Process Control
Process engineering, optimization and advanced process control
A recent <i>Hydrocarbon Processing</i> “Industry Perspectives” survey found that process engineering and optimization is the number-one topic that readers want to read about most. Process engineering and optimization rated higher than the next-highest topic (maintenance and reliability) by a factor of 2:1, and higher than every other topic by a factor of at least 4:1. Process control and instrumentation made the top ten list, albeit below process engineering and optimization by a factor of 7:1.
Building industrial networks to serve IIoT and digitalization
Two of the terms growing in popularity over the past few years are “digital native” and “digital immigrant.” Natives are those individuals young enough to have known computers and the internet since childhood. For them, such technologies have always existed. Immigrants, either through age or circumstance, had no exposure until later in life. Hopefully, for them, such technologies are a welcome addition to work and life, but they can remember times when most activities were more manual, local and isolated.
Cybersecurity: Crucial defenses for critical infrastructures
A colleague of mine once suggested to a chemical plant operator that it was a good idea to apply patches to Windows-based supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) servers as soon as they become available every month—after all, a lot of them fix security vulnerabilities.
Associations: Integrated vs. non-integrated safety systems: Does it really matter?
ARC Advisory Group’s 23rd annual Industry Forum included a panel discussion that explored the relative merits of integrated vs. non-integrated safety systems in an increasingly connected world.
Securing industrial systems in a digital world
The development of industrial control systems (ICS) over the past two decades has changed the face of many industries.
Executive Viewpoint: Using low-code digitalization to optimize workflow in the oil and gas industry
For more than a century, customers have relied on companies such as ours to deliver superior end-to-end solutions to transport and transform oil and gas into the products our global economy needs.
Hydrocarbon Processing Awards
<i>Hydrocarbon Processing,</i> the downstream processing sector’s leading technical publication, has announced the finalists for its third annual awards.
Sulfur plant analyzers for refinery sulfur recovery units
Analyzers are a key component of process automation and are usually associated with stereotypes such as high costs, intensive maintenance, complicated installations and operation, and doubtful reliability and accuracy.
Automatic gauging addresses tank farm challenges
Tank farms are often found on the premises of large refineries and petrochemical plants, or nearby.
Industry Perspectives: HP Awards—Honoring the industry’s best
In late June, <i>Hydrocarbon Processing</i> announced the finalists for its third annual awards.
- Ketjen introduces new breakthrough catalyst that mitigates the effects of iron poisoning in FCCUs 8/20
- Sumitomo Chemical achieves scale-up of its process for producing propylene directly from ethanol 8/20
- EcoCortec, Jakob Schober GmbH awarded sustainability award for closed-loop circular films solution 8/20
- Addverb reinvents its factory automation development with Siemens Xcelerator 8/20
- Sanctions-hit Indian refiner Nayara turns to ‘dark fleet’ 8/20
- EIA: Crude and gasoline inventories fall, distillates rise 8/20
