Equipment
Process control reimagined
Imagine visiting the control room of a typical process unit at a refinery.
Innovations
What are the latest advancements in HPI technologies? This month’s Innovations section details the tools and technologies that are optimizing plant operations.
Separating from the competition: Recovering profits after the pandemic
As recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic begins, so will a return to normal life.
Good distributor design for high-velocity feed debottlenecks a crude preflash tower
Bazan Group’s crude unit No. 3—not designed by any of the authors’ companies—was bottlenecked by the preflash tower.
Vapor velocity guidelines for horizontal flare knockout drums
Flare knockout (KO) drums are important components of effluent handling systems.
How maintenance and reliability in gas analysis supports hydrocarbon processing installations
Industrial plants depend on accurate, reliable gas analysis for process control, efficiency, safety and emissions monitoring.
Isentropic effects: Application and simulation
A process safety risk in industry is having unknown problems that are not accounted for.
Quantum leap in chemical plant safety and reliability through mobile technology
The human factor has played a significant role in chemical plant accidents and production loss incidents over the past 60 yr.
Stability evaluation of hot spots in the RDS process reactor
During the end-of-run (EOR) period of the authors’ company’s residue hydrodesulfurization (RDS) process in early February 2019, some hot spots occurred in the catalysts of the reactors.
Ensuring safety in dynamic chemical manufacturing environments
As with all industries, chemical manufacturing is evolving in response to technical innovations, new customer requirements and increased global competition.

- 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