Much has been written in recent years about the need for refineries to embrace the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
Refineries cannot afford a sudden boiler failure (FIG. 1). Regularly assessing the condition of boilers is vital.
Steam boiler explosions happen all over the world, as an internet search will reveal.
In early June, Hydrocarbon Processing and Eni—an Italian multinational oil and gas company—hosted the annual International Refining and Petrochemical Conference (IRPC) in Milan, Italy.
A rigorous and accurate performance evaluation of existing equipment is a key factor for the success of a plant revamp study.
Due to reduced margins, higher energy costs and rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) content, energy efficiency has never been more important in refining and petrochemicals.
Lost production from corrosion costs the oil and gas industry more than $1 B/yr.1
In the operation of natural gas pipelines, a blockage or leak can cause expensive production losses, damage equipment and pose safety hazards.
Joint stripping in a refinery sour water stripper (SWS) unit contributes to the concentration of phenols and total nitrogen (N) in the discharged treated water from the wastewater treatment unit.
Fired process heaters are one of the most critical pieces of equipment within many refinery and petrochemical facilities. Proper instrumentation and control of the equipment has direct bearing on the successful operation of the process, as well as on overall facility process safety.