving operations and relieving design limitations via reduced steamrates and/or improved treating performance.

Editorial Comment: Corrosion prevention is a necessary cost

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Blume, Adrienne

Corrosion is a major maintenance and reliability concern because it has the potential to impact not only plant operations and costs, but also the environment and worker health and safety.

Reliability: Avoid pump shaft failures

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

We welcome and thrive on questions from reliability engineers and try to answer some as best we can.

Project Management: Protect operating margins with outsourced asset management

The oil and gas sector is under pressure to maintain operating margins. Although oil prices have stabilized in recent months, they have, nonetheless, fallen dramatically in the last year. This has bee..

Engineering Case Histories: Case 89: Cracking of welds due to weld fatigue

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

Pressure vessels, piping and fabricated structures adhering to recognized welding codes rarely fail in static loading, unless they are damaged or severely overloaded.

Troubleshoot operation of a steam ejector vacuum system

Vacuum Improvement Consulting Engineering: Lieberman, N.
Phillips 66: Cardoso, R.

A crude vacuum unit operating properly generates high gasoil yield vs. low-value vacuum residue.

Improve facility safety by understanding process and personal safety

Fluor: Luna, V. B.

The lack of knowledge and understanding about process safety is still apparent in many industries where hazardous materials are processed and handled.