Aromatics
Industry Perspective: IRPC Americas ONLINE: A sincere thanks
Each year, <i>Hydrocarbon Processing</i> hosts events to bring together professionals in the oil and gas industry to share ideas and knowledge on the latest advancements in processing technologies and operations.
Hydrocarbon Processing 2020 Awards WINNERS
<i>Hydrocarbon Processing</i>, the downstream processing sector’s leading technical publication, has announced the winners for its third annual awards.
Hydrocarbon Processing Awards 2020—FINALISTS
This special section details all finalists within each category for the fourth annual <ital>HP</ital> Awards. The winners will be announced on Oct. 1.
Catalytic processes operation during downturns in aromatics complexes
Paraxylene production is a highly cyclical business that is subject to changes in the global economy and dependent on feedstock costs, alternative dispositions for aromatics, utilities costs and plant locations, among other factors. With the large PX capacity added by recently started crude-to-chemicals complexes and the expected impact of the economic recession on commodities demand, many aromatics complexes face a significant slowdown in the coming months or, possibly, years.
Best practices for aromatics extractive distillation in integrated complexes
Integrated refining/aromatics/olefins complexes are an efficient and effective configuration to maximize crude oil feedstock value and optimize the value of the entire product chain.
Business Trends
Rovuma LNG, a JV comprised of ExxonMobil, Eni and China National Petroleum Corp., will likely delay its final investment decision (FID) on the group’s $30-B Mozambique LNG project.
Root cause analysis for low yield of p-diethylbenzene produced by catalytic alkylation
Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) manufactures para-diethylbenzene (PDEB) at one of its plants by alkylation of ethylbenzene (EB) with ethylene, using RIL's own technology and super-selective catalyst.
Circular economy: Getting in the door of opportunity ahead of a vanishing polymer market
Significant change is coming to the hydrocarbons industry. Up to 43% of the global conventional polymer production expected by 2040 may disappear due to circular economy (CE) initiatives. In addition, due to the growth in wind turbines and solar panels, and in lightweight composite materials in cars and planes, advanced materials waste is just beginning.
A new liquid-phase isomerization process for xylene loop debottleneck and energy savings
In a typical xylene loop, C<sub>8</sub> aromatics are fractionated out of a heavy reformate C<sub>8</sub>+ aromatics stream and collected in the xylene column overhead. Then, paraxylene (PX) from the C<sub>8</sub> aromatics stream is recovered as product—usually by an adsorption or crystallization process—in the PX recovery section.
IMO 2020 stability and compatibility headaches
The year 2020 will be a mess from the fuel oil stability and compatibility points of view. The year will be price-driven, so the temptation to “cut corners” is great—meaning that a highly variable number of blend components to manufacture the fuel oil will open a “Pandora’s box” of complex and questionable fuel formulations.

- LyondellBasell to sell select European petrochemical assets to AEQUITA 6/9
- Shell reports June 4 fire at ethylene cracker plant in Pennsylvania (U.S.) 6/9
- Plug Power, Allied Green Ammonia partner for $5.5-B, 2-GW electrolyzer project to produce SAF, green urea and green diesel 6/9
- Carbon Clean, MODEC to accelerate the scale-up of CycloneCC for offshore carbon capture 6/9
- Ebara Elliott Energy signs high-speed balancing bunker agreement to expand Middle East footprint 6/9
- Rotork joins Rockwell Automation’s Technology Partner Program 6/9