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

March 2019

Archive

Special Focus: Petrochemical Technology

How did asset utilization modeling save Sadara $1 B in capital cost?
Sadara Chemical Co.: Hayek, F.  |  Moran, M.

Sadara is a JV between Saudi Aramco and Dow Chemical.

Triple-lane layout for enhanced cracking coil performance
TechnipFMC: Ramesh, R.  |  Van Der Eijk, J.

Ethylene is a precursor to many chemicals, fibers and plastics that are used in daily life.

Development of zeolite catalysts for production of ethylbenzene
SINOPEC Engineering Inc.: Yang, W.  |  Wang, Z.

Zeolites, an important type of catalytic material, are widely used in industrial catalysis.

Implement AI to predict the composition of chemical plant feed
Chemical Technologies Inc.: Giiazov, O.  |  Shalupkin, D.  |  Ermulin, A.  |  Stremousov, G.

An important indicator of the technological processes at chemical plants is the composition of the main flows, including feed, products and intermediate flows.

Valves, Pumps and Turbomachinery

Cut costs and save time servicing valves during refinery turnarounds
Emerson Automation Solutions: Dalal, N.

Most refineries perform turnaround activities every 3 yr–5 yr to maintain and upgrade plant assets and equipment.

Understand net gas compressor control logic from a process engineering standpoint
GS Engineering and Construction: Hong, R.  |  Chang, G. S.

In a refinery or petrochemical plant, certain equipment can create “gray areas” between process engineers and instrument engineers.

Plant Design

Set correct design specifications for optimized piping and pipe support system
Wood Group: Maiti, S.

During the planning and engineering execution of petrochemical, oil and gas, and power projects, it is essential that the owner and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor mutually develop a comprehensive and detailed piping design specification.

Project Management

The top three causes of contractor and engineering misalignment
Accruent: Eichelberger, N.

When contractors, engineers and operations teams at downstream processing plants do not work together at optimal efficiency, it can present serious problems.

Design considerations for rigging and transportation of large process columns
Fluor Daniel India: Sharma, B. K.  |  Bahadur, A.

Design guidelines for rigging and transporting large process columns are outlined in this article, along with the various aspects that should be considered during the initial design phase of equipment.

Maintenance and Reliability

Fabrication of clad equipment and piping—Part 2
Fluor: Shargay, C.  |  Carmona, R. K.  |  Daru, K.  |  Desai, J.  |  Irfan, M.
Reliance Industries Ltd.: Panchal, A.

For pressure vessels, heat exchangers and piping in corrosive services, the materials in contact with the process are often required to be high alloys to provide a reliable service life.

Application of ring-type joint gaskets in a refinery
SK Energy: Lee, S.  |  Lee, S. H.  |  Jeon, S.
SK Innovation Co. Ltd.: Jang, T. Y.

In refineries and petrochemical plants, ring-type joint (RTJ) flanges have been applied to high-pressure processes or sensitive areas that are susceptible to leaks.

The critical maintenance team: Do you have one?
Consultant: Thorman, G.

Larger plants typically have planners and maintenance supervisors onsite, as well as operations personnel.

Columns

Editorial Comment: Continuing the advancement of the petrochemical industry
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Nichols, Lee

Each year, Hydrocarbon Processing devotes its Special Focus section to the latest advancements in petrochemical technology, as well as best practices, reliability and safety to ensure efficient and optimized petrochemical operations.

Reliability: Where asset reliability must begin in refineries and petrochemical plants
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

Numerous articles on asset reliability have been published in the decades since 1970.

Maintenance: Mind the small stuff—Tips to manage particle contamination
Sun Coast Resources, Inc.: Goldman, T.

Particle contamination in lubricants is the primary cause of lubricant-related equipment failure and hydraulic system failure, according to industry studies.

Project Management: Intelligent 3D model for digital project execution
Baker Hughes: Romano, R.  |  Cortesi, M.  |  Magarotto, A.  |  Minnucci, C.  |  Pinto, A.
TechnipFMC: Zannori, R.  |  Tittobello, A.  |  Semeraro, G.

Digital transformation offers the chance to reorganize and develop new models of collaboration that fully leverage the opportunities offered by digital technologies and their benefits across the oil and gas business—particularly for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors.

Project Management: Estimate skid and package dimensions
Consulting Engineer: Abid, J.

In the absence of vendor quotations or detailed engineering, preliminary dimensions of skids or packages can be estimated quickly using the ratio method.

Europe: Russian petrochemicals industry on the verge of large-scale growth
Contributing Writer: Gerden, E.

The Russian government has announced its plan to increase the volume of support for its domestic petrochemicals industry over the next several years, with the aim of doubling its production and boosting exports, according to Russian Minister of Energy Alexander Novak and the press service of the Russian Presidential Administration.

Petrochemicals: Which network can fulfil the petrochemical sector’s desire to exploit Industry 4.0?
Rajant Corp.: Smith, G.

The global petrochemical industry has not been short of success.

Fluid Flow: Retrofit for reliability with Coriolis flowmeters
Emerson Automation Solutions: Gentile, A.

Aging infrastructure has become a much-talked-about issue across the hydrocarbon industry.

Executive Viewpoint: Introducing the refinery of the future
Honeywell UOP: Gugel, J.

Businesses that develop and commercialize process technology are in a unique position to identify and evaluate global trends in our industry.

Digital: Digitalization—Why now?
KBC, a Yokogawa Company: Micklem, D.

The process industries are under threat.

Industry Perspectives: What are the opportunities for the global HPI?
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Nichols, Lee

In the February issue of <i>Hydrocarbon Processing,</i> our editors provided the results of <i>Hydrocarbon Processing’s</i> survey on the challenges that the downstream processing industry may face this year.

Business Trends: Petrochemicals 2025: Three regions to dominate the surge in petrochemical capacity growth
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Nichols, Lee

The global petrochemical sector continues to expand exponentially as developing nations’ demand for petrochemical/chemical products continues to increase.

Industry Metrics
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Rhodes, Mike

In the US, soaring gasoline stocks and poor fuel oil performance were offset by strong heating oil demand and higher product prices caused by weather-related refinery outages.

Show Preview
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Blume, Adrienne

The 19th International Conference and Exhibition on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG2019), presented by the International Gas Union (IGU), Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR), is the premier LNG event conducted by the industry for the industry.

Innovations
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Rhodes, Mike

Engineers tasked with finding a green solution to waste gas emissions from hydrocarbon storage tanks during loading and unloading operations will find that the ST100 series thermal flowmeter from Fluid Components International (FCI) supports tank vapor recovery systems, which help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

People
Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Rhodes, Mike

MFG Chemical has promoted Barry Lassiter to VP of operations, where he will be responsible for MFG’s three plants in the Dalton, Georgia area and the recently acquired 26.7-acre plant in Pasadena, Texas.