Americas
Chevron Phillips Chemical CEO sees need for technical workers
Chevron Phillips anticipates hiring more than 2,800 employees over the next 6 years as it faces a surge in demand for skilled workers to replace a wave of likely retirements.
US shale gas elevates petrochemical markets
The development of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing technologies has led to the rapid exploitation of US shale gas resources. This increase in shale gas production has led to a change in the US energy mix.
Case history: Optimization of aromatics complex
Borealis Polymers executed an online optimization project at its phenol and aromatics plants in Porvoo. The plantwide application increased the output rate by 9% and greatly improved the stability of operations.
Improve the cracking of ethylene dichloride
The discovery and exploitation of shale gas in North America is providing a boost to the domestic petrochemical industry. In particular, commodity petrochemicals such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are e..
Consider new strategies in defining turnaround or construction contracts
As the use of contract labor to complete refinery turnarounds and construction projects is increasing, success of these projects hinges on the ability of owners and contractors to effectively collabor..
Major refinery uses reliable fiscal metering system
Reliance Industries Ltd., ranked 99th on the Fortune 500 list of the world’s major corporations, operates the largest refinery and petrochemical complex. Located in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India (Fig...
Improve thermodynamic equilibrium among light olefins in FCC operations
Worldwide propylene demand is strongly increasing. About 28% of the global propylene supply comes from refinery fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units. The light olefins have relative selectivity due to..
Use adaptive control to improve process operations
Refiners and chemical/petrochemical producers can now deploy APC and enjoy sustained benefits by implementing a continuous process for controller maintenance.
HP Editorial Comment: What is the future for hydrocarbons and their prices?
Have we reached peak oil, again? No; the naysayers have predicted peak oil five times already, and innovative technologies continue to overcome previous barriers and to find new methods of developing ..
HP Reliability: Small deviations can compromise equipment reliability
In 2013, a major refinery was experiencing serious pump problems. The refinery had a massive thrust-bearing failure on a critical 3,560-rpm pump. The pump was designed and manufactured by a well-known..
- BASF supports European 1,4‑butanediol supply security through increased production in Ludwigshafen 2/16
- Vitol backs proposed $3-billion LNG power plant for South Africa's Durban port 2/16
- HAMR Energy receives additional funding for low-carbon liquid fuels projects 2/16
- Suffocating Western pressure may finally force Russian oil output cuts 2/16
- SkyNRG starts construction on its first SAF plant in Delfzijl, the Netherlands 2/13
- India's Reliance wins U.S. license for Venezuelan oil 2/13

