Reactors
Recommended guidelines can help prevent fires caused by static electricity
For any person working in the oil and gas industry who is responsible for the safety of employees, colleagues, plant equipment and property, one of the most potentially confusing aspects in providing ..
Mitigate fouling in crude unit overhead—Part 2
Up to 50% of the refinery’s entire corrosion expense may occur in the crude unit. The root causes of the fouling and corrosion issues are often linked to the basic unit configuration choices, as ..
Update temperature control for a Claus unit with neural networks
The Natref oil refinery in Sasolburg, South Africa, had experienced refractory problems in the sulfur recovery unit’s (SRU’s) combustion chamber since startup (Fig. 1). Even though the SRU w..
Case history: Optimization of FCCU with multivariate statistical modeling
Process models and simulation methods can be used to simulate the fluidized-bed catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) process.a,b Likewise, kinetic or multivariate statistical models have been used. Rigorous..
Mitigate fouling in crude unit overhead—Part 1
In a refinery crude distillation column, up to 40% of the total heat removal may be found in the tower overhead condenser. The quantity of duty available makes heat integration (HI) between the column..
Improved oxidation process increases sulfur recovery with Claus unit
Since its development in 1936, the “modified Claus” technology has been the preferred process used by refineries and gas processing plants for the recovery of sulfur from acid-gas streams. M..
Update: Russia’s capacity and modernization program
Since 2008, Russian regulations regarding the crude oil and refining industry have changed substantially. At present, Russia has 22 large refineries, each with an individual throughput capacity exceed..
Consider accurate feed characterization with improved simulation methods
Assay definition is crucial for accurate process simulations. The performance of process simulators depends on the feed definition to the processing unit. Modern analytical laboratories can offer comp..
HP Construction Profile: US Midwest refinery nears completion of major modernization project
In early July 2013, BP announced that it has completed the commissioning and startup of a new, 250,000-bpd crude distillation unit at the Whiting refinery, marking a major achievement in the multi-bil..
HP Reliability: Expect adversity, but plan for success
Consider that a major oil refinery was planning a substantial modernization project in 2008. Energy efficiency gains and the ability to process a more readily available crude slate were key motivating..
- Iran conflict disrupts Middle East oil, fuel, LNG 3/2
- Qatar halts LNG output, Saudi refinery, Israeli oil, gas fields shut amid Mideast strikes 3/2
- Iran conflict disrupts oil supply to Asian countries dependent on Middle East 3/2
- Asia's jet fuel, diesel cash premiums hit multi-year highs on Mideast concerns 3/2
- European diesel refining margins surge as U.S.-Iran conflict escalates 3/2
- Small fire under control at Saudi Aramco refinery after apparent drone strike 3/2
