Project Management
HP Forecast: 2015 downstream forecast reaches all-time high
In 2015, the HPI’s capital, maintenance and operating budgets are expected to exceed $324 B. Global announced project spending continues to surge to satisfy increasing demand for petroleum products.
HP People
The supervisory board of BASF SE appointed Sanjeev Gandhi to the board of executive directors, effective Dec. 1. Previously, he was head of BASF’s Intermediates division since 2010 and a senior v..
Is your plant vulnerable to a brittle fracture?
Much of the process equipment operating today was designed to construction codes that did not require a formal evaluation for low-temperature considerations. Metal temperature highly influences the fr..
Integrated software drives improvement in asset management, productivity
The evolution is all about connecting people, information and devices to give a holistic view of plant operations used to better manage reliability strategy and operational risk.
Increase polypropylene production via ultra-low levels of carbon monoxide—Case study
This case study investigates using ultra-low levels of carbon monoxide (CO) in propylene to increase polypropylene (PP) production. CO is a severe poison to catalyst systems for both Ziegler-Natta (Z-..
HP Engineering Case Histories: Case 81: Is consulting a possible second career for you?
Often, engineers consider becoming consultants as a second career path. This was certainly true for this author, and it occurred early during his career. Equally important, his career turned out well,..
HP Petrochemicals: PVC process gets technology and control updates
KBR has formed an alliance to sell the exclusive license for JNC Corp.’s PVC process technology, which it inherited from CHISSO Corp.’s business, a pioneer in the Japanese chemical industry.
HP Project Management: Case history: Hurdles in dismantling a vintage ammonia plant
Dismantling an ammonia plant is a daunting task under any circumstances. It is even more problematic when the facility is located in a remote place such as central Pakistan and managed by local contra..
HP Reliability: Consider technology-based specialized industrial services
Most downstream professions have heard of (or personally experienced) glitches in activities involving offshoring and outsourcing. Too often, some maintenance and purchasing agents travel the “go..
HP Industry Perspectives: More waves for marine fuels
The outlook for heavy fuel oil is not optimistic. New fuel specifications for marine bunker fuels under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) Annex VI regula..

- Indonesia's Danantara awards $8-B EPC contract for modular refinery builds 7/22
- ABB wins a contract to support the electrification of Azerbaijan oil and gas terminal facility 7/22
- Gasoline cars banned ride-hailing platforms in Beijing 7/22
- bp-chartered tanker leaves port of Nayara Energy without loading diesel 7/22
- Britain's Lindsey oil refinery to close after no buyer found 7/22
- Data and digital: TotalEnergies and Emerson sign a strategic collaboration to boost the value of industrial data 7/22