Refining
REG expands Illinois biorefinery’s logistics system
REG Danville recently purchased the tank complex at the adjacent Bunge Milling facility for $1.5 million. The tanks are being connected to REG Danville’s existing infrastructure and will increase the biorefinery’s storage capacity for feedstock by at least 950,000 gal and biodiesel by up to 12 million gal.
Couche-Tard acquires Shell’s downstream retail business in Denmark
The transaction between Shell and Couche-Tard has received the appropriate regulatory approvals, and all final closing requirements have been completed.
Bechtel to license delayed coking technology at Assiut refinery in Egypt
The new delayed coking unit will be part of the $1.5B refinery modernization program, using Bechtel's proprietary ThruPlus coking technology to upgrade heavy oil into light hydrocarbon liquids.
Take steps to achieve lubrication maintainability
Do not accept that what the OEM delivered, or how the equipment has been configured for the past 30 years, must be maintained into the future. Optimize yourPM program and look for maintainability improvements to ensure that the right work can be performed in the right way and at the right time.
Apply a short-term, high-temperature carbon steel solution to piping systems
Carbon steel (CS) piping and equipment are used extensively in refineries and petrochemical plants, where fluid temperatures vary from moderate to high for various processes.
Lifting of US crude export ban will impact process safety management
Since the Arab oil embargo in the 1970s, the US government has restricted the export of crude oil to curb dependence on crude oil imports.
Use computational fluid dynamic analysis to revamp fired heaters
A refinery process fired heater system consists of multiple sub-units, of which the fired heater is the most critical, as it impacts the overall efficiency of the system.
Catalytic coprocessing of used cooking oil with straight-run gasoil in a hydrotreating pilot plant
A promising route to obtain bio-gasoil (bioGO) or hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is the catalytic coprocessing of vegetable oil with diesel oil in a conventional hydrotreating unit.
Editorial Comment: Maintenance spending to jump in 2016 as refiners catch up with turnarounds
The number of scheduled refinery turnarounds in North America is anticipated to rise this year after declining sharply in 2015, as refiners delayed maintenance shutdowns to capitalize on abundant quantities of low-priced feedstock.
Automation Strategies: The “big picture” on ExxonMobil’s open system initiative
Several noteworthy presentations were given at ARC's 20th Annual ARC Industry Forum in Orlando, Florida in February.
- U.S. labor board judge rules Exxon's Texas refinery union lockout was legal 11/28
- U.S. crude stocks fall, gasoline and distillate inventories rise 11/28
- Maersk could use 15%–20% alternative fuels for its fleet in 2030 11/28
- Germany's BSW pushes to restore Russian oil to Schwedt refinery, seeks regional legitimacy 11/28
- Asia likely to benefit from cheaper Canadian, Mexican oil if Trump imposes tariffs 11/28
- Singapore distillates stocks tick up for fifth week 11/28
