Safety
Address inlet pressure loss concerns with restricted lift relief devices
For the past 30 years, standard-sized relief devices have been sized such that it is difficult to meet the installation criteria in American Petroleum Institute (API) standard (STD) 520. This problem ..
Reciprocating compressors running together—Is that a problem?
A new maintenance engineer is assigned the task of overseeing large, critical rotating equipment in a petrochemical facility (Fig. 1). In this example, the facility has vent-gas compressors that, in g..
HP Editorial Comment: The silent assassin: Corrosion
This month’s special report focuses on corrosion. Often, uncontrolled corrosion undermines the mechanical integrity of process equipment and infrastructure. It is often identified as the root cau..
HP Petrochemicals: Rail safety becoming key issue for US, Canadian producers
The first five years of the modern shale revolution have been a boon for petrochemical producers throughout North America. While proposed energy exporters must go through lengthy approval processes an..
HP Viewpoint: Sound energy policy needed to support 21st century economy
The shale energy revolution has overturned every assumption we once held about the US long-term energy outlook. Thanks to technological advances in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, we hav..
HP Automation Safety: What are safety engineering ethics?
In many professional engineer (PE) programs, continuing education is required. In some US states, this education includes specific requirements for engineering ethics training. The author recently att..
HP Industry Perspectives: The best modern-day inventions according to chemical engineers
The best inventions are often influenced by an individual’s background, job, education and so forth. So what are the top 10 inventions according to chemical engineers? The Institution of Chemical..
HP News
Country spotlight: KazakhstanAccording to data from the Kazakhstan Ministry of Oil and Gas, the country’s three oil refineries processed nearly 14.3 million tons (MMt) of crude in 2013. The 2013 ..
HP Innovations
Bitumen blowing unit converts residues to asphaltPoerner Ingenieurgesellschaft’s Biturox oxidation process (Fig. 1) converts suitable feedstock blends to road and industrial asphalt/bitumen. Feed..
Integrated management helps compliance with maintenance, startup and shutdown rules
To comply with stricter air quality regulations while allowing for continued growth, hydrocarbon processing facilities must efficiently minimize pollutants without interrupting production (Fig. 1). Tr..
- Valero Energy Q4 profit beats estimates; shares surge 1/30
- Dow launches "Transform to Outperform" to raise the competitive industry benchmark for productivity and growth to enable improved returns 1/30
- Russian oil refineries' peak maintenance expected in January and September 1/30
- U.S. lifts some Venezuela sanctions to ease oil sales 1/30
- Keppel, Aster plan sustainable aviation fuel project in Singapore 1/30
- Boeing, Israel's Technion to develop sustainable aviation fuel, as sector grapples with 2050 goal 1/30
