May 2011

Not addressing the root cause of a failure puts resources and employees at risk

Experience does count, especially in achieving success in capital and revamp projects

Case studies investigate methods to conserve high-nickel tubes for fertilizer facilities

An innovative metallurgy solves maintenance issues

Do your research when sending compressor seals out for renovations

New method uses annualized risk to determine RCFA analysis levels

Technology offers problem-free operation along with considerable maintenance savings

New models evaluate the ‘total’ costs in receiving and storing materials for a refinery

Committing several equations to memory can be useful

Several options help minimize operation costs and mitigate unscheduled shutdowns

A critical analysis of shell and tube exchanger systems looks at ‘clean and dirty’ service performance

API 521 standard helps decipher the correct operating pressure for this system

Advanced heat integration and pinch technology reduces energy consumption

Here is a thesis on energy that’s being expounded at the heart of European policy-making these days: Thirty years after peak oil per capita and at the apex of peak globalization, the machines and..

Occasions may arise when deposits form on the internal parts of steam turbines. The accumulation of these deposits may be indicated by a gradual increase in stage pressures over time with no evidence ..

Legionella pneumophila (“legionella”) bacteria cause Legionellosis, a pneumonia-like illness that infects persons with compromised immune systems and can be fatal. These bacteria are common ..

Innovative materials and applications protect critical centrifugal compressors and steam turbines from erosion and corrosion

Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., LP, is advancing a feasibility study to construct a world-scale ethane cracker and ethylene derivatives at one of its existing facilities in the US Gulf Coast region. Th..

Braskem-Idesa, the joint venture between Braskem and Idesa, has taken another important step in developing its Ethylene XXI project in Mexico. The JV has chosen Technip as the technology provider for ..

Uhde has begun construction of what is said to be its first-ever skid-mounted chlor-alkali electrolysis plant in Leuna, Germany. Leuna-Harze GmbH, one of Europe’s leading producers of epoxy resin..

Neste Oil and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) have a partnership concerning very high-viscosity index (VHVI) base oils. Along with the cooperation, 600,000 metric tpy of NEXBASE base oil is expecte..

Fluor Offshore Solutions, a unit of Fluor Corp., has been awarded a front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract by Woodside for the Browse liquefied natural gas (LNG) development. The Browse fiel..

Neste Oil with Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Mr. Teo Chee Hean; Finnish Minister for Ownership Steering, Mr. Jyri Häkämies; and some 200 guests celebrated ..

BASF foam insulating LNG pipes in KoreaBASF’s specialty foam Basotect is now, for the first time, being used to insulate pipes in a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tank terminal in Gwangyang, Korea. ..

Purvin & Gertz recently released its global petroleum market outlook for 2011. The study provides an analysis of global and regional markets for crude oil and refined products within a framework of wo..

Using a small block of aluminum with a tiny groove carved in it (Fig. 1), a team of researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Polytechnic Institute of New York..

As the US ramps up vehicle fuel efficiency standards, new reports from Citi Investment Research, Ceres and longtime independent industry experts conclude that US automakers will be more profitable at ..

The National Petrochemical and Refiners Association (NPRA) gathered in San Antonio, Texas, for its 109th annual meeting in March. Key points of conversation included the ongoing battle with the US Env..

EYESIM Virtual Reality now available on iPhone and iPadFollowing the successful launch of the innovative Virtual Reality training system EYESIM, Invensys Operations Management, a global provider of te..

First safety goggle with reading magnifiers The Uvex Stealth Reader Goggle, reportedly the industry’s first safety goggle with reading magnifiers, is available in five diopter strengths rang..

Enriched intuitive company website Ashland’s newly designed company website is said to have many significant enhancements to make it simpler and more useful for its users. At its core, the site&#..

Advanced technologies offer competitive advantages over traditional methods