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

Treating

An investigative study for technological innovation for ethylene plants

National Research Center (NRC): Abdel-Aal, H. K.

The development of an industrial process like an ethylene (C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub>) plant requires skills and knowledge in two main subject areas: synthesis and analysis. Optimal configuration through process synthesis (PS) with selected task selection (STS) is the main theme of this work.

Alternatives to flare gas recovery for sour refinery flare gas

Trimeric Corp.: McIntush, K.  |  Mamrosh, D. L.  |  Jones, R. A.  |  Beitler, C. M.

For many sour gas streams present in a flare header, less expensive options than flare gas recovery may exist. The compressors, liquids management, downstream treating and other systems required for flare gas recovery (FGR) can be expensive to install and/or operate reliably. Some refineries allow the flaring of sweet gases.

Expand crude diet flexibility through comprehensive oil management

Baker Hughes: Arensdorf, J.  |  Hoffman, G.

One of the primary means for refiners to boost profitability is to improve crude diet flexibility. Many refiners are challenged with increasing their margins while the quality of the global crude oil supply declines.

Driving innovation in the downstream: IRPC returns to New Delhi

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Adrienne Blume

Gulf Publishing Company and Hydrocarbon Processing are pleased to announce that IRPC 2017 will be held April 18–20 in New Delhi.

New method to measure TAN of crude oil and refinery distillation fractions

Imperial Oil: McGarvey, B.  |  McGarvey, C. E.  |  Thakkar, B.
Metrohm USA: Tucker, L.  |  Spafford, L.

Many refiners look at discounted opportunity crudes as a way to improve their margin spread. The growing varieties of discounted opportunity crudes on the market contain certain risks for the purchaser, such as high naphthenic acid or sulfur content.

Innovations

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Andrew, Bob

Siemens Water Solutions has chosen a ceramic flat-sheet membrane for use in a powdered activated carbon technology (PACT) membrane bioreactor (MBR).

Business Trends: Anticipated market and pricing impacts from new marine fuel regulations

EnSys Energy: Tallett, M.  |  Witmer, T.  |  Dunbar, D.
Navigistics Consulting: St. Amand, D.

In October 2016, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) announced that it will implement a new regulation that calls for the sulfur content in marine fuels to be reduced from 3.5% to 0.5%. The new regulation will go into effect in January 2020. This action by the IMO will have a profound impact on the maritime and refining industries worldwide, as well as on the environment. This month’s Business Trends section provides an overview on the anticipated impacts of the IMO’s decision on petroleum product markets.

Industry Perspectives: Global desulfurization capacity to skyrocket over the long term

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Nichols, Lee

According to OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2016, desulfurization capacity additions represent the largest capacity increases among all process units to 2040. This trend is due to increased regulations on the amount of sulfur allowed in transportation fuels.

Put acid gas hydrocarbons in their place with staged regeneration

WorleyParsons: Bela, F.

Common organic contaminants of Claus sulfur recovery unit (SRU) acid gas (AG) feed include: heavy hydrocarbons, in general; benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX), in particular; and methanol (CH3OH).

Commercialization of pyrolysis oil in existing refineries—Part 2

AOTA Energy Consultants LLC: Arbogast, S.  |  Bellman, D.  |  Paynter, D.  |  Wykowski, J.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory: Baldwin, R. M.

In Part 1 of this article, economic incentives were estimated for relaxing the requirement that biocrude entering the refinery infrastructure be oxygen (O2)-free. It was concluded that an accurate estimate of these incentives is not possible without a significant amount of additional data. Part 2 examines key issues that must be addressed and the associated data needed for this constraint to be relaxed.