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Loss Prevention

Russia's idle oil refining capacity in September seen up 34% vs August

Russia's offline primary oil refining capacity in September is set to jump 34% from August due to technical outages, Ukrainian drone attacks and seasonal maintenance. Offline capacity is seen at 3.87 MMt this month, or 14.5% of Russia's total oil refining capabilities. That is up from 2.95 MMt in August.

Louisiana (U.S.) oil refineries start recovering from Hurricane Francine

Six oil refineries in Louisiana in the path of Hurricane Francine began recovering on Thursday from the storm's passage overnight, companies and sources familiar with operations at the plants said. 

U.S. Gulf Coast LNG export plants, refineries, production facilities brace for Francine

Tropical Storm Francine was intensifying and on track to become a hurricane on Tuesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, prompting Louisiana residents to flee inland and oil and gas companies to shut-in Gulf of Mexico production.

Colombia's diesel price hike leads to trucker strike and unrest

Colombia's decision to reverse a diesel price hike that sparked a strike by truckers could adversely affect public finances, as majority state-owned energy company Ecopetrol said it would begin shutting off some operations amid the unrest.

U.S. EPA extends emergency fuel waiver for Midwest states due to refinery outage

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency extended the emergency waiver for the second time in response to fuel shortages in four Midwest states where the gasoline supply has been impacted by the outage of ExxonMobil's 251,800-bpd refinery in Joliet, Illinois.

AFC leads financing for Africa's largest gas-to-methanol complex

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), the continent’s leading infrastructure solutions provider, is arranging a project development facility to support Africa’s largest gas-to-methanol plant, with the aim of significantly reducing CO2 emissions by offsetting flaring of natural gas and turning it instead into a valuable chemical for solvents, paints, plastics and car parts.

Shell to leverage proprietary structural performance management software for various facilities

Under this agreement, Shell will leverage Akselos’ Structural Performance Management (SPM) software to monitor the structural health of critical assets across the Shell portfolio in near real-time. Akselos’ SPM software will help enable Shell to optimize the lifecycle of critical assets safely and sustainably. 

ADNOC deploys pioneering AI-enabled process optimization technology

Following successful initial operations, ADNOC announced the deployment of an industry leading artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled process optimization technology--Neuron 5--across all ADNOC facilities across thousands of critical pieces of equipment essential for production, including compressors, valves and generators.

Validate skin temperature in refractory-lined pipes using manual calculation vs. FEA analysis

Black Cat Consulting & Engineering Services W.L.L.: Nelluri, V.

Accurately estimating skin temperature and understanding the impact of refractory lining on thermal performance are crucial aspects of piping system design, operation and maintenance. By recognizing the multifaceted role of refractory lining in enhancing operational efficiency, mitigating risks and extending the lifespan of industrial piping systems, industries can optimize their processes and ensure the reliability and safety of their infrastructure. 

Review steam system designs to accelerate chemical industry decarbonization

Bechtel India: Singh, R. B.

Industrial steam systems range from simple systems comprising a low-pressure single steam user to a complex system with multiple pressure levels, multiple generators and multiple users integrated with an onsite cogeneration facility. This article will present the typical CO2 emissions estimates for chemical and petrochemical facilities and describe options available to reduce these emissions through additional heat integration, fuel switching, and the use of heat pumps and electric boilers.