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

Petrochemicals

Rinchem announces expansion of infrastructure in South Korea

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Rinchem recently announced the expansion of its chemical distribution center in Pyeongtaek, South Korea.

US ethanol makers steer away from fuel, reach for booze

CHICAGO (Reuters) — A US glut of fuel-grade ethanol has major producers, including Green Plains Inc and industry pioneer Archer Daniels Midland Co, pursuing other markets and idling excess capacity in an effort to rebuild sagging margins.

Israel's Haifa Chemicals says it is closing business

JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Haifa Chemicals said on Wednesday it was closing shop and letting go of its 800 employees after failing to find a reasonable alternative to a large ammonia tank it needs to function which was ordered to be shut down earlier this year.

Identify the cause of liquid maldistribution inside packed beds

Tracerco: Pless, L.

Diagnosing liquid maldistribution problems inside packed beds that can cause mass transfer efficiency loss is a challenge to process engineers.

Carburization inspection robots for radiant tubes inside ethylene cracking furnaces

Rayong Engineering & Plant Service Co. Ltd.: Tiyawongsakul, T.

In an olefins plant, the reliability of ethylene cracking furnaces is one of the deciding factors used to indicate whether or not the plant can be operated at its design productivity.

Does your control valve talk?

Palmela: Almas, A.

Pneumatic operated control valves (POCVs) are consistently the most used control final element for process control across most industries—in some cases, they are also part of the safety instrumented systems (SISs) layer.

Troubleshooting vacuum operation of an inter-after condenser unit in an ethylene plant

Sasol: Wieslaw, T.  |  Nichols, J.
Process Improvement Engineering: Lieberman, N.
Graham Corp.: Johnson, E.

A system of compressors powered by surface condensing steam turbines is inherent in the operation of a typical ethane cracker unit.

Boxscore Construction Analysis: The state of the global downstream construction sector

Gulf Publishing Company: Balboa, B.

In May, Lee Nichols, Editor and Associate Publisher of <i>Hydrocarbon Processing</i> and <i>Gas Processing</i>, presented a detailed, year-to-date trend analysis and review on new and active downstream construction projects around the world.

People

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Rhodes, Mike

Dr. Béla Kelemen has been named President of the European Petroleum Refiners Association for the next 2-yr term.

Global Project Data

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Nichols, Lee

<i>Hydrocarbon Processing’s</i> Construction Boxscore Database is tracking nearly 350 downstream projects with capital expenditures (CAPEX) of $1 B or greater.