Petrochemicals
Viewpoint: The need for change—Why the industry is looking at crude-to-chemicals
As the world’s population increases and living standards continue to improve, the demand for energy and chemicals is stronger than ever before.
Industry Forecast: MCAA market forecast projects industry to hit $16 B by 2022
The 2017 process instrumentation and automation (PI&A) market in the US, valued at $13.4 B, is projected to grow 3.7% by 2022 to a total of $16 B.
Digital: Improve chemical production with the IoT
If chemical companies want to remain competitive and move forward in a changing world, they must rapidly adopt innovative technologies.
Ensure a truly rigorous relief valve sizing method
Pressure relief valves (PRVs) protect equipment from excessive overpressure and, in case of emergency situations, they should ensure a sufficient discharge of mass to reduce the pressure below the recommended pressure limits.
Valves Outlook
Although overall industry growth is not substantial from 2017 to 2018, it translates to $66 MM more in valve shipments for the year, which is a positive sign for the industry.
Construction
Toyo Engineering (Toyo) was awarded a contract to deliver a large-scale steam cracker complex in Malaysia.
Cybersecurity
Unfortunately, nation states appear to be launching cybersecurity attacks on other nation states.
Editorial Comment
In early June, Hydrocarbon Processing and Eni—an Italian multinational oil and gas company—hosted the annual International Refining and Petrochemical Conference (IRPC) in Milan, Italy.
Global Project Data
Hydrocarbon Processing’s Construction Boxscore Database is tracking more than 1,600 projects around the world, representing more than $1.8 T in capital expenditures.
Business Trends
It is never a good sign when a piece of equipment exhibits unsafe behaviors—such as large, unexpected vibrations, or cracks forming around instrument ports—particularly in the thermal reactor of a sulfur plant, where high-temperature gaseous streams chemically react as part of the process that produces elemental sulfur.
- CNOOC completes construction on $2.9-B, 1.8-MMtpy integrated complex in east China 8/22
- bp's Whiting refinery (U.S.) continues to flare days after severe thunderstorm 8/22
- Bachmann introduces latest version M-Target for Simulink 8/22
- U.S. to rule on biofuel waivers, but big oil refiners may need to wait 8/22
- Chinese independent refiner Hongrun buys Canadian, Brazilian crude 8/22
- Ukrainian attack suspends Russian oil flows to Hungary, Slovakia 8/22
