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

September 2007

Archive

Special Report: Refining Developments

Recover precious metals from spent catalysts
Sabin Metal Corp.: Beirne, K. M.

Here are guidelines for maximizing the reclamation of valuable byproducts to ensure the highest possible return on investment

Biofuels: What is beyond ethanol and biodiesel?
Nexant: Cascone, R.

Emerging technologies to produce gasoline and diesel from renewable biological resources will reshape the agricultural, chemical and refining industries

Consider using integrated hydroprocessing methods for processing clean fuels
Chevron Lummus Global: Dahlberg, A.  |  Mukkherjee, U.
Advanced Refining Technologies: Olsen, C. W.

New catalyst systems fine-tune cracking heavy refractory feeds for FCC and hydrocracking units

New developments in renewable fuels offer more choices
eni S.p.A. Refining and Marketing Division: Faraci, G.  |  Perego, C.
UOP LLC: Gosling, C.  |  Holmgren, J.  |  Marker, T.
UOP A Honeywell Company: Marinangeli, R.

Vegetable oil-based diesel can offer better integration within crude-oil refineries for fuels blending

Improve refinery margins with integrated planning and scheduling systems
Fuji Oil Co.: Ishizuka, I. T.  |  Ueki, O.
AspenTech Japan Co., Ltd.: Okama, U.

Better communication between various refinery departments enables smoother site operations with increased throughput

Oil sands: Vision resource for the energy industry
Ministry of Alberta Employment, Immigration & Industry: Confrotte, E.  |  McGinnis, J.

The Alberta government is working with industry on ways to diversify the markets for increasing oil sands output to include the export of gasoline, diesel and petrochemical products

Is bottomless-barrel refining possible?
Genoil Inc.: Runyan, J.

Future energy demand will involve innovative methods that can upgrade residual products

Fine-tuning coker operating conditions improves downstream process performance
Lummus Technology: Faegh, A. A.  |  Sieli, G.
ABB Lummus Global: Shimoda, S.

Flexible design strategies increase refining profitability

Update: Additives improve green-diesel performance
The Lubrizol Corp.: Taracha, J.

Lessons learned from past winter season provide innovative solutions for ultra-low-sulfur diesel

Engineering Case Histories

Case 40: Troubleshooting gear face damage
Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

A simple analysis can help in determining the root cause of the failure

Piping/Modeling

Modeling two-phase flow in horizontal pipe bends
Iran University of Science and Technology: Ghaemi, A.  |  Kasiri, N.  |  Motamedian, E.

New calculations of pressure loss and predictions of flow pattern in bends

Piping/Reliability

Reliable sealing technologies reduce maintenance demands
Vector International: Robinson, I. S.

The latest connection and sealing options offer zero-leak integrity and minimized maintenance

Process Optimization

Optimize your hydrogen plant operations
CB&I: Coleman, A.  |  Shumake, G.

Proper unit monitoring is necessary to achieve this goal

Integrated techniques for low-cost process debottlenecking
Texas A&M University: Al-Azri, N. A.  |  Al-Thubaiti, M. M.  |  El-Halwagi, M.

Implementing this novel method can save your company money

Refining Developments

Biodiesel: A feedstock quandary
Exponent, Inc.: Saraf, S.  |  Thomas, B.

Life cycle costs will affect feedstock selection for renewable fuels

Columns

HP Control: Controlling the mundane naphtha stabilizer, Part 1
Petrocontrol: Friedman, Y. Z.

Consider the distillation column in Fig. 1. It is called a "stabilizer" and removes LPG from naphtha. Every refinery has at least three of them, and often five or more, one each in every crude unit, r..

HP Reliability: Improvements in floating-ring compressor seals
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

As is so often the case, compressor components undergo design changes as experience accumulates. Over the years, improved floating-ring shaft seals have become key elements in the uptime improvement ..

HP Integration Strategies: Batch standards find their way into nonbatch industries
ARC Advisory Group: Wilkins, M.

Ask a control engineer from the petrochem industry if he/she has heard of the ISA-88 and 95 standards and he/she will likely say "yes," followed by a comment along the lines of "they are the batch sta..

HPIn Europe: On seeking energy 'security'
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Wright, Tim L.

I have to admit that I have problems with the concept of "security of demand." If you build a large, efficient production plant, you'll probably be justified in calling for the market to be able fre..

HPIn LNG: Balance between interchangeability and heating value
Consultant: Mokhatab, S.

Gas interchangeability is a common issue for natural gas (NG) distribution networks. Interchangeability must be addressed in major gas markets in which gas is supplied from many different sources with..

HP Viewpoint: Truths about future energy supplies and the refining industry
Shell Research and Technology: Mesters, C.

<!-- Begin - Site: Hydrocarbon Processing Zone: HP SubscribePromo_100 --><!-- End - Site: Hydrocarbon Processing Zone: HP SubscribePromo_100 -->Oil and gas companies are facing increasing demands fo..

HP Impact: HPImpact: US policy uncertainties cloud refiners' investment decisions
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

Demand for motor fuels in the US has steadily grown over the past 15 years. Motor gasoline and diesel demand alone rose by over 3 million barrels/day (MMbpd), from a combined 8.6 MMbpd to 11.7 MMbpd b..

HP Impact: HPImpact: Near-term refinery balances hinge on operational changes
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

Growth in oil products supply from outside of the refining system will lead to a potential oversupply situation in 2010. So predicts a new downstream report from Wood Mackenzie (www.woodmac.com). Non..

HP Impact: HPImpact: Tips for tackling the talent war
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

The construction industry continues to grow while its workforce declines. According to the US Department of Labor, construction is one of the top industries in terms of projected job growth. The Bure..

HP Impact: HPImpact: German chemicals industry benefits from robust economies
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

In first-half 2007, German chemical companies profited from stable growth in domestic and world markets. This growth has had positive effects on corporate earnings, the labor market and investments. ..

HP Impact: HPImpact: Pressure transmitter market to reach $2.3 billion by 2011
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

Driven by a stronger emphasis on plant asset management (PAM) and safety applications, the worldwide market for pressure transmitters is expected to grow an average 5.2%/yr over the next five years. ..

HP Impact: HPImpact: Energy strategies for confronting rising demand
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

With risks to the supply of reliable, affordable energy escalating, an integrated national strategy is required. So says a major new report by the National Petroleum Council (NPC), a federal advisory ..

HP Impact: HPImpact: New bioenergy research centers to focus on developing real solutions
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Weirauch, Wendy

The US Department of Energy (DOE) plans to invest $375 million in three new bioenergy research centers that will be located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Madison, Wisconsin; and near Berkeley, California. ..

HP Associations: HPIn Associations
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Thinnes, Billy

&#160;Welcome to the debut of the "HPIn Associations" page of Hydrocarbon Processing. Every month, this will be your resource for information on the activities of the advocacy and professional develop..

HP Innovations

Horizontal liquefied natural gas storage tanks Mustang Engineering and Wood Group have been awarded a US patent for their LNG Smart Horizontal Storage Tanks. These full-containment tanks offer an alte..

New Developments

System for corrosive chemical applications The Pyroflex sheet membrane system for corrosive chemical processing applications is said to provide maximum durability and lasting pliability in the demandi..

HP Construction: North America
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Thinnes, Billy

&#160; BASF started up its new alkylethanolamines plant in Geismar, Louisiana. The new plant complements existing amine production facilities at that site that now include 20 different specialty amine..

HP Construction: South America
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Thinnes, Billy

&#160; Aker Kvaerner has completed two offshore sulphate removal units (SRUs) in Brazil. The work was executed by Aker Kvaerner Process Systems. The SRU on Petrobras FPSO P50 has a capacity of 220,000..

HP Construction: Europe
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Thinnes, Billy

&#160; The first commercial Frame 5-2E gas turbine manufactured by GE Oil & Gas was shipped recently for installation at Yara Sluiskil B.V.'s fertilizer plant in The Netherlands. The new 30-megawatt c..

HP Construction: Middle East
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Thinnes, Billy

&#160; Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. has a contract to provide the basic design package for a 900-tpd sulfur recovery unit (SRU) for the Khursaniyah gas plant in Saudi Arabia. The new SRU will recover..

HP Construction: Asia Pacific
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Thinnes, Billy

&#160; Aker Kvaerner has a contract with BP, Associated British Foods Plc (ABF) and DuPont to execute the front-end engineering and design for a planned new bioethanol plant in the UK. Aker Kvaerner's..

HP Construction: Africa
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Thinnes, Billy

&#160; Total has a contract with Sonatrach to build a petrochemical complex in Arzew, Algeria. The project encompasses the construction of an ethane cracker and three product lines. It is expected t..

Free Literature

&#160; Specialty gas and equipment Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc.'s new specialty gas and equipment catalog features gas-handling equipment recommendations for over 90 specialty and electronics pure gases and..

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

&#160; HPI spending marches upward Continued growth for the HPI is expected to lead to increased global spending in 2008. The industry's capital, ma..