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

Process Optimization

Variable capacity control technology facilitates efficient operation for reciprocating compressors

Siemens: Sanford, J.

Reciprocating compressors are used extensively in refinery and petrochemical operations to keep feedstocks and products moving through miles of piping.

Improving plant operations with control valve simulations

Emerson Automation Solutions: Novak, L.  |  Youngdahl, R.

In today’s business climate, where project budgets and schedules are under cost and time pressures (and where installed valve applications must perform reliably under increasingly severe conditions), valve simulations are enabling new capabilities.

Design of very-high-flow coefficient centrifugal compressor stages

Elliott Group: Jariwala, V.

Centrifugal compressors are widely used in the oil and gas and petrochemical industries, with more than 15,000 operating in the U.S. alone.

Optimization: Plan before main air blower disaster strikes

Aggreko: Chauvin, J.  |  Fischbach, A.

Weeks before a planned overhaul of its coker unit, a synthetic crude plant’s main air blower for the furnace failed, throwing the engineers’ plans into disarray.

Engineering propylene: Value unlocking with the PDH process

Bechtel India: Qureshi, V.  |  Singh, R.  |  Chate, V.

Propylene is at the core of the petrochemical industry, with the synthesis of its numerous derivatives finding greater application in industries from textile to automobile, cosmetics and beyond. Propylene is also a foundation block/intermediate for numerous chemicals, from isopropanol to polypropylene (a widely used synthetic material) to gasoline octane enhancers.

Advances in the OCC process for propylene production

Sinopec Shanghai Research Institute of Petrochemical Technology: Teng, J.  |  Shi, J.  |  Xie, Z.

Driven by rising demand for polypropylene, cumene, acrylonitrile and other derivatives, increasing global demand is seen for propylene.

Project Management: Efficiently expanding a specialty chemical company

COIM USA: Parmar, A.
ShureLine Construction: Shahani, G.

COIM, a specialty chemical company, decided to expand its production capacity in the U.S. to supplement growing market and economy.

Leveraging modern flow technologies to improve safety in refineries

Emerson: Jha, M.  |  Valentine, J.

The refining industry is facing increased pressures, such as crude oil supply changes, changing product distributions and increasing regulations. These pressure points create a highly competitive market where refiners are looking for options that include digitally transforming operations and adapting new technologies to enhance safety and improve uptime, flexibility and efficiency, while securing their competitive position in a dynamic market. Improving personnel and process safety remains a top focus area for refiners.

Five key innovation concepts to impact frontline engineers in 2020

KBC, a Yokogawa Company: McIntee, A.
Yokogawa Corp. of America: Finnan, K.

Gas processing, liquefaction, oil refining, bulk petrochemicals and chemicals plants represent a large population of frontline engineers and technical managers. Their professional lives will become increasingly impacted by the growing adoption of disruptive digital technologies and digital platforms.

Industry Perspectives: The Main Column—Hydrocarbon Processing's new podcast series

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Nichols, Lee

In December 2019, <i>Hydrocarbon Processing's</i> launched its new podcast series: The Main Column. The podcast series will feature the latest in hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) trends, technology developments, engineering and operations.