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

Maintenance & Reliability

Mitigate reactor failures due to graphitization

SABIC Technology Centre: Al-Enazi, S.  |  Al-Meshari, A.  |  Abdelgalil, A.

Graphitization occurs in carbon steel (CS) reactors in high-temperature service (> 455°C). As discussed in this case history, the shell of a methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) reactor became s..

Corrosion under insulation is a hidden problem

The Sherwin-Williams Co.: Hanratty, T.

Corrosion under insulation (CUI) is one of the costliest avoidable problems facing the hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) today. CUI afflicts refineries—specifically, the steel piping, storage..

Operator response to alarms is an important protection layer

Praxair: Limaye, R.

Operator response to alarms is important layers of protection (LOP). When implemented with good design, engineering and maintenance practices, an alarm can help reduce the safety integrity level (SIL)..

HP Reliability: How the best lubricant provides added value

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

In November 2012, a highly competent lubrication engineer and I met again at the ExxonMobil Maintenance and Productivity Improvement Symposium in San Antonio, Texas. We talked about the small, but pes..

HP Integration Strategies: Wireless sensing benefits from new technology

ARC Advisory Group: Forbes, H.

Wireless sensing is the most important new technology to emerge in decades for process measurement and equipment monitoring applications. For this reason alone, it has attracted the sustained attentio..

HP Engineering Case Histories: Case 71: Statistical visual data can be useful in troubleshooting—Part 2

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

In “Case 71: Statistical visual data can be useful in troubleshooting—Part 1,” the editorial focused on how taking data and analyzing it could determine the cause for high reject rates...

HP Innovations: Innovations

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Blume, Adrienne

Coating system gets European patentHempel’s Ultra-High Solids and Speed (UHSS), a two-coat protective paint system certified for C5-M and C4 corrosive environments, has been granted a patent from..

HP Reliability: Top three ways to improve pump service life

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

Experienced reliability professionals know that even the premier equipment standards used in the HPI occasionally fall short of defining the best, most reliable, or safest available technology.

Improve your plantwide steam network

Merrick & Co.: Pelham, R. O.

When optimizing an existing steam network, design and process engineers need a complete understanding of all aspects of the existing system. Accurate energy and material balances must be established.

Update on wet and gas compressor seals

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Bloch, Heinz P.

Shaft seals keep compressed gas from leaking out. The need for leak prevention may include process economy, safety and environmental protection. Moreover, the process gas will usually have to be kept ..