Operators at refineries, petrochemical plants and power generation companies are under constant pressure to reduce maintenance and operational costs, boost productivity, minimize risk of unplanned outages and maximize time between overhaul periods.
The following is a mixture of technical articles, columns and headlines published in the 1950s by Petroleum Refiner, the forerunner to Hydrocarbon Processing.
The industry is moving away from oil shaft seals and hydraulic speed control for turbines to advanced alternatives.
Mishra, R., Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals and Fertilizers,
Mechanical systems, especially rotary equipment, are designed to support easy maintenance jobs with less complexity and low chances of incorrect installation.
When you boil down the mission of reliability to its bare essence, the job is to deliver maximum operational availability for the least amount of money over the lifecycle of the asset.
Petrochemical plants and refineries face production and profitability challenges on multiple fronts.
Taking ownership of issues during a critical or troubling time is just as important as assuming responsibility during times of opportunity and benefit.
DE, a retired former colleague of mine, recounted his experience as an expert witness for ABC in litigation against XYZ. (Note that I picked the letters A through M for the plaintiff’s side; N through Z are assigned to the defendants.)
Periodically, I receive questions from engineers around the world on why a piece of critical machinery is vibrating excessively.
Centrifugal compressors are widely used in the oil and gas and petrochemical industries, with more than 15,000 operating in the U.S. alone.