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

Loss Prevention

Business Trends: The economics of reliability—An interim report on the global refining industry

Pinnacle: Krimmel, J.

What is reliability? Most people think reliability is simply a measure of failure, or lack of failure. If something runs for a longer period without failing, then it is more reliable than something that runs for less time. However, reliability is a measure of how often something performs when you want it to.

Reliability: Pushing the limit can have unexpected consequences

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

A prominent manufacturer rediscovered the old axiom, “pushing the limit can have unexpected consequences,” after experiencing many bearing failures in its 40-hp air blowers. These lifetime-lubricated (sealed) bearings had been properly installed on 20-mm shafts, and it can be assumed that premium greases were being used.

Editorial Comment: Maintenance and reliability—A cornerstone of safe and efficient plant operation

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Nichols, Lee

Refineries and petrochemical plants are comprised of a series of crucial processes to produce transportation fuels, products and chemicals demanded by the global market. These processes consist of capital-intensive units that must be maintained to provide reliable performance. Failure to adequately maintain these assets can have a detrimental effect to not only operations and profit, but also to worker safety.

Understanding HCN in FCC: Formation, effects and mitigating options

BASF: Riva, S.
Chalcat Consulting: Challis, S.

In these challenging times, fluidized catalytic cracking units (FCCUs) aim to improve margins by processing poorer- or different-quality feeds, while maintaining good yield performance.

Executive Viewpoint: Technology to drive decarbonization of the oil and gas industry

Siemens Energy: Fors, T.

<i>Hydrocarbon Processing</i> (HP) was pleased to speak with Thorbjoern Fors (TF), EVP of Industrial Applications, Siemens Energy, to discuss the decarbonization of the oil and gas industry and the technologies that are helping companies meet their sustainability goals.

Reliability: Taking ownership of problems

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

Taking ownership of issues during a critical or troubling time is just as important as assuming responsibility during times of opportunity and benefit.

Innovations

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Rhodes, Mike

DeZURIK, a leading valve manufacturer in the industrial and municipal markets, offers a wide variety of valve solutions for environmental wastewater systems, including grey water intake, pump isolation, pump surge control and membrane bioreactor isolation.

Business Trends: A perspective on new technology impacts on the chemical processing industry

Yokogawa Corp.: Fernandes, S.

Over the past five years, the industrial evolution has been propelled by the same technologies that have dramatically changed our private lives.

Executive Viewpoint: Interconnected neural networks drive breakthrough optimization

Imubit: Cohen, G.

We have all learned that technology alone will not improve our operations.

Engineering Case Histories: Case 111: Predict the cause of cracks in gear teeth and time to failure

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

In the practice of engineering, we sometimes wish for better hindsight or foresight.