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

Safety

Three slightly injured in fire inside Greek oil refinery near Athens

Three people were slightly injured in a fire at Motor Oil's refinery west of Athens, Greece. The fire broke out on in refining units, forcing workers to evacuate as a column of black smoke poured across the evening sky.

U.S. Gulf Coast LNG export plants, refineries, production facilities brace for Francine

Tropical Storm Francine was intensifying and on track to become a hurricane on Tuesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, prompting Louisiana residents to flee inland and oil and gas companies to shut-in Gulf of Mexico production.

Two killed in fire from waste overflow at top Pemex oil refinery in Mexico

Two workers died and another was injured after a fire broke out over the weekend at the biggest domestic refinery owned and operated by Mexico's state oil company Pemex.

Czech police safely detonate World War 2 bomb at oil refinery

Czech bomb disposal experts on Friday detonated a World War 2 bomb found on the site of an oil refinery, causing no major visible damage to the Polish-owned plant that has halted operations since the discovery last week.

Validate skin temperature in refractory-lined pipes using manual calculation vs. FEA analysis

Black Cat Consulting & Engineering Services W.L.L.: Nelluri, V.

Accurately estimating skin temperature and understanding the impact of refractory lining on thermal performance are crucial aspects of piping system design, operation and maintenance. By recognizing the multifaceted role of refractory lining in enhancing operational efficiency, mitigating risks and extending the lifespan of industrial piping systems, industries can optimize their processes and ensure the reliability and safety of their infrastructure. 

Utilizing pilot plant operations for new chemical process technology development: A roadmap to scale up success and commercial plant safety

AVN Corp.: Clark, B.  |  Nunley, M.  |  Phillips, G.

To demonstrate a new chemical process technology (flowsheet, raw materials, product) or improve an existing one, pilot plants are designed and operated at a scale between laboratory benchtop and commercial scale—often with specific goals for operability, product quality, economics and process safety. Identifying where potential safety, technical risks or uncertainties may occur is always a key goal in evaluating a new process.

How important is connected pipework to PSVs?

Worley India Pvt. Ltd.: Prabhu, V.

The purpose of this article is to explain additional process considerations for pipework connected to PSVs, such as isolation valves, layout, orientation, forces and moments. 

Case study: Developing mildew-resistant coatings on ethanol tanks

Sherwin-Williams Global Supply Chain: Hair, J.  |  Rook, T.

Scientists from the authors’ company determined how best to combat persistent black mildew on aboveground storage tanks by first using a novel strategy to identify it. This discovery led to the identification of coating formulations with superior capacity to prevent mildew growth. The scientists proved the performance of the coatings by conducting field tests involving painting sample patches onto an ethanol storage tank. 

Digital Feature: Truly effective reliability requires predictive maintenance

To navigate this new world, organizations must find ways to bring in new technologies to support the limited personnel they have, but without increasing the complexity of those people’s jobs or overwhelming them with raw data they are not trained to use. The solution is to implement a predictive maintenance technology plan founded on a boundless automation vision of seamlessly moving contextualized data wherever it is needed.

Seven injured in fire at Russia's Omsk oil refinery, production continues

Seven people were sent to the hospital, with one in a serious condition, after a fire at Russia's Omsk oil refinery, although the plant said it was operating as normal and production plans would not be affected.