Maintenance & Reliability
Reliability: Troubleshoot hot bearings in hot pumps
The reliability engineering unit supervisor (REUS) working at a 400-Mbpd refinery wrote that he was greatly concerned about a bearing temperature excursion. He realized that certain rules of thumb had been handed down to his maintenance employees, and that not all of these conveyed the same numbers and guidance.
Buyer beware: Are diamond-coated seal faces the solution to dry running?
A scientific study was undertaken to evaluate the performance, under dry running conditions, of two types of diamond coatings applied to silicon carbide faces of mechanical seals.
Innovations
Power generation and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) specialty rental company, Aggreko Plc., and sulfuric acid alkylation technology licensor, DuPont, have collaborated to provide Aggreko temperature control, including chiller systems, to STRATCO sulfuric acid alkylation customers.
Aramco JV to shut ethane cracker for 21 days
Saudi Arabia's Rabigh Refining and Petrochemical Co. will shut its ethane cracker for 21 days effective from November 14 for maintenance.
Hellenic Petroleum plans Elefsina refinery turnaround in 2Q of 2017
Hellenic Petroleum plans maintenance work at its 100 Mbpd Elefsina refinery in 2Q next year.
ExxonMobil launches Mobil Serv Lubricant Analysis in Middle East oil and gas sector
ExxonMobil has launched Mobil Serv Lubricant Analysis, a next generation used oil analysis service, which replaces ExxonMobil’s Signum Oil Analysis.
China firm seeks state financing for $5.5-B Caribbean oil project
Commodity trader Guangdong Zhenrong Energy Co. is in talks to secure funding for a $5.5-B plan to upgrade a Caribbean oil refinery and build a natural gas terminal, giving China a foothold in a strategic oil hub.
Shell Deer Park, Texas gasoline unit to restart
Royal Dutch Shell’s 285 Mbpd JV Deer Park, Texas, refinery plans to restart the gasoline unit after repairing thin piping found last week at the end of a planned overhaul.
Refining: High-impact challenges in today’s global refining market
To stay competitive and thrive in today’s uncertain and volatile energy market that is characterized by major shifts in supply and demand dynamics, refiners must find ways to increase operational efficiencies, maximize productivity and produce refined products at lower costs.
Reliability: Monitor equipment condition by collecting vibration signatures
With relatively few exceptions, industry guidelines and standards allow an increased understanding of best practices.
- U.S. SAF production forecast to eclipse 50,000 bpd by 2026 7/17
- Pertamina expects Balikpapan's CDU IV to resume later this month 7/17
- Exxon shut Joliet, Illinois, refinery after power outage 7/17
- ExxonMobil introduces Enable™ 1617 performance polyethylene 7/17
- Essar launches hydrogen power plant at Stanlow refinery (U.K.) 7/16
- Trelleborg partners with Airbus on hydrogen-powered air travel 7/16
- Digital Exclusive: SPECIAL FOCUS: Digital Technologies—Utilize process simulation digital twin to optimize condensate yield
- Digital Exclusive-Flare system design: Liquid pockets in flare headers
- Hydrogen-rich content gasoline: A new concept for paraffinic gasoline reformulation
- Alarm rationalization at Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) refineries
