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

Natural Gas

Industry Metrics

Atlantic Basin markets strengthened amid the onset of refinery maintenance season, while US support came from higher gasoline demand and gasoline price adjustments from the switch to summer RVP.

Industry Perspectives

Over the past several years, new gas processing/LNG capacity has surged in nearly every region.

Advanced steam system optimization program

TLV International Inc.: Hou, A.  |  Mita, T.

The steam system forms an integral part of the safe, reliable and profitable operation of a process plant. Steam constitutes approximately 30% of the energy used in a typical petroleum refinery.

Industry Metrics

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Rhodes, Mike

US refinery margins showed seasonal y–o–y growth, mainly supported by gasoline and diesel stocks drawdowns due to refinery maintenance.

Business Trends: Asia and Europe join the feedstock evolution with steam crackers

Argus: Morse, P. M.

Steam crackers lay at the heart of petrochemical operations.

Petrochemicals: Ethylene and polyethylene— An outlook to 2022

PCI Wood Mackenzie: Kirby, P.  |  Hussain, A.

The first petrochemical-based production of ethylene occurred nearly a century ago. Since then, the industry has undergone a momentous evolution.

Enhancing refinery profitability with a novel offgas conversion technology

Siluria Technologies: Aronson, A.  |  Zaziski, D.
Wood Group: Carter, D.

The refining industry is challenged every day to optimize product slates that comply with market demand, product specifications, environmental regulations and refining-petrochemical integration, all while remaining profitable.

Energy losses from the radiant firebox wall of pyrolysis furnaces

Braskem S.A.: Bueno, A.  |  Regueira, V.
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro: Leite, L.

The steam cracking unit is highly energy demanding, requiring high-severity pyrolysis furnaces to break the carbon-carbon bonds, as well as high pressure for the purification of its products.

Industry Metrics

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Rhodes, Mike

US refining margins showed slight gains on the top of the barrel as a result of cold weather-related refinery outages, rebounding slightly from the previous month.

Optimize LNG production through contaminant mitigation—Part 2

Pall Corp.: Wines, T. H.
Consultant: Mokhatab, S.
Pall France: Trifilieff, O.

The production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) requires a number of stages to effectively purify the feed gas. These stages are essential to maintain continuous operation and to meet product specifications. Liquid and solid contamination issues are common in many feed gas purification operations and can cause severe problems with equipment fouling, leading to additional expenses in maintenance and equipment repair, reduced production capacity and even unscheduled shutdowns.