Americas
Why don’t we properly train control engineers?
While there are managers in the process industry that see training control engineers as a “no-brainer,” these are very much in the minority. They may send staff on courses covering configura..
Consider automated fault detection systems to improve facility reliability
Automated fault detection and diagnosis systems (AFDDSs) are well established in many consumer and industrial sectors.1 The conventional limit-value based (high/low alarms) fault detection and diagnos..
Optimize desulfurization of gasoline via advanced process control techniques
This case history describes the development of the inferential models used in open-loop and closed-loop applications, laboratory and analyzer update mechanisms, and APC model generation.
Maximize diesel production in an FCC-centered refinery, Part 2
Part two of this series focuses on the selection of FCC catalysts, methods for hydroprocessing light cycle oil (LCO) and the production of diesel fuel from FCC byproducts.
Optimize sulfur recovery in dilute H2S sources
The new direct oxidation process is an economic method for sulfur recovery from low-H2S content gases, converting H2S in a gas catalytic process directly to elemental sulfur.
Identify and control excess air from process heaters
Process heaters are the largest consumers of energy in most plants. A refinery, on average, burns approximately 2 billion Btu/hr of fuel in fired heaters. The total quantity of fuel burned (heat relea..
Apply new pump-drive software to test performance
Process control schemes involving fluid-flow machinery with traditional adjustable speed drives (ASDs) or modules encounter limitations such as control flexibility and accuracy. In this context, the t..
Honeywell to buy majority share in gas technology firm Thomas Russell
The firm's UOP subsidiary has signed a definitive agreement to purchase a 70% stake in Thomas Russell Co., a privately-held provider of technology and equipment for natural gas processing and treating.
Saudi Polymers starts up commercial operations at Al-Jubail complex
The new integrated facility includes 1.22 million tpy of ethylene capacity, about 1.1 million tpy of polyethylene, 440,000 tpy of propylene and 400,000 tpy of polypropylene.
Enbridge, Suncor expand Canada oil sands terminal
Enbridge will construct a new 350,000 bbl tank at the Athabasca terminal as well as additional infrastructure including new booster pumps, meters and modifications to existing piping and manifolds. To meet Suncor's required in-service date, Enbridge began construction in July 2011.
- Indonesia's Pertamina to merge refinery, shipping and retail operations 9/12
- E20 fuel safe but curbs vehicle performance, Mahindra executive says 9/12
- Canada may drop oil emissions cap as part of new climate plan 9/12
- EU brings forward review of 2035 zero-emissions vehicles target 9/12
- Petronas delivers first local SAF to Malaysia Airlines 9/12
- Valero overhauling FCCU at Tennessee (U.S.) refinery 9/12
