Refining
Executive Viewpoint: Succeeding against cyber attacks
No doubt exists that the added connectivity that modern control and automation systems deliver offers a myriad of benefits. By embedding computing within the process and utilizing edge and cloud technologies, it can provide greater visibility. It creates a digital thread for the plant and allows both equipment and the processes to be analyzed, as well as giving prescriptive advice.
Optimization: Steam methane reformer vs. electrolysis technology
Hydrogen market demand is forecast to expand. Bulk petrochemicals, ammonia, methanol and gasoline refining consume nearly two-thirds of global hydrogen demand.
Reliability: When slow-rolling machines can cause failures, and how to avoid them
All the book learning in the world will fail if we do not use common sense. We could also say that we need to think things through and should recognize that intuitive logic can lead us astray. If that sounds like semantic banter, let us zero in on three practical field examples that illustrate the issues at hand.
Refinery residue and bitumen upgrading: Gasification
Gasifiers take the bottom of the crude barrel and move the residue into the C1 value chain. Refiners have had a variable record of running gasifiers for a time and then shutting them down. Reasons for this include inexperience with gasifier operations, lack of knowledge on how to extract profits from the C1 value chain and market difficulties in catering to clients operating in different business environments.
HP Top Project Awards
The editors of <i>Hydrocarbon Processing</i> have identified nine projects that are anticipated to significantly impact the global or regional downstream industries. The winners and nominees of the HP Top Project awards will have a considerable impact on the HPI, whether through CAPEX, satisfying domestic or regional demand, diversifying product offerings, or adding to the resurgence in refining and/or petrochemical processing capacity.
How changes to functional safety standards can optimize fire and gas detection
ANSI/ISA-84 is one of the most influential standards in functional safety and has been a driver for instrumented process safety improvements over the last 20 yr. It is a comprehensive norm covering a wide range of aspects related to functional safety in process industries, including the entire life cycle of designing, implementing and operating safety systems.
Rethink fired heater design for emissions
As environmental regulations are becoming more stringent on reduced nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide emissions, burner designs are changing to meet revised regulations. The heater design must complement the chosen burner for optimal performance. Although design duty is considered to be the main focus of the heater design, the range of heater operation and its impact on heater safety and emissions needs are often neglected.
Surviving turbulent times requires deep management changes
The Stone Age did not end due to a stone shortage. The Conventional Oil Age was not eclipsed by vanishing traditional oil and gas resources. The Shale Revolution unleashed an era of abundant, new unconventional oil and gas supplies.
Inspection: Best practices for inspecting guyed structures
Guyed structures are common in petrochemicals, oil and gas and chemical industries. Half of the installed flare structures at many facilities are guyed. Various routine inspection programs are in place to examine these structures. This work describes some very basic checks, which should be in place to maintain their mechanical integrity.
Digital Technology: Cut oil and gas lifecycle costs with intelligent packaged power
Oil and gas companies have realized big cost savings over the years by having suppliers source all elements of the electrical control system in a fully integrated package. However, this methodology fell short of delivering the kind of insights and efficiencies that companies expect and require in oil and gas operations today.
- Methanex and Entropy partner to reduce emissions in methanol production 7/18
- Gulf Energy Information appoints Catherine Watkins as Chief Commercial Officer to drive market expansion (1) 7/18
- Abraxas Power awards McDermott ECI contract for Canada's first green ammonia plant 7/18
- ClearSign Technologies to install 26 burners at U.S. Gulf Coast chemical facility 7/18
- CF Industries, POET to demonstrate use of low-carbon ammonia fertilizer to reduce carbon intensity of corn production and ethanol 7/18
- Renewi, Freepoint Eco-Systems to build waste plastic sorting and treatment infrastructure 7/18
- 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
