Environment & Safety Gas Processing/LNG Maintenance & Reliability Petrochemicals Process Control Process Optimization Project Management Refining

Environment & Safety

Technical teams inspecting Libya's Zawiya refinery after fire

Technical teams at Libya's Zawiya refinery were carrying out inspections on Monday after a fire broke out in several reservoirs the previous day. Libya's National Oil Corporation declared force majeure on Sunday after reservoirs at the Zawiya refinery were severely damaged due to ongoing clashes between armed groups in its vicinity.

Chevron upgrades Pasadena refinery to increase capacity, feedstock and product flexibility

Chevron U.S.A. has completed a retrofit of its refinery in Pasadena, Texas (U.S.), which is expected to increase product flexibility and expand the processing capacity of lighter crudes by nearly 15% to 125,000 bpd.

Two dead, 9 injured, 4 missing in blast at Eni site near Florence

Two people died, nine were injured and four were missing after an explosion on Monday at a fuel storage facility owned by Italian energy group Eni near Florence, local authorities said.

Digital Feature: A Case Study on achieving visibility into OT cybersecurity policy compliance

This case study details how a U.S.-based Fortune 50 petroleum refiner used PAS Cyber Integrity® to improve OT cybersecurity. By automating asset inventory and vulnerability assessments, the company reduced manual processes, enhanced visibility into cyber risks and improved safety-ultimately saving millions in program costs.

Mexican firefighters extinguish second fire in one week at Pemex refinery

A fire at a refinery belonging to Mexican state oil producer Pemex has been extinguished, the firm and authorities said on Thursday, noting that no one had been reported injured.

How to select the right explosive-certified equipment for hazardous areas

Cygnus: George, D.  |  Jelly, C.  |  Wei, C. J.

When operating in a potentially explosive atmosphere, several crucial aspects must be considered. These include understanding the potential hazards and choosing the correct tools for the identified hazardous areas. The rules and regulations surrounding the use of equipment in hazardous areas are deciphered and explained within this work. 

Safe design and operation of burn pit flare systems

Saudi Aramco: Al-Tijani, A. H.  |  Al-Mubayedh, M.  |  Al-Sanad, A.
Zeeco: Seefeldt, G.

This article will mainly focus on horizontal flare systems and grade-level burn pits. Design considerations, operational challenges and several lessons learned will be discussed. 

Design optimization of an HVAC system in a petrochemical plant’s controls building

CTCI Corp.: Zengjun, Y.

Since petrochemical plant control buildings are usually designed to be blast-resistant without external windows, convection ventilation cannot be carried out, leading to poor air circulation. As a result, there are higher requirements for indoor air quality, and it is necessary to optimize the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system design scheme to improve air quality.

SMR feed effluent hairpin exchanger: Once upon a time—An unusual thermal mix-point failure—Part 2

Suncor Energy Inc.: Gilbert, F.  |  Jacob, O.

This article presents a review of a failure that happened in a hairpin heat exchanger type on the shell side in a H2 (H2) reformer unit.

Use advanced thermal insulative coatings to improve safety, maintain access and protect against corrosion

Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine: Wilds, N.  |  Dammen-Brower, E.  |  Daum, J.

Throughout refineries, petrochemical plants and offshore oil and gas platforms, personnel are often required to work near equipment that operates at high temperatures. Protecting those workers from skin-contact burns has typically involved two approaches: implementing physical barriers and covering the hot assets with insulation and cladding. This article details how thermal insulative coatings can be used to improve safety and guard against corrosion.