Maintenance & Reliability
Digital Exclusive: The implementation and automation of an alarm management system in a complex control environment at KNPC’s Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery
With the recent advancements in technology and availability of control support applications, the role of an alarm management system (ALMS) has taken a center stage to fulfill the requirements of safe and enhanced operations. This article details how refinery personnel implemented an ALMS at KNPC's Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery in Kuwait, especially with the facility's complex control rooms and multiple distributed control systems.
Gasoline unit at Nigeria's Dangote oil refinery to undergo maintenance in June
Nigeria's Dangote oil refinery will shut its 204,000-bpd gasoline-making unit for 30-d maintenance tentatively expected to start on June 1.
Russia's idle oil refining capacity estimated up 50% in March from previous plan
Russia's offline primary oil refining capacity in March was revised up 49.7% from the initial plan for this month to 2.96 million metric tons amid drone attacks.
Marathon to begin planned maintenance at Robinson, Illinois refinery
The refinery's primary crude unit, which processes both sweet and sour crude, will be down for maintenance, including heat exchanger work. The plant's 85,000-bpd diesel hydrotreater unit, 65,000-bpd vacuum distillation unit and 28,000-bpd hydrocracker unit will also undergo turnaround.
Nextchem awarded engineering/technology services contract from SATORP (Saudi Arabia)
MAIRE announced that NEXTCHEM (Sustainable Technology Solutions), through its subsidiary NextChem Tech, has been awarded a three-year contract by SATORP – a JV between Saudi Aramco and TotalEnergies – to provide engineering and technology services related to the sulfur recovery complex of SATORP’s refinery in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
PBF Energy's Martinez refinery (California, U.S.) repairs to cost $30 million
Independent U.S. refiner PBF Energy said it is starting repairs at its fire-damaged 156,400-bpd Martinez refinery in California and estimates the cost of repairs to be $30 million.
Chinese CNOOC to launch $2.7-B upgraded refinery complex
State-controlled China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) is set to launch a refinery and petrochemicals complex later this year, following a $2.74-B upgrade.
Lubrication Engineers to acquire industrial brands and products of Royal Purple
Lubrication Engineers Inc. (LE), a leading developer and manufacturer of high-performance industrial lubricants and asset reliability solutions, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the industrial brands and products of Royal Purple (RPI), a leading provider of specialty synthetic performance lubricants and greases for diversified industrial applications.
S. Korea's SK Energy shuts crude unit for 2-week overhaul
South Korea's SK Energy plans to restart the 170,000-bpd crude distillation unit (CDU) at its Ulsan refinery in next two weeks after maintenance work.
Japan's Eneos shuts 141,000-bpd Sakai CDU after a fire
Japan's biggest refiner, Eneos Corp., shut down a 141,000- bpd crude distillation unit (CDU) at its Sakai refinery on February 17 after a fire there that day.
- New Emerson industrial AI platform delivers enterprise-scale AI 5/11
- Worley to deliver FEED for Dow’s Path2Zero cogen project in Canada 5/11
- L&T awarded EPC contract for BCGCL's coal-to-ammonium nitrate project in India 5/11
- Loop Chemicals licenses chemical looping ammonia technology from Sandia National Laboratories 5/11
- LanzaTech selects North Sea Port, Ghent as site for Europe’s first commercial alcohol-to-jet SAF facility 5/11
- ControlAir releases new signal operated back pressure regulators 5/11

