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Refining

Automation Strategies: Data analytics solutions require valid data

ARC Advisory Group: Rys, R.

Process plants collect enormous amounts of data, both from the sensors connected to the control system and from other sources, including edge devices in the plant and remote devices in the cloud.

Engineering Case Histories: Case 89: Cracking of welds due to weld fatigue

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

Pressure vessels, piping and fabricated structures adhering to recognized welding codes rarely fail in static loading, unless they are damaged or severely overloaded.

Industry Metrics

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Rhodes, Mike

Refinery margins weakened in the US due to lower winter demand.

People

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Rhodes, Mike

Clariant has appointed Britta Fuenfstueck as a new member of its executive committee.

Annual US gasoline use hits eight-year high, but distillate demand drops

Overall, US gasoline demand was 9.2 million bpd in 2015, the most since 2007, US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data showed on Monday.

IEA: Oil prices have bottomed, but no sharp rise

The price rally will be capped in the medium term by a potential increase in the US shale oil production once a rise in oil prices makes it profitable again.

EU urged to set 2030 biofuels target for security

Competition from cheap oil has added to the pressure on the advanced biofuel industry, which so far has only a non-binding 2020 EU target of 0.5% to guide investment.

Italy’s Eni slashes 2016 investment plans after reporting heavy losses

Eni posted a net loss in the quarter of 8.46 billion euros ($9.4 bln) on Friday after booking charges on its stake in oil service company Saipem and chemical unit Versalis.

India boosts purchases of West African crude as new refinery starts up

Traders said the startup of the 300,000-bpd Paradip refinery, which started processing oil early in February, encouraged more bookings from West Africa to India.

El Nino’s end offers hope for distillate fuel markets

Global oil refiners struggling with enormous stocks of distillate fuel oil as a result of a warm winter and the slowdown in world trade should benefit as the El Nino pattern fades.