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

September 2001

Archive

Facility Design

Optimum console design promotes control room efficiency
Brad Adams Walker Architecture, P.C.: Walker, B. A.
Brad Adams Walker Architecture: Smith, K. D.

New features can enhance traditional functionality, reduce operating costs and foster worker safety

Process Technology/Refining

Improve desalter operations
Baker Petrolite Corp.: Kremer, L.
ONDEO Nalco Energy Services, Operations Ltd.: Lessard, R. B.  |  Lindemuth, P. M.  |  Lozynski, M.

Applying a polymeric dispersant, this refiner increased daily throughput by 5% and increased run lengths

Reliability/Training

Improving equipment reliability through e-learning
Bouden International: Aronen, R.
IndustryUptime: Dierssen, G.

It will change the way people work, learn, communicate and solve problems

Valves/Loss Prevention

Reduce process emissions and releases from PRVs
Anderson Greenwood Crosby: Emerson, G. B.

Using best available technology makes this doable

Columns

HP Reliability: Inductive pumps solve difficult lubrication problems
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

Authoritative texts show that traditional static oil sumps, both with or without oil rings, represent nonoptimum means of lubricating rolling element bearings. With sump lubrication, the rolling eleme..

HP Insight: Questions to HP
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Romanow, Stephany

HP editorial receives many requests for information. Often, these inquiries are follow-ups to article subjects from previous issues. Many inquirers seek contact information concerning equipment and se..

HP Water Management: Oxidizing biocides: How about chlorine?
MarTech Systems, Inc.: Huchler, L. A.

Chlorine is the most popular biocide for industrial cooling systems and is typically the most cost effective. Industrial chlorine usage has declined due to concerns about the production of toxic triha..

HP Automation Safety: Partial valve stroke testing
exida LLC: Goble, W.

Some of the new technology in safety instrumented systems includes smart valve positioners that run diagnostics. These devices automatically run a partial valve stroke test of the valves and actuators..

HP Innovations: HPInnovations

Quickly extract ball valves An easy, quick method for unseating and removing a ball valve from a process line has been developed. Using a simple, sliding impact tool, this method shortens labor time, ..

HPInformer: HP Informer, International
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Jackson, Kim M.

ABB Lummus Global has bought a minority interest in Swedish software maker Industrial & Financial Systems AB (IFS). ABB has acquired 3.7% of IFS and 1.8% of the voting rights through a direct share is..

New Developments: New Developments in products, services and software

Industrial automation softwareVersion 6.1 of GENESIS32 suite of SCADA tools includes thefollowing new features: Language-switching support is provided for use in graphical displays, text fields..

HP Construction: HPIn Construction
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Jackson, Kim M.

BASF to expand German plant BASF is expanding its hydroxylamine plant in Ludwingshafen, Germany by 1,300 metric tpy. This will raise total capacity to 7,000 metric tpy (calculated at 50% solution). Th..

HP In Brief: HPIn Brief
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

China's consumption of plastics heats up. The continued high-speed growth of China's national economy has "propped up the domestic market to continuously boost the demand for synthetic resins," accord..

HP Impact: HPImpact: Are depressed natural gas prices here to stay?
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

A.M. SAMSAM BAKHTIARI, NIOC, Tehran, Iran Winter 2000 – 2001 was a watershed for natural gas prices in the U.S. For the first time ever, they came to surpass crude oil prices on a relative Btu-ba..

HP Impact: HPImpact: What's the outlook for global feedstocks?
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

A new analysis from CMAI explores issues surrounding energy and refinery requirements for LPG and the possibility that supplies of propane and butane for petrochemical manufacturers may tighten. Stron..

HP Impact: HPImpact: Three steps to better presentations
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

In a global economy, crisp communication is increasingly important. Often HPI professionals are called upon to share their knowledge and vision at meetings or conferences. here are three tips to help ..

HP Impact: HPImpact: Ensure virtual teams are successful
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

As companies and projects use multinational and multiorganizational partnerships, the need for more efficient communication alternatives is increasing. Since little guidance currently exists to assist..

HP Impact: HPImpact: Update: membrane separation technology
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

A new study from SRI International assesses the variety of applications for membrane separation process technology. During the past decade, significant breakthroughs and incremental improvements have ..

HP Impact: HPImpact: CII supplies education delivery systems
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

To help industry participants determine which education delivery systems will give the best return on investment, at its recent annual conference, the Construction Industry Institute (CII) featured a ..

HP Impact: HPImpact: Importance of SBU member visibility
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

Findings show that the chances of accomplishing vital pre-project planning interaction between project team members "drop off dramatically as the project's visibility to executive management diminishe..

HP Impact: HPImpact: Natural gas markets forecast to 2005
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

Deregulation and restructuring of the natural gas industry in many countries worldwide has led to the development of new markets. These new markets have "changed dramatically how the industry operates..

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor

Minimize NOx I read with interest "Minimize NOx emissions cost-effectively" (June 2001), and there are a few points I would like to make on the subject. NOx is going to be an important issue for the f..

Misc

California Energy Commission MTBE Study

Bill Crowley, Contributing Editor       Comments? Write: editorial@HydrocarbonProcessing.com Last month we looked at gasoline prices. This month we will look ..

HP Informer, Domestic

Kim M. Jackson, Process Editor       Comments? Write: KJ@HydrocarbonProcessing.com Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Lehigh, Pennsylvania, has been selected to su..

Asset management driving control spending
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Kane, L.

Comparing our '99 Advanced Control and Information Systems Handbook with this edition shows some interesting trends. Growth in "information systems" projects has been substantially greater than in mor..

Free Literature

Automation and control solutionsNew brochure from Mustang Engineering Inc.'s Automation and Control group identifies its qualifications as an independent provider of technology services. Company has k..

Consider genetic algorithms to optimize batch distillation

Alternative simulation tool calculates best reflux conditions to separate binary mixtures