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Petrochemicals

Dow picks Fluor for engineering on planned Texas ethane cracker, PDH unit

Fluor’s scope includes the engineering, procurement and construction of a propane dehydrogenation unit, an ethane cracker, and associated power, utilities and infrastructure facility upgrades to support each unit. The facilities will be built at Dow's Oyster Creek facility in Freeport, Texas.

US ethylene costs sink to four-month low in April

Contributing to the recent softening price trend in ethylene was the subdued trade in polyethylene, ethylene's largest plastic derivative. Weaker prices for crude oil and other energy components left export buyers wondering if US prices for polyethylene would move lower.

Rerating rotating equipment optimizes olefins plant performance

Elliott Engineered Solutions: Renard, D.

Rerating your installed compressors and steam turbines can become a cost-effective, time-saving solution for increasing throughput without having to invest in new equipment.

Investigate power limitations in a large steam turbine

Fluor Canada Ltd.: Ghaisas, N.

An investigation was carried out to rectify power limitations for a steam-turbine driver of a cracked-gas compressor (CGC) in a world-class ethylene plant.DescriptionThe turbine is a nine-stage, impul..

Consider novel CGC and front-end depropanizer system for olefins production

Lamar University: Xu, Q.  |  Fu, J.  |  Zhao, C.

In the presented case study, an innovative design for an integrated CGC-DeC3 system introduces part of the heavier condensate from the early compression stages directly into the high-pressure (HP) depropanizer.

Enhance operation and reliability of dividing-wall columns

LG Chem, Ltd.: Lee, J. W.
Yeungnam University: Lee, M.
LG Chem.: Shin, J.
LG Chem Ltd.: Lee, S.
AMT Pacific Co. Ltd.: Lee, B.

Dividing wall columns (DWCs) are an attractive option when the goals are to reduce energy consumption and capital investment for distillation processes. A major component in a DWC system is the reflux..

HP Industry Perspectives: US-based ultra-low-sulfur gasoline rule released

Hydrocarbon Processing Staff: Romanow, Stephany

In late March, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the long-awaited ruling for ultra-low-sulfur gasoline, also known as the Tier 3 rule. This proposed rule lowers the sulfur content ..

KBR to construct Invista nylon retrofit in Texas

KBR is providing construction services for Invista next-generation nylon technology project in Orange, Texas. Under the contract, KBR will provide pre-construction and multi-discipline construction services for mechanical, equipment settings, structural steel, electrical and instrumentation.

CB&I licenses process technology for new China acid alkylation project

The alkylation unit, the first of its kind in China, will use the AlkyClean process technology partnered by CB&I's technology operating group, Albemarle and Neste Oil. It is expected to be capable of producing 100,000 tpy of alkylate. The project is scheduled for startup in early 2014.

OCI to expand Texas methanol, ammonia complex

The debottlenecking project will increase methanol capacity by 25% to 875,000 tpy. It will also raise ammonia capacity by 15% to 292,000 tpy. OCI said it will adhere to the "highest safety standards in the industry" during its expansion operations, which are expected to conclude in late 2014.