Management
HP Reliability: Manage your time constructively
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
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 Engineering Case Histories: Case 72: Interaction between disciplines when troubleshooting
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 Industry Perspectives: US-based ultra-low-sulfur gasoline rule released
In late March, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the long-awaited ruling for ultra-low-sulfur gasoline, also known as the Tier 3 rule. This proposed rule lowers the sulfur content ..
HP Impact: Global oil flows shift from West to East
By 2020, crude oil trade flows west of Suez will drop by 4.2 MM bpd, while crude flows east of Suez will rise by 4.7 MM bpd (Fig. 1), according to a recently published report from ESAI Energy. The pri..
Shale energy resources driving resurgence for ethylene industry
The abundant supply of North American shale energy resources is proving to be not only a boon for exploration and production (E&P) companies and energy consumers, but it is also changing the profitabi..
North American olefin producers riding the shale gas wave
With the prospect of abundant low-cost ethane, several producers have announced intentions to build new ethylene capacity.
High-pressure polyethylene: Reemergence as a specialty chemical or not?
The analysis results indicate that, while investment capital for new plants favors LLDPE, plant profitability—which is a function of product slate (revenue) and cost—is, in many cases, higher for LDPE plants.
HPI Focus: New vs. debottlenecking projects
As most owners do not have adequately skilled engineering teams to study these scenarios, engaging an experienced, qualified engineering contractor to support the conceptual study is often warranted.
Evaluate challenges in meeting clean-fuel specifications with heavier crude
At a Saudi Aramco refinery, a revamp was planned for processing a different crude oil blend to meet Euro 5 diesel and gasoline specifications. The refinery, which processes semi-light crude oil, is sc..
- Technip Energies awarded two large contracts by BPCL for new units at Bina and Mumbai refineries in India 1/28
- ADNOC and TAQA announce 27-yr utilities agreement with TA’ZIZ, enabling world-scale chemicals production at Ruwais 1/28
- BASF to open global digital hub in India in Q1 2026 1/28
- Solvay inaugurates Europe’s first bio-circular silica facility in Italy 1/28
- Nikkiso’s next-generation marine fuel cryogenic pump skids to support dual-fuel vessel conversions 1/28
- Indian diesel exports to West Africa jump as EU bans Russian crude-derived fuel 1/28

