Americas
HP Control: Process control practice renewal 2010—performance
In August 2010, I followed Allan Kern’s “Continuous Improvement or Core-Competency editorial”1 with a review of the purposes of process control and IT in the HPI. After 50 years, it is ..
HPIn Europe: How German refiners sped up clean fuels rules to save their heating oil business
European refiners are nearing the end of a decade of rapid change—some might say a revolution—in fuel specifications. For road fuels, at least, sulfur levels have gone from being a political..
HP Reliability: Better equipment selection starts with understanding available upgrade options
It all started with a letter we received from a major multinational petrochemical company: A reliability manager related that he had recently asked each maintenance department within the corporation&#..
HP Water Management: Utility water boot camp for process engineers—Part 2
In Part 2, we will address the slowly developing problems in utility water systems. Too often, water-plant problems evolve slowly. Plant personnel fail to detect the non-conformances and failures occu..
API seeks to intervene on the side of the Pentagon in Canadian oil sands case
Citing the need to protect US jobs and America’s energy security, the American Petroleum Institute and two other organizations today filed a petition in federal court asking to intervene on the side of the Pentagon in a case challenging its use of fuels derived from Canadian oil sands crude oil.
Management Controls signs North American licensing agreement
Management Controls, Inc., says that one of the world’s largest refining, chemicals, and oil sands companies has purchased a license for Track, Management Controls’ flagship solution.
Willbros granted an EPC contract with Diamond Shamrock
Willbros Group, Inc. has been selected by Diamond Shamrock Refining Co. to provide engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of the new flare gas recovery facilities at the Valero McKee refinery located in Sunray, Texas.
Baker Hughes, Intertek sign global cargo services alliance
Baker Hughes has formed a strategic alliance with Intertek Group plc to provide cargo treatment additive services to the global petroleum industry.
Valero selling Paulsboro refinery
A subsidiary of Valero Energy Corp. has signed an agreement to sell the ownership of its 185,000 bpd Paulsboro refinery in New Jersey to PBF Holding Co., LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of PBF Energy Co., LLC.
Indorama AlphaPet plant successfully commissioned
In September 2009, Uhde Inventa-Fischer successfully commissioned the first line of Indorama’s latest PET resin plant in Alabama. The second line came online in June 2010.
- Ineos to invest £150 MM at Grangemouth site 12/17
- KBR’s methanol technology selected by Fikrat Al-Tadweer for the first biomethanol plant in Saudi Arabia 12/17
- 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

