Construction
Wide design margins do not improve engineering
Engineers use design and safety factors in sizing and specifying instrumentation or major process equipment, such as pumps, valves and compressors. Design factors are applied to cover the uncertainty ..
HP Reliability: Was that a failure or ‘just a repair’?
Purists among reliability professionals are sometimes concerned about the accuracy of the measurement of the mean-time-between-failure (MTBF) of an asset. There are many ways to conduct this failure f..
HP Boxscore Construction Analysis: Russian gas: The end of a monopoly and the beginning of a new era
December 2013 saw the repeal of a 2006 law establishing Gazprom as the sole exporter of Russian gas. The amendment is part of Russia’s plan to double LNG exports by 2020 and grab crucial LNG market share in the Asia-Pacific region. However, Russia is not without stiff competition.
HP Water Management: Best practices for RO operations
Widespread use of reverse osmosis (RO) technology in industrial applications began in the late 1980s, following the introduction of polyamide materials that had a significantly higher permeate flow an..
Chemical-grade operation—or not?
The quality of transportation fuels has evolved. Earlier, the fuel quality was based on octane to power larger engines for automobiles and cetane for commercial trucks. As lead was phased out of gasol..
CB&I wins FEED work from Gazprom to develop new Russian refinery
CB&I's project scope includes FEED development for multiple new process units, including a 2 million tpy hydrocracker unit licensed by Chevron Lummus, as well as hydrogen, sulfur and other associated units.
Gazprom appoints WorleyParsons as contractor for Vladivostok LNG
The WorleyParsons portion of the project includes the FEED deliverables for two 5 million tpy LNG trains with supporting utilities and infrastructure including loading terminal topsides.
OxyChem, Mexichem choose contractor for new US ethylene cracker
CB&I was awarded the $1 billion engineering and construction contract to build an ethylene cracker with 1.2 billion lb/year of capacity at OxyChem's existing complex in Ingleside, Texas.
Optimize relief loads with dynamic simulation
Pressure relief analysis is a critical task at the engineering design stage of a grassroots oil refinery project. Relief loads must be determined so that the process units and plant flare systems can be designed.
Mitigate heat exchanger corrosion with better construction materials
Better materials can provide optimal equipment service life, reduce maintenance, mitigate contamination by corrosion products and minimize heat loss due to fouling.

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- Chevron seeks buyers for 50% stake in Singapore refinery 6/20
- Asian refiners seek more Mideast oil after spot premiums jump on Israel-Iran conflict 6/20
- Mexican authorities discover clandestine mini-refinery in crackdown of illegal hydrocarbon trade 6/20
- Italy's Eni eyes new unit to manage oil refineries 6/20
- Inatech's Techoil implemented by Flint Hills Resources for a modern, integrated future 6/20