Europe
FCC 101: How to estimate product yields cost-effectively and improve operations
The feed to fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) is the most important process variable. FCCU feed has the greatest impact on operating conditions, yield and product quality. A typical FCCU feed consi..
What are the possible impacts on US refineries processing shale oils?
No singular event has had as significant an impact on the quality of refinery feedstocks as the shale revolution. Not only are shale crudes, such as Eagle Ford and Bakken, generally lighter than other..
Maximize precious metals returns from spent process catalysts
What you think you know, what you do not know, and what you should know about precious metal recovery of spent catalysts can impact your refinery’s profitability. Most hydrocarbon, petrochemical ..
Consider new online analyzers to optimize FCC operations
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and near infrared (NIR) process analyzers are highly effective in quantifying physical properties in hydrocarbons, especially where the feedstock, intermediate and final product streams are all interlinked.
HP Editorial Comment: Take a moment and breathe
“Don’t panic” is probably the best advice for the downstream industry regarding oil prices. The upstream fully recognizes the present and short-term conditions for its business.
HP Reliability: Does Pareto’s 80/20 rule apply to reliability engineers?
In the 1970s, an oil refinery discovered that 7% of its 3,200 process pumps experienced a disproportionate share of the facility’s yearly pump outage events. Slightly over 60% of the money spent ..
HP Global: 2015 outlook for oil price and its refining sector implications
What is the oil price outlook for the next 12 months? As of early January, the price of Brent has effectively halved compared to the 2014 summer peak, similar to the price collapse of 2008. However, u..
HP Petrochemicals: Update on ethylene tube coating technology
Improving the efficiency of ethylene furnaces has been a long-time goal for olefin manufacturers. The steam cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbons to yield ethylene also coproduces unwanted coke that a..
HP Project Management: Outsourcing creates opportunities beyond engineering
The present “shale revolution” has generated opportunities in the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) industry that even a few years ago would have seemed fanciful. Billions of d..
HP Viewpoint: Going our way?—How the US will benefit from natural gas and fuel cell technology
A remarkable convergence is taking place in North America, as rising natural gas production meets the growing market for both stationary fuel cells providing power to businesses and the utility grid, ..
- Valmet to acquire Severn Group to strengthen Process Performance Solutions segment 12/22
- World’s first dynamic green ammonia plant starts operations in Denmark 12/22
- Baker Hughes to supply liquefaction equipment for Commonwealth LNG export project 12/22
- South Korea petrochemical firms on track to cut up to 3.7 MM tons of output 12/22
- MOL and JERA sign HoAs for the charter of ammonia carriers 12/22
- China's November fuel oil imports up 15% from October 12/22
