Americas
Hess plans to exit all downstream business
In a latter to investors, Hess said it is further focusing its exploration and production (E&P) portfolio by divesting Indonesia and Thailand assets, looking to generate money from its Bakken midstream assets -- which is expected to be completed in 2015 -- and fully exiting the downstream businesses.
US says Keystone XL environmental review fails to reach firm conclusions
In one possible favorable sign for project supporters, the draft assessment said that building the pipeline would not "significantly" impact the further development of Canada's tar sands or US demands for heavy oil. The Obama administration likely will not make a final decision on the pipeline until this summer.
Dow Chemical awarded $318 million from Kuwait over failed K-Dow venture
In December 2008, Dow said Kuwaiti officials informed it the Persian Gulf country was scrapping a deal under which the state-owned petroleum firm was to pay Dow Chemical $7.5 billion for a 50% stake in several chemical plants. Dow intended to use that money to help finance its purchase of Rohm & Haas.
US ethylene costs drop as downed plants restart
Ethylene price stability in recent weeks following the earlier, more dramatic price movements, suggests a more balanced supply/demand picture for the chemical. The 68-cent ethylene price seen in late January was the highest level since May 2012 and was the pinnacle of an uninterrupted price increase.
Obama nominates McCarthy to lead EPA, Moniz to head Energy Department
Mr. Obama selected Gina McCarthy, the current head of the EPA's clean-air office, to lead the environment agency. For the Energy Department, Mr. Obama nominated Massachusetts Institute of Technology physicist Ernest Moniz. Both emerged several weeks ago as the top contenders.
Monitor and minimize corrosion in high-TAN crude processing
In addition to inhibitor dosing, intensive corrosion monitoring and analytical tests play a major role in equipment and piping health monitoring and in analyzing stream properties online.
Mitigate reactor failures due to graphitization
Graphitization occurs in carbon steel (CS) reactors in high-temperature service (> 455°C). As discussed in this case history, the shell of a methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) reactor became s..
Corrosion under insulation is a hidden problem
Corrosion under insulation (CUI) is one of the costliest avoidable problems facing the hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) today. CUI afflicts refineries—specifically, the steel piping, storage..
Process safety management: Going beyond functional safety
Operating companies are increasing efforts to reduce the risk of catastrophic events such as the release of toxic, reactive or explosive chemicals that can damage the environment or plant assets.
Operator response to alarms is an important protection layer
Operator response to alarms is important layers of protection (LOP). When implemented with good design, engineering and maintenance practices, an alarm can help reduce the safety integrity level (SIL)..
- XRG to expand its global chemicals reach with takeover of Covestro 11/21
- U.S. FERC explores blanket authorizations for LNG projects 11/21
- thyssenkrupp Uhde selected by Dangote Fertilizer Ltd. to license four urea granulation units in Nigeria 11/21
- Indian and Chinese refineries are moving to comply with U.S. sanctions on Russia 11/21
- Dynamis Power Solutions awards Baker Hughes with significant order for gas turbine technology to support mobile power for oil and gas applications 11/21
- China's first coal-to-chemicals project with green hydrogen starts commercial operations 11/20
