Distillation
Use APC in energy systems―Total’s Leuna refinery case study
Advanced Process Control (APC) has been used extensively to assist in operating refinery and petrochemical processes safely and profitably. However, with the constantly increasing fuel and environment..
Mitigate fouling in crude unit overhead—Part 1
In a refinery crude distillation column, up to 40% of the total heat removal may be found in the tower overhead condenser. The quantity of duty available makes heat integration (HI) between the column..
Update: Russia’s capacity and modernization program
Since 2008, Russian regulations regarding the crude oil and refining industry have changed substantially. At present, Russia has 22 large refineries, each with an individual throughput capacity exceed..
Consider accurate feed characterization with improved simulation methods
Assay definition is crucial for accurate process simulations. The performance of process simulators depends on the feed definition to the processing unit. Modern analytical laboratories can offer comp..
Optimize slop-wax bed height in the vacuum unit
The vacuum distillation (VD) unit in the petroleum refinery separates the heavier fraction of crude oil from the atmospheric distillation unit (ADU) into light vacuum gasoil (LVGO) and heavy VGO (HVGO..
HP Construction Profile: US Midwest refinery nears completion of major modernization project
In early July 2013, BP announced that it has completed the commissioning and startup of a new, 250,000-bpd crude distillation unit at the Whiting refinery, marking a major achievement in the multi-bil..
HP Boxscore Construction Analysis: Outlook for major revamp projects—Part 2
Worldwide, refiners are investing billions in upgrading and modernizing projects. These efforts are focused on:Increasing flexibility to process heavier, sourer crudesImproving energy efficiencyMeetin..
Consider catalytic dewaxing as a tool to improve diesel cold-flow properties
Diesel engines rely on effective dispersion of fuel to ensure efficient combustion. In cold weather regions, maintaining the fluidity flow of fuels can be difficult. Catalytic dewaxing is a selectiv..
How to select the ‘best’ fired heater for your operations
With the fluctuation of natural gas pricing, it is important to evaluate technically feasible solutions and choose the most economical alternative. Ultimately, this leads to a simpler and more cost-effective solution.
Optimize crude preheat train to balance efficiency and operability
Critical attention must be paid when designing the crude distillation unit (CDU) preheat train. Many pitfalls can easily lead to unnecessary expenditures or unsatisfactory operations. Key design crite..

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