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

Refining

Bechtel to license delayed coking technology at Assiut refinery in Egypt

The new delayed coking unit will be part of the $1.5B refinery modernization program, using Bechtel's proprietary ThruPlus coking technology to upgrade heavy oil into light hydrocarbon liquids.

Take steps to achieve lubrication maintainability

Des-Case Corp.: Barnes, M.

Do not accept that what the OEM delivered, or how the equipment has been configured for the past 30 years, must be maintained into the future. Optimize yourPM program and look for maintainability improvements to ensure that the right work can be performed in the right way and at the right time.

Apply a short-term, high-temperature carbon steel solution to piping systems

Reliance Engineering Group (REG): Tiwari, V.  |  Choudhury, M. G.

Carbon steel (CS) piping and equipment are used extensively in refineries and petrochemical plants, where fluid temperatures vary from moderate to high for various processes.

Lifting of US crude export ban will impact process safety management

North Highland Worldwide Consulting: Molly, K.

Since the Arab oil embargo in the 1970s, the US government has restricted the export of crude oil to curb dependence on crude oil imports.

Use computational fluid dynamic analysis to revamp fired heaters

Furnace Improvements Services Inc.: Garg, A.  |  Chilka, A.

A refinery process fired heater system consists of multiple sub-units, of which the fired heater is the most critical, as it impacts the overall efficiency of the system.

Catalytic coprocessing of used cooking oil with straight-run gasoil in a hydrotreating pilot plant

A promising route to obtain bio-gasoil (bioGO) or hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is the catalytic coprocessing of vegetable oil with diesel oil in a conventional hydrotreating unit.

Editorial Comment: Maintenance spending to jump in 2016 as refiners catch up with turnarounds

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Blume, Adrienne

The number of scheduled refinery turnarounds in North America is anticipated to rise this year after declining sharply in 2015, as refiners delayed maintenance shutdowns to capitalize on abundant quantities of low-priced feedstock.

Automation Strategies: The “big picture” on ExxonMobil’s open system initiative

ARC Advisory Group: Miller, Paul

Several noteworthy presentations were given at ARC's 20th Annual ARC Industry Forum in Orlando, Florida in February.

Engineering Case Histories: Case 90: Precautions when working near equipment

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

Most machines and pressure vessels are designed with safety in mind, but they can release large amounts of energy if not constructed, maintained or operated correctly.

Business Trends: Global petrochemical overview—Part 2

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Nichols, Lee

Part 1 of this series provided an overview on the present state of the petrochemical industry, a breakdown on construction project numbers by region, as well as major trends in Africa, the Middle East and the US. Part 2 examines the landscape in Asia-Pacific, Canada, Europe and Latin America.