The first petrochemical-based production of ethylene occurred nearly a century ago. Since then, the industry has undergone a momentous evolution.
This issue of Hydrocarbon Processing is devoted primarily to the topic of petrochemicals; and rightly so.
According to Hydrocarbon Processing's HPI Market Data 2018,’ total capital expenditures (CAPEX) are expected to reach $144 B in 2018.
Although the refining industry is expected to add more than 7 MMbpd of new distillation capacity by the early 2020s, the global refining industry will witness a boost in secondary processing capacity, as well.
Without a doubt, digitalization is the engine fueling the growing adoption of operational excellence (OE) in hazardous industries.
Consumers are continuously looking for healthier, safer and more environmentally sustainable products.
According to multiple industry reports, crude oil consumption will continue to increase over the short term.
Typically, opportunity crudes require more rigorous desalting to yield high-quality products due to high levels of naphthenic acids, basic sediment and water (BS&W) and filterable solids, among others.
This issue of Hydrocarbon Processing features a topic that has been addressed in sections of the magazine for several decades, but has never been a focal point of the publication. That topic is materials manufacturing.
Over the past several years, new gas processing/LNG capacity has surged in nearly every region. Growth on both the supply and demand sides has resulted in the announcement of billions of dollars of capital investment around the world. Millions of tons of new LNG import and export capacity have begun operations, with hundreds of millions of tons still under development.