Safety
Recommended practices for fired process heater instrumentation and control
Fired process heaters are one of the most critical pieces of equipment within many refinery and petrochemical facilities. Proper instrumentation and control of the equipment has direct bearing on the successful operation of the process, as well as on overall facility process safety.
A deeper examination of thermal expansion issues in process equipment and piping
Piping and process equipment that operate at high temperatures experience thermal expansion. If free thermal expansion is restrained, mechanical stresses are created within the component.
Through the looking glass: How US EPA regulations are changing the way we visualize methane leaks
In mid-2016, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published Regulation 40 CFR, Part 60, Sub-part OOOOa, commonly known as QuadOa. This regulation has propelled optical gas imaging (OGI) firmly into the mainstream, and presents a major shift in the way fugitive emissions are regulated and the technologies that can be used.
Process safety incidents, cognitive biases and critical thinking
Process hazard analysis (PHA) is performed to identify possible hazard scenarios that may occur in a process.
Overcome challenges of correct level reading in a petrochemical reactor
Achieving the correct level reading in a petrochemical reactor is a critical process variable in maintaining good process operations (oxidation, digestion, polymerization, crystallization, hydrocracking, hydrogenation, etc.) in the petrochemical industry.
AIChE ’17: 13th Global Congress on Process Safety
SAN ANTONIO -- Run in parallel with the AIChE Spring Meeting, GCPS also draws a large attendance and a significant number of exhibitors. Now in San Antonio for 2017, the plenary session AGILE award keynote address was “Chemical Engineers Can Do Anything” by John Televantos of Arsenal Capital Partners.
A reusable sponge could ‘revolutionize’ oil spill, diesel cleanup
CHICAGO -- Scientists at the US Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory have invented a new foam, called Oleo Sponge, that can be used to clean up oil and diesel spills in water. The material not only quickly adsorbs oil from water, but also is reusable and can pull dispersed oil from the entire water column—not just the surface.
Minimize operations risks for increased resilience, safety and reliability
According to the Roman philosopher Seneca, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” The reverse also is true, particularly in the context of safety in the process industry.
Implement proactive asset management techniques
The drop in crude oil prices since 2014 has impacted both upstream producers and downstream players. Upstream producers—those responsible for exploration, drilling and production—were the first to feel the effects. While refining margins benefitted from the drop in crude oil pricing, they began to suffer when record surpluses of gasoline and diesel flooded the market a year later.
Hybrid technique for electroslag strip cladding of critical process equipment
One of the major challenges in the oil and gas processing industry is to strike a balance among handling the changing qualities of petroleum products and byproducts, increasing the productivity and service life of critical components and reducing environmental hazards. As an example, new refineries are moving to applying conversion methods, such as hydrocracking, to increase yields, while also utilizing conventional distillation. This juxtaposition translates into a higher Nelson Index rating. Greater refinery complexity makes processing low-quality crude oil difficult, if not impossible, thereby precluding bottom-of-the-barrel products.
- Kumho Mitsui Chemicals begins operation of chlor-alkali plant using thyssenkrupp nucera technology 6/16
- MAIRE, Azerbaijan partner to increase sustainability projects in Azerbaijan 6/16
- Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, RITE partner to convert captured CO2 into methanol 6/16
- Yara Clean Ammonia supports groundbreaking ammonia bunkering pilot in Pilbara (Australia) 6/16
- Syensqo signs carbon fiber composites recycling contract with Fairmat 6/16
- OCI Global receives U.S. regulatory approval for the sale of its global methanol business to Methanex Corp. 6/16
