Valves
Building industrial networks to serve IIoT and digitalization
Two of the terms growing in popularity over the past few years are “digital native” and “digital immigrant.” Natives are those individuals young enough to have known computers and the internet since childhood. For them, such technologies have always existed. Immigrants, either through age or circumstance, had no exposure until later in life. Hopefully, for them, such technologies are a welcome addition to work and life, but they can remember times when most activities were more manual, local and isolated.
Innovations
In the oil and gas industry, failing to perform ongoing maintenance on equipment can have severe consequences, including reduced equipment service life, unplanned shutdowns and degraded performance.
Hydrocarbon Processing Awards
<i>Hydrocarbon Processing,</i> the downstream processing sector’s leading technical publication, has announced the finalists for its third annual awards.
Horizontal distillation column technology
Gas-liquid contact operations are required for the separation of mixtures based on differences in the chemical properties (volatility, solubility, etc.) of various components.
Innovations
To test developments of pumps and systems under even more realistic conditions, LEWA has inaugurated a specially developed container test bench that will be used for experiments with hot or explosive fluids.
Set refinery profitability goals
While the ultimate purpose of operating a refinery is to produce gasoline, diesel or asphalt, key objectives include improving return on investment (ROI), net profitability and cash flow.
Case study for a high-performing refinery loss control program
Most refineries have some sort of mass balance and loss control program in place for accounting, planning and scheduling, as well as for financial and operational evaluation purposes.
Coke drum and blowdown system overpressure protection design—Part 2
The blowdown (BD) system in delayed coking units (DCUs) receives waste streams generated during the coke drum (CD) decoking process to recover valuable hydrocarbons and water.
Innovations
Engineers tasked with finding a green solution to waste gas emissions from hydrocarbon storage tanks during loading and unloading operations will find that the ST100 series thermal flowmeter from Fluid Components International (FCI) supports tank vapor recovery systems, which help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Cut costs and save time servicing valves during refinery turnarounds
Most refineries perform turnaround activities every 3 yr–5 yr to maintain and upgrade plant assets and equipment.
- Vertex Energy pauses renewable diesel output to switch back to fossil fuels, citing macroeconomic woes 5/10
- Citgo Petroleum reports Q1 profit of $410 MM 5/10
- Golden Pass LNG in discussions with contractor, may delay startup 5/10
- SAFFiRE Renewables biofuel pilot plant to be developed in Kansas 5/10
- EBRD backs Ukraine's green biofuels project with €60-MM loan 5/10
- Russia's refined oil product exports to Singapore to hit highest this year in May 5/10
