Europe
Update temperature control for a Claus unit with neural networks
The Natref oil refinery in Sasolburg, South Africa, had experienced refractory problems in the sulfur recovery unit’s (SRU’s) combustion chamber since startup (Fig. 1). Even though the SRU w..
HP Reliability: Maintain proficiency in root-cause-failure analysis
Earlier in the year, the author attended a series of client and organizers’ presentations at the 2013 TapRooT Summit in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. TapRooT is a structured failure analysis and trouble..
HP Integration Strategies: Operational integrity management at Statoil
Asset-intensive industries continue to suffer from unplanned downtime, failure to meet planned production rates, and too many safety and environmental incidents. Until companies can manage and mitigat..
HP Automation Safety: MTTR: Reality vs. calculation
Many reliability engineers trained before IEC 61508 know the acronym MTTR as “mean time to repair.” I certainly learned that definition. Naturally, I think of the time it takes to repair som..
HP Industry Perspectives: Is it too early to be optimistic for 2014?
The increased availability of natural gas supplies are redefining energy conditions. New natural gas reserves are shifting the order for producing nations. Shale gas reserves, once difficult to extrac..
Chemicals group Clariant opens German R&D hub
The new center will house the departments for intellectual property management and new business development. As the corporation’s global hub, the CIC will ensure the coordination of Clariant’s world-wide R&D network, which includes centers across Europe, North America, Brazil, Japan, India and China.
Osaka Gas Chemicals to acquire Jacobi Carbons
Jacobi is the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of coconut shell activated carbon. The transaction, which has an enterprise value of $400 million, is expected to close in January 2014.
Shell selects Wood Group for engineering services on Scotland gas, NGL plants
Wood Group employs around 500 people under this contract and provides project management, engineering, construction, commissioning, maintenance support and supply chain management services. Wood Group will also be providing fabric maintenance services, as part of the new contract.
INEOS inks deal to save Grangemouth refinery
INEOS will imminently restart its Grangemouth refining and petrochemical complex in Scotland after local trade union Unite agreed to the company's survival plan.
Methanex to sell 10% stake in Egypt methanol JV
The methanol facility started commercial operations in 2011. The plant is located in Damietta, Egypt, on the Mediterranean Sea and is among the most energy efficient methanol plants in the world. The plant, which can produce 1.3 million tpy of methanol, supplies both local and global methanol markets.
- Indonesia allocates 15.65 MM kiloliters of biodiesel for 2026 12/23
- Egypt, Qatar's Al Mana Holding sign $200-MM SAF deal 12/23
- China's teapots boost Russian ESPO buying amid record discounts 12/23
- Bahrain's BAPCO sends first diesel cargo to Australia in 2.5 yrs 12/23
- Asia oil floating storage seen declining on lower exports, China buying 12/23
- Gazprom in talks with Hungary's MOL over NIS stake sale 12/23
