December 2018
Special Focus: Plant Design, Engineering and Construction
<i>Integration</i> is the new keyword for sustainability and profit in today’s oil and gas market scenario.
The following are eight strategies to help reduce engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) project costs, along with tips to maximize the value of both existing assets and new investments for refiners and producers.
After several years of cutting costs to align to the reality of fewer and smaller capital projects, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) firms are now forging ahead as the industry recovers.
Recently, many US refineries have been reconfigured to process heavy opportunistic sour crudes.
Maintenance and Reliability
Steam ejector vacuum systems are generally considered to be reliable and require little maintenance.
The delayed coking unit (DCU) is the technology of choice for the upgrade of heavy hydrocarbon residues—i.e., bottom-of-the-barrel upgrading.
Within a refinery, four main utilities are considered essential to operations: electricity, natural gas, water and compressed air.
HP Top Project Awards
The global hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) continues to expand and modernize to efficiently meet growing demand for energy, transportation fuels and petrochemicals.
Process Control and Instrumentation
Much ink has been spilled over the concept known as the “digital twin.”
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
The operational cost structure of oil and gas companies is very capital- and labor-intensive.
Water Management
Historically, US regulators have not required benzene and phenol monitoring for wastewater from oil refining, petrochemical processing, coking or coal gasification operations.
Environment and Safety
The Buncefield explosion was the worst post World War 2 fire/explosion incident.
Columns
Regulations, feedstock advantages, supply/demand gaps, etc., are resulting in a surge of new capital investments around the world.
Disregard for following detailed procedures at a petrochemical plant in Illinois proved costly.
Nigeria’s petroleum industry has had its fair share of upheavals, ranging from insecurity that hampers upstream operations to low global oil prices that constrain midstream and downstream investments.
Russia plans to significantly increase its oil products to foreign markets, despite the ongoing pressure of Western sanctions and the complex situation in the country’s domestic refining industry, according to recent statements by representatives of Russia’s leading oil corporations and senior officials of the country’s Ministry of Energy.
Several major downstream companies have recently embarked upon large-scale digital transformations with anticipated capital spending tallying in the tens to hundreds of millions of dollars.
Industry players are focused on upgrading to higher-growth, higher-value chemical products.
Digitalization has been making waves in the energy space, with upstream companies leading the trend with technology that improves efficiency, cuts costs and boosts margins.
Trends & Resources
In 2020, new International Maritime Organization (IMO) marine fuel regulations will go into effect.
Readers who have had the misfortune of being drawn into debates over the precise definitions of words or terms might agree that much time can be lost in unproductive squabbling.
Designed for hazardous, wet or corrosive locations, such as oil refineries and chemical plants, the Appleton PlexPower motor starter provides electrical apparatus protection combined with the convenience and savings of off-the-shelf components.
Peter Vanacker has assumed the role of President and CEO of Neste Corp., succeeding Matti Lievonen, who will retire.
- INEOS Enterprises to sell Composites business to KPS Capital Partners for €1.7 B 12/3
- Small volumes of renewable diesel are now consumed on the U.S. East Coast 12/3
- Russia's December idle oil refining capacity revised up 60% 12/3
- Fuel oil smuggling network rakes in $1 B for Iran and its proxies 12/3
- Taiwan's Formosa operates refinery at reduced rate due to maintenance 12/3
- Russia lifts gasoline export ban for producers 12/3