Distillation
Thermal decomposition of particulate mercury sulfides in petroleum—Part 1
Traces of particulate mercury sulfide (HgS) in stabilized crude oils transform to elemental mercury below 400°C in refinery distillation units. The authors evaluated this transformation and measured reaction rates and activation energies in crude oil and Hg-spiked mineral oil, using glass vessels at atmospheric pressure and a microunit at 1,000 psig.
Monitoring cyclone reliability in fluid catalytic crackers
The authors’ company has developed a novel approach with a digital algorithm to effectively estimate the current cyclone erosion and predict future erosion based on operating conditions. With this approach, refiners get an automatic way to better predict abrasion lining erosion for both reactors and regenerator cyclones daily from digital analytics, thus helping refiners quantify their monitoring.
SAFFiRE Renewables breaks ground on SAF pilot plant in Kansas (U.S.)
The SAFFiRE plant, located at Conestoga Energy's Arkalon Energy facility in Liberal, Kansas, will ultimately be capable of processing 10 tons of corn stover daily, yielding cellulosic ethanol that can be upgraded into SAF with a carbon footprint at least 83% lower than conventional jet fuel.
Catalytic cracker, distillation units at Venezuela's Amuay refinery resume operations
A catalytic cracker and two distillation units at Venezuela's Amuay refinery, the country's largest, have resumed operations following a power interruption earlier this month.
China's newest refiner Yulong starts up crude unit
China's Shandong Yulong Petrochemical on Friday began starting up one of two new 200,000-bpd crude units in eastern China, marking the refinery's official launch after four years of construction.
Zeopore prepares for global production of economical, premium hydrocracking meso-zeolites
Zeopore is initiating discussions with candidate partners to jointly commercialize its unique zeolite mesoporization route. Combining improved hydrocracking (HDC), Zeopore’s optimized HDC zeolites bring 3 wt%-7wt% more middle distillates, depending on feedstock and process conditions.
Russia's idle oil refining capacity in September seen up 34% vs August
Russia's offline primary oil refining capacity in September is set to jump 34% from August due to technical outages, Ukrainian drone attacks and seasonal maintenance. Offline capacity is seen at 3.87 MMt this month, or 14.5% of Russia's total oil refining capabilities. That is up from 2.95 MMt in August.
Japan's Eneos shuts 153,000-bpd Negishi CDU for maintenance
Japan's biggest refiner, Eneos Corp., shut the 153,000-bpd crude distillation unit (CDU) at its Negishi refinery near Tokyo on Sept. 9 for scheduled maintenance.
Motiva awards Honeywell UOP a contract for Port Arthur (U.S.) aromatics project
Motiva announced that it has advanced its aromatics project by executing a license for Honeywell UOP’s aromatics technologies for a world-scale aromatics unit to produce benzene and paraxylene.
U.S. Patent Office issues 4th patent for Alternative Environmental Technologies’ Sulfex™ desulfurization tech
Alternative Environmental Technologies Holdings Corp. (AET) has just been notified of the imminent issuance by the U.S. Patent Office of yet another patent directed to its Sulfex™ desulfurization technology.

- 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