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

Maintenance & Reliability

Seal safety may require going beyond typical standards

AESSEAL plc: Shaw, S.

Top industry professionals believe users must reach beyond typical standards in applying safer mechanical seals when hazardous and toxic chemicals are involved.

Prevent methane hydrate formation in natural gas valves

GE Oil & Gas: Glaun, A.  |  Shahda, J.

The discussion here focuses on the thermodynamics involved and on the requirements for a successful natural gas valve application in which the incidences of hydrate formation and icing of the valve are reduced.

Consider both actual and virtual spare parts inventory

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

Globally, hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) facilities operate hundreds of thousands of fluid machinery assets. The various service-specific internal components of these assets are supported by ma..

Flare header failure: An investigation

Suncor Energy Inc.: Tharakan, J.

A 60-in. flare header suffered three identical failures with buckling and cracking at the circumferential weld at the bottom of the pipe. The failures are believed to have originated during hot relief..

HP Reliability: Manage your time constructively

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

We often view ourselves as very efficient reliability implementers. Yet, as professional engineers, we take action to save time, accomplish more and reduce stress by applying better time-management sk..

HP Integration Strategies: Asset information management improves life cycle benefits for equipment

ARC Advisory Group: Rio, R.

Traditionally, the various production management and asset management systems in the hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) and other heavy industries resided in silos with separate management, archite..

HP Viewpoint: Consider integral-gear compressors in CO2 services

Gasification Co.: De Maria, R. L.

In 1998, the author began researching suitable technology for compressing 95 MMSCFD of “bone dry” (–100°F dew point) carbon dioxide (CO2) from 16.7 psia to 2,710 psia. The compress..

HP Engineering Case Histories: Case 72: Interaction between disciplines when troubleshooting

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

When troubleshooting, we can become fixated on the discipline that we are most familiar—in the author’s case, mechanical engineering. Investigating the failure of a machine may have a group ..

HP Impact: US demand for corrosion inhibitors to reach $2.5 billion

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Thinnes, Billy

US demand for corrosion inhibitors is forecast to rise 4.1% per year to $2.5 billion in 2017, with volume demand approaching 1.7 billion pounds (Table 1). Growth will be driven by higher oil and natur..

Overflow systems are the last line of defense

Engrowth Training: Toghraei, M.

The overflow system is the last line of defense against the excessive container filling. An overflow system consists of an overflow nozzle with internal and/or external piping and, in some cases, a si..