Utilities
Cybersecurity visibility and resilience: Keys to protecting HSE/margins in operations
As digitalization accelerates in today’s downstream refining and petrochemical facilities, operators need to stay ahead of ever-growing cyber vulnerabilities in the operational technology (OT) layer—prime targets for threat actors—that may not be covered by traditional IT safeguards. Unfortunately, too often, that is not the case for a variety of reasons.
Business Trends: EPC 2030: Five vital characteristics that will define the EPC firm of tomorrow
The state of the global engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) industry can accurately be described as “challenging.” Operating in an environment of volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous conditions, EPC firms are facing unsustainable levels of stress.
Can ammonia be a future energy storage solution?
Ammonia is well known as a fertilizer. However, it is also a potential carbon-free fuel and an excellent solution for storage of renewable electricity, especially if the syngas needed for producing the ammonia is made by electrolysis.
HP Top Project Awards
The editors of <i>Hydrocarbon Processing</i> have identified nine projects that are anticipated to significantly impact the global or regional downstream industries. The winners and nominees of the HP Top Project awards will have a considerable impact on the HPI, whether through CAPEX, satisfying domestic or regional demand, diversifying product offerings, or adding to the resurgence in refining and/or petrochemical processing capacity.
Sustainability and the water management company’s role
Water is key to the hydrocarbon processing and chemical processing industries. Yet, it is not an infinite resource, which creates operational, financial and regulatory risks. The true cost of water can include insurance and litigation costs and disposal costs, plus the capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operating expenses (OPEX) of water infrastructure.
The future of wireless control
In 1864, James C. Maxwell predicted the existence of radiowaves by means of a mathematical model. The so-called Maxwell equations are the most famous and successful formulas. In 1884, John H. Poynting realized that the Poynting vector would play an important role in quantifying electromagnetic energy. In 1888, bolstered by Maxwell’s theory, Heinrich Hertz first succeeded in showing experimental evidence of radiowaves using his spark-gap radio transmitter. The prediction and evidence of radiowaves were the beginning of wireless power transfer (WPT).
Cybersecurity: Crucial defenses for critical infrastructures
A colleague of mine once suggested to a chemical plant operator that it was a good idea to apply patches to Windows-based supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) servers as soon as they become available every month—after all, a lot of them fix security vulnerabilities.
Reliability: Comparing and updating aeration blower technologies
As the main consumers of electricity in a wastewater treatment plant, aeration blowers can significantly affect the overall cost of plant operation.
Hydrocarbon Processing Awards
<i>Hydrocarbon Processing,</i> the downstream processing sector’s leading technical publication, has announced the finalists for its third annual awards.
Minimize energy consumption in water treatment with forward osmosis technology—Part 2
Heavy industries like refining, petrochemicals and mining face concerns about the availability of freshwater, as these are affected by local water scarcities and stringent water discharge regulations.
- Equinor selects Aker for Mongstad refinery upgrade project 5/1
- Australian researchers testing SAF production from landfill gases 5/1
- ACC responds to U.S. EPA's final risk management rule for methylene chloride 5/1
- Topsoe awarded contract to support FEED study for new low-carbon ammonia plant in Louisiana (U.S.) 5/1
- ClearSign Technologies receives burner contract for California (U.S.) refinery 5/1
- Traders scramble for U.S. storage as distillates demand disappoints 5/1
