Refining
FCC 101: How to estimate product yields cost-effectively and improve operations
The feed to fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) is the most important process variable. FCCU feed has the greatest impact on operating conditions, yield and product quality. A typical FCCU feed consi..
What are the possible impacts on US refineries processing shale oils?
No singular event has had as significant an impact on the quality of refinery feedstocks as the shale revolution. Not only are shale crudes, such as Eagle Ford and Bakken, generally lighter than other..
Maximize precious metals returns from spent process catalysts
What you think you know, what you do not know, and what you should know about precious metal recovery of spent catalysts can impact your refinery’s profitability. Most hydrocarbon, petrochemical ..
Consider new online analyzers to optimize FCC operations
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and near infrared (NIR) process analyzers are highly effective in quantifying physical properties in hydrocarbons, especially where the feedstock, intermediate and final product streams are all interlinked.
HP Editorial Comment: Take a moment and breathe
“Don’t panic” is probably the best advice for the downstream industry regarding oil prices. The upstream fully recognizes the present and short-term conditions for its business.
HP Boxscore Construction Analysis: Will British Columbia build the greenest refineries in the world?
In our latest Boxscore Construction Analysis, we examine proposals by Kitimat Clean and Pacific Future Energy to process bitumen first and then ship those fuels to market.
HP Global: 2015 outlook for oil price and its refining sector implications
What is the oil price outlook for the next 12 months? As of early January, the price of Brent has effectively halved compared to the 2014 summer peak, similar to the price collapse of 2008. However, u..
HP Industry Perspectives: RFS—An endless loop
Renewable fuels remain a huge burden for the global refining industry. Today’s transportation fuels, when used with later-model vehicles, have dramatically reduced tailpipe emissions. With much p..
HP News
Qatar Petroleum and Shell cancel $6.5-B petrochemical project in Qatar Royal Dutch Shell and Qatar Petroleum (QP) have canceled the $6.5-B Al-Karaana petrochemical project in Qatar, which will signifi..
HP Industry Metrics
Mid-January saw the continued decline of monthly average Brent crude oil prices, which fell $17/bbl from November to a monthly average of $62/bbl. The continual price decrease reflects US tight oil pr..
- INEOS Acetyls and Sandpiper Chemicals announce $1.7-B, 1.1-MMtpy low-carbon methanol project in Texas (U.S.) 4/29
- Envision joins AEA Ammonia Certification System pilot to accelerate global clean ammonia trade 4/29
- BASF and Nutrien collaborate on expanding access to low-carbon biofuel markets 4/29
- India proposes rules to allow higher ethanol-blended fuels in vehicles 4/29
- Indian refiners' March crude processing slips 1.8% from a year earlier 4/29
- Sinopec refinery utilization drops, but chemical exports rise due to Iran war 4/29
