Environment & Safety
Petrobras halts output at Getulio Vargas refinery
Brazil's state-controlled oil company Petróleo Brasileiro SA said that output at its Getulio Vargas refinery had been halted, because of storm damage to a cracking unit.
Four injured in fire at Iran petrochemical plant
A fire broke out at Iran's Mobin Petrochemical refinery complex in the southern port of Assaluyeh, leaving four people injured.
Petrobras refinery mishaps hurt Brazil fuel output
Serial failures at a Petrobras refinery have hobbled about 10% of Brazil's crude-processing capacity, raising safety and efficiency concerns at the financially troubled state-led oil company.
Viewpoint: The politicalization of the SEC—A dangerous precedent
The benefits of fossil fuels are undeniable.
Engineering Case Histories: Case 92: The danger of pneumatic testing complacency
With proper safety, planning and implementation, pneumatic testing of piping and vessels has been performed successfully for many years.
Prospective costs of the EPA’s proposed RMP chemical accident prevention requirements
On March 14, 2016, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published proposed revisions to its Risk Management Plan (RMP) facility safety program in the US Federal Register.
Review of the CSB report on the 2010 Tesoro refinery fire
On April 2, 2010, a catastrophic fire occurred within the naphtha hydrotreating unit in the Tesoro refinery in Anacortes, Washington. The final CSB report, including recommendations, was issued in May 2014, more than four years after the incident that resulted in the tragic loss of seven lives. This work critically reviews the CSB analysis of this incident and several of its resulting recommendations.
Design operations-and-maintenance-friendly pressure vessels—Part 2
In Part 1 of this article, the assistance provided by standardizations to gain improved vessel performance—vessel outer diameter (OD), component metallurgies, manways and saddles—was discussed.
Innovations
Petron Bataan Refinery (PBR) is the largest integrated crude oil refinery and petrochemicals complex in the Philippines.
Canada regulator suspends TransCanada pipeline approval hearing
Canada's National Energy Board suspended Montreal hearings on TransCanada Corp.'s proposed Energy East pipeline after protests disrupted the first day of the process.
- Digital Exclusive: Root cause analysis on hydrochloric acid corrosion in a diesel hydrotreater unit 12/16
- Digital Feature: Enabling growth through strategic cost optimization for petrochemical and refining companies 12/16
- Rohm awards NextChem feasibility study for PMMA-polymer chemical recycling plant project 12/16
- Westlake to rationalize certain North American chlorovinyl and styrene assets 12/16
- CMB.TECH invests in Chinese ammonia supply 12/16
- Petrovietnam, BASF cooperate in developing green methanol, pioneering the energy transition 12/16

