May 2012
Special Report: Maintenance/Reliability
Amid pump industry consolidation, independent shops can provide upgrade and repair services for key process equipment.
Oil mist extends equipment life over other lube methods
Amid regulatory legislation issues, a compliance strategy can drive solutions to optimize reliability of rotating equipment.
A straightforward methodology deals with troublesome pumps
Bonus Report: Corrosion Control
Corrosion inhibitor selection and protective scales are key to prevention
Maintaining optimum performance is crucial for sustained profitability
New study investigates metal deterioration from ethanol-blended gasoline
Engineering Case Histories
Use caution on what defines a true ‘safe distance’
Petrochemical Developments
Proper moisture removal from the polymerization-reaction medium is key to successfully operating a HDPE plant designed on low-pressure, slurry-process technology.
2012 Petrochemical Outlook
Most of the Middle Eastern countries are looking to expand further into downstream petrochemicals as opposed to exporting the building blocks.
The boom in oil and gas is creating both demand side (e.g., pipe mills, oilfield machinery) and supply-side (e.g., chemicals, fertilizers, direct iron reduction) opportunities.
Columns
Innovative thinking is appropriate in the hydrocarbon processing industry, and tremendous forward movement has occurred over the past 30 years. Innovation is to be commended, unless we invent or disco..
Owner-operators and suppliers face many complex issues relative to when and how to migrate obsolete control systems and technology. ARC Advisory Group estimates that $65 billion of obsolete technology..
Research and development (R&D) has been the platform to support new methods to process transportation fuels and petrochemical products from hydrocarbons. So, how much of the R&D was just straight rese..
Trends and Resources
Marathon limits flaring The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Justice recently announced an agreement with Marathon Petroleum Co. that has already reduced air pollution fr..
Catalyst boosts H2 output, cuts costsHaldor Topsøe recently introduced a low-methanol, low-temperature shift (LTS) catalyst, LK-853 FENCE, which presents new opportunities for hydrogen and ammoni..
Fluor Corp. was awarded an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract by Joule to design and build a renewable fuel production facility in New Mexico. The facility is intende..
The Siemens Industry Automation Division will equip the Refineria de Cartagena S.A. (Reficar) refinery in Cartagena, Colombia, with an integrated water-treatment solution that is to form the heart of ..
BASF will increase its capacity for cyclohexane oxidation at its Antwerp Verbund site by about 50,000 tpy. The total investment amounts to about €10 million. Cyclohexane oxidation products are im..
W. R. Grace & Co. has signed a memorandum of understanding to form a joint venture (JV) with Al Dahra Agricultural Co. to build and operate a fluid catalytic-cracking (FCC) catalysts and additives pla..
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. has a contract from Solvay for a major, specialty polymers production plant to be built at Solvay’s industrial site in Changshu, Jiangsu, China. Officials estimate t..
Newly discovered plastic blends are helping to satisfy the huge demand for thermoplastics being brought about by China’s swelling home retail industry, according to a new report by market intelli..
Alberta’s oil sands industry, which employed just over 20,000 workers in 2011, is projected to grow its workforce by 73% by 2021, according to a new report released by the Petroleum Human Resourc..
The world market for valves used by industry will grow to $65 billion per year in 2017 (Table 1), adding more than $10 billion to current annual sales. This projection is in the latest forecast by the..
The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) has been preparing health, safety and environment (HSE) professionals for major compliance changes that are required by the United Nations’ (UN..
At March’s American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM, formerly known as the NPRA) annual meeting in San Diego, California, it seems everyone had some important knowledge to share. Nowhe..
Leading hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) executives and technical experts will come together 12–14 June in Milan, Italy, to share ideas and knowledge relating to the industry at Hydrocarbon ..
Global energy-testing website With the launch of GlobalEnergyTesting.com, Bruker aims to bring together the global petrochemical community to foster collaboration and shared learning among all petroch..
Hydrogen pressure sensor certified for use on fuel-cell vehicles The AST 2000H2 hydrogen ASIC pressure sensor can be used on hydrogen-powered vehicles and applications, such as on-board vehicle cylind..
Terminals and Storage 2012 Supplement
Operators should consider alternative test procedures, capable of reproducing conditions found within jet fires.
- Neste strengthens chemical recycling logistics infrastructure in Europe with Tepsa Netherlands 10/4
- StraightFlo™ reciprocating compressor valve provider rebrands as Atlas Copco 10/4
- ARA gasoline exports to West Africa hit multi-year lows in September 10/3
- Singapore's middle distillates stocks snap three-week fall 10/3
- Update: U.S. crude oil inventories rise as refining activity dips 10/3
- Repsol supports ECI Group in licensing first 150,000-tpy copolymer plant using ECI Group’s hybrid reactor technology 10/3