Maintenance & Reliability
Risk mitigation procedure following criticality assessment and FMEA
In asset performance management (APM), criticality assessment and failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) are powerful tools that enable the identification of opportunities to minimize asset lifecycle costs during the development of equipment strategies.
Process control reimagined
Imagine visiting the control room of a typical process unit at a refinery.
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.
Thick-wall reactor shell repair procedure after damage detection at an interface in a hydrocracking unit
The vessel and reactor operating in a refinery may undergo various deteriorations due to their operating conditions.
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.
Engineering Case Histories: Case 112: Remote failure analysis consulting
An article on “Remote training of personnel”1 is interesting and appropriate at this time of COVID-19. It outlines the difficulties in presenting remote training courses and suggests methods that can help.
Reliability: Taking ownership of problems
Taking ownership of issues during a critical or troubling time is just as important as assuming responsibility during times of opportunity and benefit.
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).

- Pengerang Terminals to provide storage and handling facilities for biorefinery feedstocks and products 7/31
- Indian state refiners pause Russian oil purchases 7/31
- PBF Energy partially restarts Martinez (U.S.) refinery, posts smaller-than-expected quarterly loss 7/31
- Key Asian fuel exporters boost jet fuel sales to Europe in July 7/31
- Vopak to expand biofuels storage capacity in Malaysia terminal JV 7/31
- China's Shandong Yulong Petrochemicals to invest > $16 B to incorporate petrochemicals production at Yantai refinery 7/30