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Engineering & Design

Top seven causes for lost olefin production

HSB Solomon Associates LLC: Cagnolatti, C. L.

Long-term trends in production losses, showing total loss production measured in seven biennial studies, are discussed in this article to determine if these losses are increasing or decreasing over time.

Use vapor distributors to improve fractionation column performance

Technip Stone & Webster Process Technology: Fewel, K. J.

Vapor distribution has often been neglected in fractionation columns. Although the importance of liquid distribution is well understood and has been a consideration in column design from the early sta..

Bolivia expands petrochemical capability with Bulo Bulo ammonia complex

Contributing Writer: Nogarin, M.

The Bulo Bulo ammonia-urea facility will be Bolivia’s first petrochemical venture. This new facility is expected to produce sufficient urea/ammonia supplies for domestic demand and will provide surplus product for export.

US petrochemical construction boom and refining margins cushion profits

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Blume, Adrienne

Domestic refiners and petrochemical producers will face changing supply and demand conditions, particularly as the sharp decrease in oil prices influences drilling decisions.

How Cr compounds discolor refractory brick walls of an ethylene cracking furnace

Saudi Basic Industries Corp.: Al-Meshari, A.
SABIC Technology Centre: Maity, M.  |  Al-Zahrani, E.

Unusual pink coloration was noticed on the entire refractory brick wall in the radiant section of an ethylene cracking furnace of a petrochemical plant. The problem was investigated by evaluating the ..

Update on the catalytic cracking process—Part 2

One of the prime challenges in the operation of a fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) is keeping the catalyst circulating. Compared to other challenges with FCC operations, correcting erratic catalys..

HP Editorial Comment: Accessing the value of methane and the North American petrochemical revolution

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Romanow, Stephany

The North American (NA) petrochemical industry is experiencing a renaissance of new project announcements and manufacturing expansions. This wave of activity is supported by abundant, low-cost natural gas supplies. In particular, many ethylene projects are under various stages of development.

HP Reliability: The true cost of poor quality

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

Knoxville, Tennessee-based System Improvements, Inc., has been in the forefront of teaching structured root-cause analysis throughout the world. System Improvements, Inc. has used its proprietary soft..

HP Project Management: Inside look at financing biorenewable projects

Nexant: Cascone, R.

Financing biorenewables technology companies and their projects involves a unique set of challenges. The global emergence of biorenewable fuels, chemicals and polymers is driven by public policies, su..

HP Global: India’s fertilizer industry gathering strength

Special Secretary to Government of Kerala, and Chairman, Chemical Engineering Division Board of the Institution of Engineers: Nair, M. P. Sukumaran

The $2-T Indian economy is forecast to have an annual average GDP growth rate of 8%–9% in 2015 under the new government. The main drivers—agriculture and industrial manufacturing—need r..