Maintenance & Reliability
How small deviations and lack of management access compromise reliability
In 2013, Refinery “X” was experiencing serious pump distress—the third or fourth in a 12-month period. We received calls about the latest thrust bearing failure event on this important 3,560-rpm process pump. Soon after, a surprisingly similar incident happened at Refinery “Y” in 2015. Both incidents are considered here.
Take steps to achieve lubrication maintainability
Do not accept that what the OEM delivered, or how the equipment has been configured for the past 30 years, must be maintained into the future. Optimize yourPM program and look for maintainability improvements to ensure that the right work can be performed in the right way and at the right time.
Failure prevention—The ultimate asset management strategy
The primary cause for losses and lost opportunities at refineries, chemical complexes, pipeline networks and gas processing facilities is equipment failures.
Editorial Comment: Maintenance spending to jump in 2016 as refiners catch up with turnarounds
The number of scheduled refinery turnarounds in North America is anticipated to rise this year after declining sharply in 2015, as refiners delayed maintenance shutdowns to capitalize on abundant quantities of low-priced feedstock.
Reliability: Principles are more important than strategies
A number of US oil refineries have recently asked the question, “When should an equipment repair be classified as rework?”
Reliability: Transform ODR-OPPM into a worthwhile initiative
ODR, which stands for operator-driven reliability, has recently morphed into a new arrangement of letters: OPPM.
Codes and Standards: How much fireproofing do we need?
This article is the first under the Codes and Standards series. The purpose of this series is to make readers aware of code requirements, the interpretations and the limitations as they stand today, and what engineers can do as an alternative engineering. This series is based on the actual implementation of what is narrated and the satisfactory experiences drawn.
Unipetrol shuts Litvinov refinery for planned work
The Litvinov operations in the Czech Republic were hit by a blast at the steam cracker unit last August, and the plant's refinery has been running at reduced capacity.
Improved corrosion prevention with acid-aided regeneration technology
Enhancing regeneration in amine treating systems has proven beneficial in many applications by improving operations and relieving design limitations via reduced steamrates and/or improved treating performance.
Editorial Comment: Corrosion prevention is a necessary cost
Corrosion is a major maintenance and reliability concern because it has the potential to impact not only plant operations and costs, but also the environment and worker health and safety.
- Tasnee's Saudi Ethylene and Polyethylene Co. commences planned maintenance of ethylene plant 1/2
- Advanced Biofuels Canada Association welcomes federal biofuels production incentive coming into force 1/2
- Technip Energies completes acquisition of Ecovyst’s Advanced Materials & Catalysts business 1/2
- Peru opens state-owned Petroperu to private investment after reorganization 1/2
- Brazil's Petrobras cuts jet fuel prices by 9.4% 1/2
- Norway's new car sales were 96% electric in 2025 1/2
