Maintenance & Reliability
Unipetrol shuts Litvinov refinery for planned work
The Litvinov operations in the Czech Republic were hit by a blast at the steam cracker unit last August, and the plant's refinery has been running at reduced capacity.
Improved corrosion prevention with acid-aided regeneration technology
Enhancing regeneration in amine treating systems has proven beneficial in many applications by improving operations and relieving design limitations via reduced steamrates and/or improved treating performance.
Editorial Comment: Corrosion prevention is a necessary cost
Corrosion is a major maintenance and reliability concern because it has the potential to impact not only plant operations and costs, but also the environment and worker health and safety.
Reliability: Avoid pump shaft failures
We welcome and thrive on questions from reliability engineers and try to answer some as best we can.
Project Management: Protect operating margins with outsourced asset management
The oil and gas sector is under pressure to maintain operating margins. Although oil prices have stabilized in recent months, they have, nonetheless, fallen dramatically in the last year. This has bee..
Engineering Case Histories: Case 89: Cracking of welds due to weld fatigue
Pressure vessels, piping and fabricated structures adhering to recognized welding codes rarely fail in static loading, unless they are damaged or severely overloaded.
Troubleshoot operation of a steam ejector vacuum system
A crude vacuum unit operating properly generates high gasoil yield vs. low-value vacuum residue.
Improve facility safety by understanding process and personal safety
The lack of knowledge and understanding about process safety is still apparent in many industries where hazardous materials are processed and handled.
Control fouling on preheat trains with a two-stage approach
Fouling in heat exchanger preheat trains is a well-known problem in the refining industry.
Reliability: Interpreting API Standard 618 for reciprocating compressors
A rotating machinery engineer working for an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor in India is often involved in selecting reciprocating compressors for hydrocarbon processing plants.
- ITT to acquire SPX Flow for > $4.77 B, expanding leadership in highly engineered components and adjacent flow technologies 12/5
- MOL Group introduces eco-friendly Bag-in-Box packaging for lubricants 12/5
- Addis Energy secures $8.3 MM to scale its transformative approach to low-cost ammonia production 12/5
- World Fuel Services supplies cruise line with waste-based biofuels 12/5
- Chevron announced $18 B-$19-B CAPEX budget for 2026 12/5
- Russia and India sign deal to build urea plant in Russia 12/5
