Economics
HP Reliability: How the best lubricant provides added value
In November 2012, a highly competent lubrication engineer and I met again at the ExxonMobil Maintenance and Productivity Improvement Symposium in San Antonio, Texas. We talked about the small, but pes..
HP Viewpoint: Refiners have a new learning curve with shale oil
We’ve all heard the news reports: “Shale resource developments have the potential to make the US energy independent for the first time since 1952.” The long-term impact of shale resourc..
HP Engineering Case Histories: Case 71: Statistical visual data can be useful in troubleshooting—Part 2
In “Case 71: Statistical visual data can be useful in troubleshooting—Part 1,” the editorial focused on how taking data and analyzing it could determine the cause for high reject rates...
HP Brief: Brief
Galveston Bay refineryMarathon Petroleum has closed its transaction with BP to purchase several assets, including the 451,000-bpd refinery located in Texas City, Texas. The refinery will be renamed an..
HP Industry Perspectives: EU leans forward on clean-fuel strategies
In late January 2013, the European Commission (EC) announced ambitious measures to ensure the buildup and standardization of alternative fueling stations across Europe. Much of the earlier EC policy i..
HP Impact: Chevron hit with hefty penalties for Richmond refinery fire
The California Division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) issued 25 citations against Chevron USA, with proposed penalties totaling nearly $1 million, for state safety st..
HP Impact: Shale gas possible catalyst for US export growth
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) recently released a report in which it stated that the US chemical manufacturing sector is one of the most important beneficiaries of the surplus of inexpensive na..
Refinery optimization: Closing the gap between planned and actual performance
Plant managers should remember that small, incremental changes can make huge differences to the competitiveness of a refinery in today's international marketplace.
New residue-upgrading complex achieves Euro 5 specifications
In late 2010, Grupa LOTOS SA completed construction of a major residue-upgrading project at its refinery in Gdańsk, Poland. Its 10+ Program was designed to unlock a step change in the facility’s long-term profitability. After two years of operating, this project has had a profound effect on the refinery’s economics.
Select new production strategies for FCC light cycle oil
Selective adjustments to FCC operating variables and catalyst quality can significantly increase LCO production, which refiners can then upgrade into diesel blendstock.
- Aster Chemicals declares force majeure at Singapore naphtha cracker 8/29
- Orlen signs 1-yr deal with Equinor for supply of 15% oil it uses 8/29
- Novatek partially resumed processing at Ust-Luga complex 8/29
- Phillips 66 to begin winding down Los Angeles-area refinery next week 8/29
- Update: Mexico's Minatitlan refinery back online, Olmeca still down 8/29
- SIBUR produces test batch of first hexane plant in Russia 8/28
