Petrochemicals
Central America: A downstream outlook to 2020
Due to the growth in the region’s middle class, Latin America has seen tremendous petroleum products demand growth over the past decade.
Determine fouling margins in tubular heat exchanger design
Fouling, which is caused mainly by the deposition and accumulation of an undesired layer of solids on a heat transfer surface, is very common in tubular heat exchangers.
Improve refinery flexibility and responsiveness
The hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) has changed significantly with an abundance of available discounted crude oils, a rise in markets served beyond the traditional local or regional demands, and a renewed focus on being both competitive and profitable while complying with ever-changing regulations.
Proposed US water definition may alter future of HPI
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) proposed Rule 33 CFR Part 328, a regulation intended to redefine and clarify the reach of the EPA’s jurisdi..
HP Automation Safety: Conducting audits to confirm safety standard compliance
The ISA 84 (IEC 61511) standard on safety instrumented systems (SISs) in the process industries states that assessments and audits are required to determine that functional safety has been achieved and maintained.
HP Global: First phase of Middle East refinery projects nearly complete
The first phase of new refining capacity in the Middle East has already come onstream, with more than 1.1 MMbpcd of incremental capacity in Saudi Arabia (at SATORP and YASREF refineries) and the UAE (..
HP Business Trends
To satisfy its growing refined fuel demand, Latin America has relied heavily on imports from the US. Major refinery projects have been announced to curb this reliance, but the drop in crude oil prices has limited capacity expansions.
HP Industry Metrics
The US product market continued to reflect a surge in domestic gasoline demand, allowing gasoline cracking spreads to hit levels not seen in more than two years.
HP People
Golnar Motahari Pour has been named to succeed Gerard de Reuver as president of DSM Dyneema.
New projects decline, but backlog holds strong
Even after the recent downturn in oil and natural gas pricing, our analysis shows why downstream E&C companies can depend on a strong backlog to last through the decade.
- Brazil's Petrobras to invest $4.8 B in integration between Reduc refinery and Boaventura complex 7/8
- Braskem completes first sale of circular polyethylene in South America 7/8
- bp's 440,000-bpd refinery in Whiting, Indiana (U.S.), reported flaring due to operational conditions 7/8
- UK's insolvent Lindsey oil refinery secures some crude supply to keep running for now 7/8
- Brazil's energy minister hints at possible fuel price cuts 7/8
- Marathon Galveston Bay refinery (U.S.) hydrotreater to remain shut until September 7/8
