Economics
HP Reliability: Manage your time constructively
We often view ourselves as very efficient reliability implementers. Yet, as professional engineers, we take action to save time, accomplish more and reduce stress by applying better time-management sk..
HP Integration Strategies: Asset information management improves life cycle benefits for equipment
Traditionally, the various production management and asset management systems in the hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) and other heavy industries resided in silos with separate management, archite..
HP Viewpoint: Consider integral-gear compressors in CO2 services
In 1998, the author began researching suitable technology for compressing 95 MMSCFD of “bone dry” (–100°F dew point) carbon dioxide (CO2) from 16.7 psia to 2,710 psia. The compress..
HP Industry Perspectives: US-based ultra-low-sulfur gasoline rule released
In late March, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the long-awaited ruling for ultra-low-sulfur gasoline, also known as the Tier 3 rule. This proposed rule lowers the sulfur content ..
HP Impact: Global oil flows shift from West to East
By 2020, crude oil trade flows west of Suez will drop by 4.2 MM bpd, while crude flows east of Suez will rise by 4.7 MM bpd (Fig. 1), according to a recently published report from ESAI Energy. The pri..
HP Impact: US demand for corrosion inhibitors to reach $2.5 billion
US demand for corrosion inhibitors is forecast to rise 4.1% per year to $2.5 billion in 2017, with volume demand approaching 1.7 billion pounds (Table 1). Growth will be driven by higher oil and natur..
Shale energy resources driving resurgence for ethylene industry
The abundant supply of North American shale energy resources is proving to be not only a boon for exploration and production (E&P) companies and energy consumers, but it is also changing the profitabi..
North American olefin producers riding the shale gas wave
With the prospect of abundant low-cost ethane, several producers have announced intentions to build new ethylene capacity.
High-pressure polyethylene: Reemergence as a specialty chemical or not?
The analysis results indicate that, while investment capital for new plants favors LLDPE, plant profitability—which is a function of product slate (revenue) and cost—is, in many cases, higher for LDPE plants.
HPI Focus: New vs. debottlenecking projects
As most owners do not have adequately skilled engineering teams to study these scenarios, engaging an experienced, qualified engineering contractor to support the conceptual study is often warranted.
- U.S. labor board judge rules Exxon's Texas refinery union lockout was legal 11/28
- U.S. crude stocks fall, gasoline and distillate inventories rise 11/28
- Maersk could use 15%–20% alternative fuels for its fleet in 2030 11/28
- Germany's BSW pushes to restore Russian oil to Schwedt refinery, seeks regional legitimacy 11/28
- Asia likely to benefit from cheaper Canadian, Mexican oil if Trump imposes tariffs 11/28
- Singapore distillates stocks tick up for fifth week 11/28
