Crude oil
Viewpoint: Electric vehicles vs. the perfect battery
It is no surprise that electric vehicles (EVs) are getting a lot more attention, now that carmakers have announced plans to increase production of them.
Africa: Challenges facing harmonized fuel standards in East Africa
East Africa developed coordinated fuel standards as early as January 2015.
Editorial Comment: What is the future role of the process engineer?
During the American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ (AIChE’s) Spring Meeting, held in Orlando, Florida in April, I was honored to sit on a panel discussion with Paul Durand from ExxonMobil and Sanjeev Kapur from Apex PetroConsultants.
Industry Metrics
Reduced refinery output caused by planned and unplanned refinery outages, and record-breaking gasoline export levels and strong diesel inventory drawdowns, drove US margins to a record 3-yr high in April.
Advanced process control of debutanizers makes use of inferential predictions
Following good experience with a generalized cut-point calculation (GCC) inferential package, which models main fractionators with side streams, French energy major Total decided to experiment with a generalized distillation shortcut (GDS) inferential package, which models simpler, two-product distillation columns.
Use an Excel-based method to evaluate performance for the preheat train of a CDU
A rigorous and accurate performance evaluation of existing equipment is a key factor for the success of a plant revamp study.
Use advanced predictive analytics for early detection and warning of column flooding events
In this study, a methodology was implemented to predict crude distillation tower flooding events based on key process variables, including product yields, column pumparound (PA) flowrates, column temperatures and overhead reflux flowrate.
Refining: Winning strategies for oil producers
The prospect of peak oil demand will put pressure on resource-rich national oil companies (NOCs).
Industry Metrics
Atlantic Basin markets strengthened amid the onset of refinery maintenance season, while US support came from higher gasoline demand and gasoline price adjustments from the switch to summer RVP.
Business Trends: Refining margin time series evaluation
Refining margins can be calculated using several different methodologies.
- HIF Global and German eFuel One GmbH sign HoA for e-methanol offtake 2/20
- Venezuela's refineries boost processing to 35% of capacity 2/20
- New Trinidad gas projects could provide necessary feedstock for country's petchem and LNG sectors 2/20
- MK-Polymer delivers ethylene-propylene rubber to JSC Kazenergokabel 2/20
- Mexican authorities shut down 22-m long tunnel used in illegal smuggling of fuel supplies 2/20
- Digital Feature: First-stage ejector nozzle retrofit achieves meaningful performance improvement 2/20
