Engineering & Design
Consider technology to reduce compressor vibration and noise problems
Industrial centrifugal compressors installed in hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) complexes absorb significant amounts of mechanical power when compressing gases. A small part of the mechanical en..
Achieve successful compressor startup by addressing dry-gas seal failure
A common root cause for compressor failure during first startup is a failure of the dry-gas seal (DGS) system. To avoid failures of gas compressors, the project team and end users must understand the importance and significance of the DGS very early in the basic design phase.
Without reliability, there can be no safety
Reliability and safety are complimentary concepts. For instance, unless process reliability at a plant is extraordinary, safety cannot be assured. Achieving the highest level of safety at a processing..
HP Reliability: Plan now to deal with stressed equipment later
The US Energy Information Administration’s (EIA’s) “Today in Energy” brief evaluated how US refineries are processing record amounts of crude oil (Fig. 1), with Midwest and Gulf Co..
HP Automation Strategies: Control on the wire(less)
Since the industrial revolution, process/industrial control had relied on tightly coupled systems to transmit control signals. Industrial plants have used “modern” control via wired electron..
HP Project Management: German refinery successfully modernizes safety system
In September 2014, the Heide refinery in Germany used two weeks of planned downtime at its pyrolysis plant to migrate to new safety systems. The new system emphasized high plant/equipment availability..
HP Global: State of the US petrochemical/chemical industry
After a promising start, the global economy faltered in 2014 with heightened geopolitical uncertainty; recessions in Brazil, Japan and many European nations; and slowdowns in China, the Euro Area and ..
HP Petrochemicals: Global PE demand growth to drive downstream expansions
According to IHS Chemical, global demand for polyethylene (PE) is expected to increase by more than 25% during the next five years, from approximately 85 million metric tons (metric MMt) in 2014, to m..
HP Boxscore Construction Analysis: Malaysia embarks on ambitious downstream transformation program
Goals include more production at offshore fields, as well as constructing downstream projects in Pengerang, Bintulu and the launch of the world’s first floating LNG vessel.
Motiva halts diesel expansion at top US refinery
“Motiva routinely adjusts our business plans, based on company needs and evolving state and federal regulatory requirements at any given time," a company spokesman said.
- Eberhard Bau signs long-term solar diesel offtake agreement with Synhelion 2/3
- bp's Whiting refinery union workers reject contract extension 2/2
- China's CNPC set to restart Dalian refinery to process Russian oil 2/2
- Dow announces 2029 startup of Phase 1 of its $7.5-B Path2Zero ethylene project 2/2
- ExxonMobil, Chevron see glimmer of Venezuela's potential, especially in refining its crude 2/2
- Nigeria's Dangote refinery expands gas deals with NNPC to secure fuel for expansion programs 2/2
