Americas
Williams starts up expanded US Gulf ethylene site after unexpected delay
The plant was taken down from its final ramp-up procedure after it was determined that a brazed aluminum heat exchanger became plugged, requiring cleaning and maintenance. The unanticipated work is now complete, and the plant was turned back over to operations today to resume start-up.
Sasol picks GE to supply main compression trains on Louisiana PE project
This LDPE plant is a central element of Sasol’s proposed $8.9 billion petrochemical complex, which will include a world-scale ethylene plant and ethylene derivatives plants.
Hydrogen perspectives for 21st century refineries—Part 2
H2 is the lifeblood of 21st century refineries. The application of various technological advancements and core developments has been raising the bar in the design, build, operations and maintenance of H2 facilities.
Case history: Innovative resid-cracking catalyst debottlenecks FCC unit
Tamoil is a major operator in the oil and energy industry with operating refineries in Hamburg, Germany, and Collombey, Switzerland, in addition to distribution networks in Italy, Germany, Switzerland..
Consider the pros and cons when importing heavy oil for cokers
The recent shift to lighter crudes has starved many US heavy oil units of feed. Maximizing asset use makes importing heavy oil for vacuum distillation and delayed coking attractive.
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.
- Digital Exclusive: Root cause analysis on hydrochloric acid corrosion in a diesel hydrotreater unit 12/16
- Digital Feature: Enabling growth through strategic cost optimization for petrochemical and refining companies 12/16
- Rohm awards NextChem feasibility study for PMMA-polymer chemical recycling plant project 12/16
- Westlake to rationalize certain North American chlorovinyl and styrene assets 12/16
- CMB.TECH invests in Chinese ammonia supply 12/16
- Petrovietnam, BASF cooperate in developing green methanol, pioneering the energy transition 12/16
