Environment & Safety
Consider advanced technology to remove benzene from gasoline blending pool
As more regions increasingly adopt clean-fuel regulations, the challenge for refiners is to meet these tightening gasoline specifications for benzene cost-effectively without significant octane loss.
Venice’s biorefinery: How refining overcapacity can become an opportunity with an innovative idea
Eni invested in an innovative project involving the conversion of the existing refining scheme of its Venice refinery into a “green cycle” to process very high-quality biofuels starting from biological feedstocks.
HP Integration Strategies: US biodiesel industry regains momentum
According to the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) trade organization, the US biodiesel industry produced more than one billion gallons (B gal) of biodiesel fuel in 2011, surpassing the 800 million gallo..
HP Viewpoint: Interview with UOP
Hydrocarbon Processing had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Rajeev Gautam, president and CEO of UOP, A Honeywell Co., and discuss several high-level factors impacting the global hydrocarbon processing..
HP Automation Safety: It’s all about the safety PLC—not!
Focus on the big safety improvements and the real problems. This fundamental concept applies to many tasks in addition to functional safety.
HP Impact: A big market for catalytic and thermal treatment
In 2013, just under $26 billion will be spent to remove carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and particulate carbon from stationary and mobile sources. Ninety-two percent of the market purchase..
HP Industry Perspectives: Energy industry expects approval on the Keystone XL
With US President Barack Obama’s second four-year term now secure, most in the global hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) expect the Obama administration to ultimately approve the controversial..
California safety board fines Chevron $1 million for Richmond refinery fire
The Richmond refinery fire in August lasted for hours, sending plumes of black smoke over the San Francisco Bay and causing an estimated 15,000 local residents to visit emergency rooms. An investigation into the fire is ongoing but so far has focused on a corroded pipe leading from the main CDU.
EPA proposes near 9% increase in 2013 for US renewable fuels mandate
The agency said it intended to require US refiners and fuel importers to use a total of 16.55 billion gallons of renewable fuel during 2013, compared to 15.2 billion gallons last year. As in previous years, the lion's share of that mandate is expected to be met with ethanol made from Midwestern corn.
BP names new head of safety, operational risk
Bob Fryar, who is executive vice president for production in BP's upstream business, will take up his new position from Feb. 15. The role includes oversight for security. He will take over from Mark Bly, who has headed BP's safety functions since March 2008 and who plans to retire from BP in the summer.

- CNOOC completes construction on $2.9-B, 1.8-MMtpy integrated complex in east China 8/22
- bp's Whiting refinery (U.S.) continues to flare days after severe thunderstorm 8/22
- Bachmann introduces latest version M-Target for Simulink 8/22
- U.S. to rule on biofuel waivers, but big oil refiners may need to wait 8/22
- Chinese independent refiner Hongrun buys Canadian, Brazilian crude 8/22
- Ukrainian attack suspends Russian oil flows to Hungary, Slovakia 8/22