Hydrocarbon Processing sat down with Jason Urso (JU), Chief Technology Officer, Honeywell Process Solutions, to discuss the current state of the process automation industry, how new technologies are enhancing efficiency and safety, and what the future holds for automation.
The state of understanding science and facts on one side and distinguishing these from anecdotes and often far-fetched opinions on the other side should be concerning to us. Institutions of higher learning can be disinclined to teach needed, applicable or actionable knowledge.
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.
Hydroprocessing (hydrotreating and hydrocracking) units are high-pressure, high-temperature units that have multiple reactors, multiple beds per reactor and specialized metallurgy. Catalysts in these units are replaced on a 2 yr–5 yr cycle, depending on feed quality, unit design, catalyst selection, operational constraints and performance.
Corpus Christi Polymers has awarded Worley construction management and general services contracts. The scope of the construction management contract includes Corpus Christi’s new PET and PTA facilities in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA.
In light of recent developments and news reports about alleged malpractices at one of its contractors at the new PDH construction site at Kallo, Belgium, Borealis has decided to declare a three day stand-still for its Kallo PDH construction site.
A private Vietnamese petrochemicals firm is planning to invest $1.5 B in a polypropylene plant in the northern province of Quang Ninh.
Valvoline Inc is selling its unit that makes lubricants, coolants and other automotive products to state-owned Saudi Aramco for $2.65 B in cash to sharpen focus on its retail services business.
PetroChina has launched a $4.52 B program to expand a subsidiary refinery in southern China into an integrated petrochemicals complex.
Dow and the Al-Hejailan Group signed an MoU to form a joint venture to design, build and operate a methyl diethanolamine plant in the PlasChem Park in Saudi Arabia.