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

Maintenance & Reliability

Minimize engineering errors with competency and proper engineering review

Suncor Energy Inc.: Tharakan, J.

Industry has seen numerous engineering errors during the commissioning phase of projects.

Troubleshooting the repetitive failure and shaft seizure of a hot oil circulation pump

Saudi Aramco: Allah, W. K.  |  Al-Abood, A.  |  Ballard, F.  |  Brashler, K.

The Shaybah NGL recovery plant has a single-stage, double-suction between bearings, radial-split design for hot oil circulation.

Lukoil postpones maintenance of Volgograd refinery unit to 2018

MOSCOW (Reuters) — Russia’s Lukoil has postponed maintenance of hydro-cracking unit at its Volgograd refinery to March or April 2018, three trading industry sources told Reuters on Wednesday.

Reliability: Choices—Treat the symptom or define and eliminate the cause?

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

In an urgent communication, a paper plant customer reported that the mechanical seals in one of its ANSI pumps were moving axially whenever an unexpected process problem caused the normally liquid pumpage to turn into a thick, odorous gel.

Upgrade the ALARP model as a holistic approach to project risk and decision management

University of Salerno: Benintendi, R.  |  De Mare, G.

The ALARP (as low as reasonably practicable) model was developed by the UK Health and Safety Executive to establish and justify risk acceptability limits.

FCC collector tray leaks impact column operation

Valero Energy Corp.: Hanson, D.  |  Brown Burns, J.  |  Teders, M.

In the collective experience of the authors, one of the most troublesome pieces of refinery fractionation equipment is the collector tray.

Wood Group awarded 5-yr maintenance contract for Phillips 66 refinery

HOUSTON — Wood Group has been awarded a 5-yr, multimillion dollar contract by Phillips 66 to provide supplemental maintenance services and support for small capital construction projects and turnarounds to the Sweeny Refinery, approximately 65 mi southwest of Houston.

XOS launches analyzer for testing critical elements in petroleum refineries

ALBANY, N.Y. — XOS has announced the worldwide release of Petra MAX, a new D4294 analyzer with combined analysis of 13 elements from P to Zn. Petra MAX delivers high-precision sulfur analysis in addition to rapid monitoring of critical elements like Ca, Fe, K, Ni, and V at sub-ppm levels.

S.Korea's GS Caltex shuts heavy oil upgrading unit after fire

SEOUL (Reuters) — GS Caltex, South Korea's second-largest oil refinery, said it has shut a heavy oil upgrading unit after a fire mishap on Thursday.

Rosneft's Tuapse plant suspends oil refining from Aug. 7–10

MOSCOW (Reuters) — Unplanned maintenance works have suspended oil refining at the Tuapse refinery, owned by Russia's largest oil company Rosneft, from Aug. 7–10, data released by the Russian Energy Ministry showed on Wednesday.