Environment & Safety
Refinery/petrochemical makeup water treatment: A general guide for technical personnel—Part 2
A very important—and sometimes overlooked—unit operation within processing facilities is makeup water treatment for steam generators and other processes. Many cases have been documented in which makeup system upsets have led to boiler tube failures that partially or completely shut down unit processes. This article serves as a guide for those employees who may be on a steep learning curve when it comes to makeup system understanding.
Thermal decomposition of particulate mercury sulfides in petroleum—Part 1
Traces of particulate mercury sulfide (HgS) in stabilized crude oils transform to elemental mercury below 400°C in refinery distillation units. The authors evaluated this transformation and measured reaction rates and activation energies in crude oil and Hg-spiked mineral oil, using glass vessels at atmospheric pressure and a microunit at 1,000 psig.
Seven tips to achieve a smoother plant turnaround
This article provides seven best practices that should be kept in mind for successful plant turnaround management.
Monitoring cyclone reliability in fluid catalytic crackers
The authors’ company has developed a novel approach with a digital algorithm to effectively estimate the current cyclone erosion and predict future erosion based on operating conditions. With this approach, refiners get an automatic way to better predict abrasion lining erosion for both reactors and regenerator cyclones daily from digital analytics, thus helping refiners quantify their monitoring.
Technip Energies and KBR selected for a major LNG project by Lake Charles LNG
Lake Charles LNG has awarded a JV between Technip Energies and KBR an engineering, procurement, fabrication and construction contract for its 16.45-MMtpy LNG export terminal in Louisiana (U.S.).
Cybersecurity: A discussion on the EU's NIS2 Directive with ABB's Global Cybersecurity Lead Tobias Nitzsche
Hydrocarbon Processing sat down with Tobias Nitzsche, Global Cyber Security Practice Lead, ABB, to discuss the European Union’s (EU’s) NIS2 Directive—the EU-wide legislation on cybersecurity—and how it will affect the hydrocarbon processing industry.
Three slightly injured in fire inside Greek oil refinery near Athens
Three people were slightly injured in a fire at Motor Oil's refinery west of Athens, Greece. The fire broke out on in refining units, forcing workers to evacuate as a column of black smoke poured across the evening sky.
SOCAR awards NEXTCHEM two contracts to upgrade/expand Heydar Aliyev refinery in Azerbaijan
SOCAR has awarded NEXTCHEM two contracts to upgrade and expand the capacity of the Heydar Aliyev Oil refinery industrial complex in Baku, Azerbaijan.
KazMunayGas begins construction on $7.4-B polyethylene complex in Kazakhstan
KazMunayGas has begun construction on a $7.4-B, 1.25-MMtpy polyethylene plant in the Atyrau region of Kazakhstan. The project will establish an oil and gas chemical industry cluster in the country’s western region.
Zeopore prepares for global production of economical, premium hydrocracking meso-zeolites
Zeopore is initiating discussions with candidate partners to jointly commercialize its unique zeolite mesoporization route. Combining improved hydrocracking (HDC), Zeopore’s optimized HDC zeolites bring 3 wt%-7wt% more middle distillates, depending on feedstock and process conditions.
- Phillips 66 greenlights new gas plant and fractionator projects, advancing integrated wellhead-to-market strategy 5/18
- OXEA and Air Liquide renew syngas and hydrogen supply agreement for Oberhausen site 5/18
- BASF boosts refinery catalyst innovation with new R&D center in Attapulgus, Georgia (U.S.) 5/18
- Aster and Puraglobe sign MoU to bring world-leading re-refining technology to Asia 5/18
- U.S. oil refiners finally profit from biofuels due to mandates, high fuel prices 5/18
- China's April oil throughput hits lowest since August 2022, inventories rise 5/18

