Octane
Consider the pros and cons when importing heavy oil for cokers
The recent shift to lighter crudes has starved many US heavy oil units of feed. Maximizing asset use makes importing heavy oil for vacuum distillation and delayed coking attractive.
FCC 101: How to estimate product yields cost-effectively and improve operations
The feed to fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) is the most important process variable. FCCU feed has the greatest impact on operating conditions, yield and product quality. A typical FCCU feed consi..
What are the possible impacts on US refineries processing shale oils?
No singular event has had as significant an impact on the quality of refinery feedstocks as the shale revolution. Not only are shale crudes, such as Eagle Ford and Bakken, generally lighter than other..
Consider new online analyzers to optimize FCC operations
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and near infrared (NIR) process analyzers are highly effective in quantifying physical properties in hydrocarbons, especially where the feedstock, intermediate and final product streams are all interlinked.
HP Editorial Comment: Take a moment and breathe
“Don’t panic” is probably the best advice for the downstream industry regarding oil prices. The upstream fully recognizes the present and short-term conditions for its business.
HP Global: 2015 outlook for oil price and its refining sector implications
What is the oil price outlook for the next 12 months? As of early January, the price of Brent has effectively halved compared to the 2014 summer peak, similar to the price collapse of 2008. However, u..
HP News
Qatar Petroleum and Shell cancel $6.5-B petrochemical project in Qatar Royal Dutch Shell and Qatar Petroleum (QP) have canceled the $6.5-B Al-Karaana petrochemical project in Qatar, which will signifi..
HP Industry Metrics
Mid-January saw the continued decline of monthly average Brent crude oil prices, which fell $17/bbl from November to a monthly average of $62/bbl. The continual price decrease reflects US tight oil pr..
Shale gas drives new opportunities for US downstream
This shift to lighter feeds for the SC will reduce the future availability of other petrochemical feedstocks—in particular, propylene.
HP Industry Metrics
Recent declines in oil pricing and the associated volatility in future pricing has created a difficult forecasting environment. Other factors are causing deviations, especially with regard to the resp..
- Honeywell to supply integrated automation systems for flagship UK carbon capture projects 12/4
- Aduro Clean Technologies collaborates with ECOCE to advance plastics recycling in Mexico 12/4
- FincoEnergies launches GoodFuels B15: A reliable and compliant drop-in biofuel for inland shipping 12/4
- DevvStream, Southern Energy Renewables target low-cost, carbon-negative SAF and green methanol 12/4
- AFPM: Revised fuel economy standards would put CAFE back on solid legal footing 12/4
- ITT introduced a secondary containment system for its ICM metallic magnetic drive process pump 12/4
