Americas
Operator response to alarms is an important protection layer
Operator response to alarms is important layers of protection (LOP). When implemented with good design, engineering and maintenance practices, an alarm can help reduce the safety integrity level (SIL)..
Key aspects of design and operational safety in offsite storage terminals
The Buncefield incident in the UK and the Jaipur fire in India stand out as major offsite storage terminal disasters in the European and Asian regions. In the Americas, a similar explosion rocked the ..
Improve benzene control
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the Mobile Source Toxics (MSAT) Rule on February 26, 2007 (40 CFR Parts 59, 80, 85 and 86). This rule required refiners to reduce the average benzen..
HP Reliability: How the best lubricant provides added value
In November 2012, a highly competent lubrication engineer and I met again at the ExxonMobil Maintenance and Productivity Improvement Symposium in San Antonio, Texas. We talked about the small, but pes..
HP Integration Strategies: Wireless sensing benefits from new technology
Wireless sensing is the most important new technology to emerge in decades for process measurement and equipment monitoring applications. For this reason alone, it has attracted the sustained attentio..
HP Viewpoint: Refiners have a new learning curve with shale oil
We’ve all heard the news reports: “Shale resource developments have the potential to make the US energy independent for the first time since 1952.” The long-term impact of shale resourc..
HP Engineering Case Histories: Case 71: Statistical visual data can be useful in troubleshooting—Part 2
In “Case 71: Statistical visual data can be useful in troubleshooting—Part 1,” the editorial focused on how taking data and analyzing it could determine the cause for high reject rates...
HP Industry Perspectives: EU leans forward on clean-fuel strategies
In late January 2013, the European Commission (EC) announced ambitious measures to ensure the buildup and standardization of alternative fueling stations across Europe. Much of the earlier EC policy i..
HP Impact: Chevron hit with hefty penalties for Richmond refinery fire
The California Division of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) issued 25 citations against Chevron USA, with proposed penalties totaling nearly $1 million, for state safety st..
HP Impact: Shale gas possible catalyst for US export growth
The American Chemistry Council (ACC) recently released a report in which it stated that the US chemical manufacturing sector is one of the most important beneficiaries of the surplus of inexpensive na..

- CNG, NOVA Chemicals collaborate to commercialize recycled polyethylene for sustainable flexible packaging 9/11
- Ecovyst announces agreement to sell its Advanced Materials & Catalyst segment to Technip Energies for $556 MM 9/11
- Toyo awarded revamp contract for gas-chemical complex in Turkmenistan 9/11
- Unified device integration roadmap solidified following FieldComm Group and FDT Group business combination 9/11
- 75% of critical infrastructure organizations endorse ‘secure by operations’ strategy to defend against OT cyberattacks 9/11
- BASF, AkzoNobel and Arkema team up to lower carbon footprint of architectural powder coatings 9/11