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

Maintenance & Reliability

Two approaches to sulfur management

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Thinnes, Billy

Sulfur is naturally present as an impurity in fossil fuels. When the fuels are burned, the sulfur is released as sulfur dioxide—an air pollutant that contributes to respiratory problems for human..

What is the impact of US shale oil on global markets and refinery configurations?

Jacobs Consultancy: Ruwe, W. P.  |  Barela, A. B.

One of the most important factors in determining a refinery’s profitability is its ability to access low-cost feedstocks. This is not to be confused with survivability. Some uneconomic refineries..

Improve monitoring and troubleshooting of reciprocating compressors

Consultant: Geitner, F. K.
Professional engineer: Bloch, H. P.

The terms surveillance and monitoring for reciprocating compressors can be used interchangeably. With few exceptions, the monitoring and/or surveillance tasks are assigned to the unit operators. They ..

HP Project Management: Pipeline expansion uses rerating to debottleneck services

Flowserve Corp.: Piripavel, M.  |  Schneider, S.

The Colonial Pipeline connects refineries primarily on the US Gulf Coast with customer service markets across the southern and eastern US. In 2010, Colonial’s 5,500-mi pipeline was transporting a..

HP Reliability: Consider suspended-access scaffolding

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

You may always have left scaffolding and access-to-work questions to an outside contractor to make the final decisions. But plant safety and timely work completion are everybody’s business. As a ..

Update on secondary seals for fluid machines

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.
AESSEAL plc: Carmody, C.

Elastomer-based O-rings are used as secondary sealing components in millions of fluid machines. Although O-ring seals are primarily intended for fluid containment between different but nonrotating com..

Improve compressor reliability with advanced chemical treatments

Although many olefin plants are making big investments in hardware and metallurgy to improve compressor performance and to extend run lengths, the reliability, efficiency and throughput capacity of the CGC are still key influences on plant profitability.

Triple-offset valves offer advantages in emergency services

Pentair Valves & Controls: Casaroli, S.  |  Ferrara, M.

Liquid hydrocarbon storage facilities have used triple-offset valves (TOVs) in traditional tank farm applications for decades. Due to more stringent health, safety and environment (HSE) requirements, ..

Case history: Troubleshooting a leaking valve in a hydrogen unit

A Middle East refinery installed a hydrogen plant that was designed to produce 20,000 Nm3/hr of pure hydrogen (H2) to support a diesel hydrotreater. The unit was commissioned in 2006. This H2 plant wa..

Optimize plant reliability with operator-based maintenance programs

Fluor Canada Ltd.: Fearn, D.
Irving Oil Refining, G.P.: Porter, M.

This case study demonstrates the potential maintenance-labor cost savings that can be obtained through the greater utilization of operations staff; such savings can justify OPPM program investment.