Distillation
History of the HPI: The 1990s: Clean fuels and emissions mitigation, M&A, GTL and the fieldbus wars
Much like several initiatives passed in the 1970s and 1980s, the 1990s were a decade heavily focused on environmental issues, with many new regulations being enacted to not only mitigate industrial and vehicle emissions but also to advance the production of clean fuels globally.
Online Exclusive: Overhead automation and analytics lead to improved optimization of production and reliability
The efficient operation of crude oil distillation units (CDUs) improves profits and distillate yield while optimizing production costs and reliability. Simultaneously, it is possible to reduce caustic use, positively impacting downstream sodium impact resulting in increased fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) catalyst costs, coker furnace fouling and other issues.
History of the HPI: The 1980s: Oil spike/collapse, liquid crystals, conducting polymers and the rise of AR/VR
Several major impactful events took place in the global oil and gas and petrochemical industries in the 1980s.
Enabling a circular economy delivery model through truckable modularization
As resources become scarcer, and as costs continue to rise, companies are looking for new methods to reduce their material feedstock costs and remain competitive.
Preferential baffle reboiler—Part 2
Distillation towers consume ~30% of the energy in a refinery or petrochemical facility. The reboiler is the stomach of the distillation tower that consumes the energy to separate the components.
HP Flashback: Excerpts from the 1960s: Petrochemicals rise in prominence and new know-how in refining processes
Petrochemicals rise in prominence and new know-how in refining processes
Combating naphtha reflux section corrosion mechanism and production losses in a CDU
Corrosion is one of the most important challenges that refineries face (FIG. 1).<sup>1</sup>
HP Flashback: Excerpts from the 1950s: Capacity expands after WW2 and technologies and maintenance mature
The following is a mixture of technical articles, columns and headlines published in the 1950s by <i>Petroleum Refiner,</i> the forerunner to <i>Hydrocarbon Processing</i>.
Investigation and diagnosis of startup foaming issues at a new tail gas treater
In May 2021, Phillips 66 started up a new methyl diethanolamine (MDEA)-based tail gas unit at its Belle Chasse, Louisiana, refinery.
History of the HPI: The 1940s: Global conflict, FCC, 100 octane, synthetic rubber—Wartime necessitates advancing technologies
<i>Hydrocarbon Processing</i> continues its look at the history of the hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI).
- Shell pivots back to oil to win over investors 6/9
- Iberdrola steps up green ammonia plans with $808.05-MM project 6/9
- A consortium led by Tecnimont awarded a $300-MM EPC contract for a fertilizer plant in Egypt by KIMA 6/9
- EPA's proposed eRIN program raises concerns and sparks legislative action 6/8
- Neste enables Swedish airport and Västflyg airline to become the world's firsts to use SAF on all flights 6/8
- Valtek Valdisk High Performance Butterfly Valve, completes million-cycle test 6/8
- VOC reduction at Raffineria di Milazzo’s SRU complex—Part 2
- Digital Technologies: Do not just monitor bad actor machines: Start when they are healthy
- People
- Editorial Comment
- Maintenance and Reliability: Non-standard flanges for catalytic cracking units
- How companies can take advantage of APM solutions to reduce planned maintenance
- Design considerations when flaring ethylene oxide
- Why sulfur plants fail: An in-depth study of sulfur recovery unit failures—Part 1
- Implement advanced level control techniques to improve crude distillation unit stabilizer performance
- Maintenance and Reliability: Non-standard flanges for catalytic cracking units
