Environment & Safety
Industry Perspectives
In the second half of 2021, Hydrocarbon Processing is hosting two events to showcase the leading technologies and people in the refining, petrochemicals and gas processing/LNG industries: The International Refining and Petrochemical Conference (IRPC) and the HP Awards. A “call for abstracts” has opened for both events.
Alarm management: A pillar of process safety management
The following describes how an adequate implementation of alarm management is a fundamental part in process safety management (PSM).
TOTAL refineries improve overhead systems corrosion and salting with amine-neutralizing technology
Weak organic amines are commonly used in crude unit overhead systems to prevent acidic corrosion from chlorides and other acidic contaminants via a neutralization reaction.
Determining the indeterminate
Standards such as API, ASME and NFPA are applied widely in the refining industry.
Design considerations when flaring ethylene oxide
The flaring of gases released from normal process vents and safety valve discharges following an overpressure scenario is widely practiced in refineries, petrochemical and chemical plants.
A solution to the IMO 2020 MARPOL Annex VI requirement
On January 1, 2020, a new requirement limiting the sulfur content of marine fuel to a maximum of 0.5 wt% went into effect.
Meeting the Tier 3 challenge with ultra-clean alkylate
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced Tier 3 gasoline sulfur standards in 2017, requiring all U.S. gasoline producers to adhere to an annual 10-ppm average sulfur limit.
Leveraging digital technologies to create the smart renewable diesel facility
Many companies are modifying existing crude refineries or building grassroots renewable diesel facilities to produce drop-in, green renewable diesel from a variety of agriculturally derived triglyceride feedstocks.
Reducing acid consumption: Maximizing sulfuric acid alkylation unit profitability
Alkylation is a process used to produce highly branched isoparaffins from the reaction of lighter olefins and isobutane in the presence of sulfuric acid as a catalyst.
Converting a petroleum diesel refinery for renewable diesel
As refiners consider renewable, low-carbon alternatives, renewable diesel—refined from agricultural products using petroleum refinery processes—is gaining traction.

- Carbon capture tops agenda at GPAE Conference 2025 6/17
- INEOS to cease phenol production at German site, cites high European energy costs and CO2 tax policy 6/17
- Petrobras signs $892 MM in contracts to complete RNEST Train 2 refinery expansion 6/17
- China's May refinery throughput at 9-month low on plant overhauls (1) 6/17
- bp completes turnaround work at 250,000-bpd refinery in Washington (U.S.) 6/17
- Japan's Eneos restarts 77,000-bpd Kawasaki CDU after unplanned shutdown 6/17