Browse Editions : 2013
Title Author Edition
Refinery design in China

Sun Lili, Sinopec Engineering Incorporation

2013 / Q1

Poor-quality crude oils and strict environmental regulations promote the use of technologies that favour energy savings and environmental protection.
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Maximising ethane in liquids crackers

Muhammad Imran, Technip Stone & Webster Process Technology

2013 / Q1

Economics for energy and feedstock supply favour ethane feed cracking, but plant constraints must be examined rigorously before maximum ethane feeds are pursued.
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Tracking performance degradation in a debutaniser column

Ali Abdulal, Vinod Ramaseshan and Stanley Gustas III, Saudi Aramco

Horia Orenstein, Mohammad Kurdi and Andrey Gaskov, SAS Middle East

2013 / Q1

A project applying statistical and data mining techniques to historical operating data identified the root causes of a debutaniser's poor performance.
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Operator training simulator for a multi-product fuels pipeline

Santosh Alladwar, Cordell Chapman, Billy Mayo, Surajit Dasgupta and Javier Vazquez-Esparragoza, KBR

Daniel Vogt, Krohne Oil & Gas

Keone Jackman, Petroleum Company of Trinidad and Tobago Ltd

 

2013 / Q1

An operator training simulator for a fuel products pipeline system was developed and delivered before the pipeline was completed to train personnel in operations
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Refinery Operations gain from advances in digital automation

Tim Olsen, Emerson Process Management

2013 / Q1

Advances in digital automation can better enable the next generation of refinery workers to operate more efficiently, reliably and safely
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Controlling film temperature in fired heaters

Jinyu Jiao, Yuriy Morayko, Morten Theilgaard and Michael Ho, Worley-Parsons Canada

2013 / Q1

Film temperature control is critical to the successful design of fired heaters, especially for heaters employed in upgrading heavy feedstocks
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High-capacity tray for debottlenecking a crude distillation unit

Kaushik Majumder, Shell Projects & Technology

Giuseppe Mosca, Sulzer Chemtech

Kent Mahon, Refining NZ

 

2013 / Q1

Use of ultra-high-capacity trays in the most constrained section of a CDU enabled over a 50% increase in throughput at less cost than other debottlenecking options
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Steam reformers for hydrogen and synthesis gas

Norm Pelletier and Goutam Shahani, Selas Fluid Processing Corporation, a division of Linde Engineering

2013 / Q1

Modern steam methane reformer design is a complex process that needs to be carefully optimised in terms of capital and operating costs
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VDU vacuum system revamp

Ahmet Bebek, Turkish Petroleum Refineries Corporation

2013 / Q1

Revamping a VDU's vacuum system delivered operational improvements in a refinery, but also led to safer and more efficient handling of non-condensed gases
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Reducing carbon emissions with antifoulants

India Nagi-Hanspal, Mahesh Subramaniyam, Parag Shah and James Noland, Dorf Ketal Chemicals

2013 / Q1

Carbon emission regulations make refinery operation more costly, but appropriate antifoulant treatment and monitoring can reduce these costs substantially
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Towards a zero (net) carbon refinery

Michael Stockle, Foster Wheeler

2013 / Q1

Review of options for refiners to reduce the carbon emissions from their refineries.  The technologies already exist to develop a refinery that has zero net emissions
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Modular design of smaller-scale GTL plants

Kenneth Roberts, Velocys

2013 / Q1

Modularisation is opening up opportunities for GTL plants to monetise small-scale natural gas deposits both on- and offshore
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Starting up hydrotreating units with cracked feeds

Randy Alexander, Reinder Van Bruggen and Pierre Dufresne, Eurecat US

2013 / Q1

A catalyst sulphiding process enables the introduction of cracked or heavy feeds to HDS units without the recommended three-day delay following changeover
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Optimising a process scheme for platforming heaters

Adil Rehman, Suman Pachal, Shyam K Choudhary, Ugrasen Yadav and M K E Prasad, Technip KT India

2013 / Q1

Thermal imbalance resulting from an existing process scheme for CCR platforming furnaces is addressed by process schemes for distributing heat load more uniformly
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Improved hydrogen yield in catalytic reforming

Roberto Amadei, Chemical & Energy Development

2013 / Q1

A process step that sends higher-boiling C6 hydrocarbons to light tops isomerisation delivers an increase in hydrogen production from naphtha catalytic reforming
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Advances in FCC pretreament catalysis

Bill Gillespie, Alexei Gabrielov, Thomas Weber and Larry Kraus, Criterion Catalysts & Technologies

2013 / Catalysis

Performance data for a new FCC pretreat catalyst show a substantial advance in HDS and HDN activity
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New catalyst increases FCC distillate yield

Carl Keeley, Jeremy Mayol, Stefano Riva and Vasileios Komvokis, BASF Corporation, Refining Catalysts

Stephen Challis, Chalcat Consulting

2013 / Catalysis

A FCC trial with a new residue maximum distillate catalyst provided an improved yield structure at a similar fresh catalyst addition rate and rare earth level
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Best practices for SOx emissions control

Ray Fletcher, Intercat

2013 / Catalysis

Applying the key elements of experience gained since the introduction of SOx reducing additives for FCC operations
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Catalysts for hydrogen management

Ross Brunson, Uwe Flessner and Paige Morse, Clariant

2013 / Catalysis

Use and optimisation of high-performance catalysts are an important tool to increase hydrogen supply in a refinery
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Extending the lifecycle of hydroprocessing catalyst

Roland Hoffman and Bob Leliveld

2013 / Catalysis

The economic downturn has put pressure on refiners to look for opportunities to reduce expenses and maintain margins, particularly with their catalysts
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Predicting FCC unit performance with laboratory testing

Kenneth Bryden, Grace Catalysts Technologies

2013 / Catalysis

Proper simulation of e-cat and reaction conditions is critical for modelling future FCC unit operations
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Refining refiners' spent catalysts

B J Stephan, Gulf Chemical and Metallurgical Corporation

2013 / Catalysis

Spent catalyst is the raw material for a recycling opreation that delivers fresh catalyst and specialist metals
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Tackling the gasoline/middle distillate imbalance

Marielle Gagniere, Annick Pucci and Emilie Rousseau, Axens

2013 / Q2

An oligomerisation technology can produce a significant increase in middle distillate production
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Strategies to control sediment and coke in a hydrocracker

Marco Respini, Silvia Ekres and Bruce Wright, Baker Hughes

Robert Zajdlik, Slovnaft

2013 / Q2

Fouling control techniques enabled an ebullated-bed resid hydrocracker to operate at high severity while the rate of fouling of critical areas was controlled
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Simulation of bitumen upgrading processes

Anton Alvarez-Majmutov and Jinwen Chen, CanmetENERGY, Natural Resources Canada

Mugurel Munteanu, WorleyParsons

2013 / Q2

Two bitumen upgrading processes currently used in the Canadian oil sands industry were investigated using modelling and simulation techniques
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Insulating tank terminals

Peter Boon, Pentair Thermal Management

2013 / Q2

Energy-efficient tank insulation systems result in lower energy costs, less maintenance, and a prolonged lifespan of contents and equipment
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Understanding thermal oxidisers

Peter Pickard and Kevin McQuigg, Zeeco

2013 / Q2

Dealing with common misconceptions on the design of vapour and liquid waste thermal oxidiser systems
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Diagnostic tools and control parameters for refinery heaters

Yahya Aktas, Hakan Oguz, Guray Aksu, Dogus Uzun and Muammer Sever, Tupras Izmir Refinery

2013 / Q2

To optimise or manage furnace operation more effectively and safely, engineers and operators need to understand and control the entire process.
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Minimising the cost of hydrogen production

Lorena Mosca, Palma Contaldo, Menica Antonelli and Paola Volpi, Tecnimont KT

2013 / Q2

Feed and fuel costs or the demand for export steam drive the choice of plant architecture and operating parameters in SMR hydrogen production
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Options for biojet fuel

Jitendra Kumar Satyarthi, Chiranjeevi Thota, Gokak Dattatraya Tammanna Shastry and Poyyamani Swaminatha Viswanathan, Bharat Petroleum Corporation

2013 / Q2

A refiner reviews the available technologies for introducing drop-in jet fuel production
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HCN emissions in fluid catalytic cracking

Xunhua Mo, Bart De Graaf and Paul Diddams, Johnson Matthey

2013 / Q2

Increased attention to refinery emissions of hydrogen cyanide requires detailed understanding of its formation and conversion in the FCC regenerator
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Oil/water separation technologies

Berthold Otzisk, Kurita Europe

2013 / Q2

Where stable emulsions cannot be removed mechanically, the application of demulsifiers, coagulants and flocculants accelerates the separation process
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Customised tower design

Darius Remesat and Michael Krela, Koch-Glitsch Canada

2013 / Q2

To save project costs, the distillation towers for a new refinery were designed to meet process design objectives using best available technology
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Sour water strippers: design and operation

Norman Lieberman, Process Improvement Engineering

2013 / Q2

Simpler, more cost-effective sour water stripper designs can outperform more generally accepted designs in the refining industry
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Online cleaning: a mindshift for improving operational excellence

Marcello Ferrara and Justin Weatherford, ITW

2013 / Q2

A patented method of chemical cleaning can reduce downtime arising from severe fouling in process units
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Lessons learned from MPC revamp of two naphtha crackers

Vanessa Conz, Suzana Fuchs and Priscila Macedo Moura, Braskem

Mark Darby, CMiD Solutions

Doug Nicholson, IPCOS (UK)

2013 / Q2

A project overview includes changes made at the regulatory and advanced control level, and results obtained.  Techniques and tools used in the project are highlighted
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Energy-efficient vacuum systems

C Chandra, Sekhara Reddy and S V Naidu, Andhra University

G P Rangaiah, National University of Singapore

2013 / Q2

Case analysis of the techniques available to reduce energy consumption in vacuum systems reveals the potential for cost savings
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Mercury removal processes

Neil Eckersley and David Radtke, UOP, a Honeywell Company

Leon Rogers and Shawn Brennan, Enterprise Products

2013 / Gas

A careful evaluation of the options for removing mercury from natural gas plant feed and product streams is a prudent exercise
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Solubility of hydrocarbons and light ends in amines

Nathan Hatcher, Clayton Jones and Ralph Weiland, Optimized Gas Treating Inc

2013 / Gas

Modelling procedures predict with considerable certainty what the expected hydrocarbon content of an amine solution in a gas processing plant ought to be
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Industrial gases support the natural gas production chain

Stephen Harrison and Ernst Miklos, Linde Gases

2013 / Gas

The contribution of industrial gases across the petrochemical processing spectrum is crucial to performance and safety
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Formulated solvent reduces shale gas processing costs

Robert L Dotson, Dow Oil, Gas & Mining

2013 / Gas

A gas treating facility is upgraded to a formulated solvent to achieve reduced operating costs compared with operations using a commodity amine blend
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Qatar's LNG industry

Meghna Bahl and Sandeep Kumar, Fluor

2013 / Gas

LNG provides an economic means to transport natural gas over long distances.  Resources and technology have enabled Qatar to become a leading exporter
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Flame interaction and rollover solutions in ethylene cracking furnaces

Rex k Isaacs, Zeeco

2013 / Gas

During plant expansion or construction of new facilities for olefins plant, it is important to keep in mind the interactions of flame, fuel and lower emissions
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Steam reforming natural gas containing higher hydrocarbons

Vishwas Deshpande and Subrata Saha, Reliance Ports & Terminals Ltd

2013 / Gas

A method is described for estimating reformed gas composition in a primary reformer when the feed is a natural gas containing higher hydrocarbons
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Towards a zero gasoline production refinery: part 1

Blasis Stamateris, Foster Wheeler

2013 / Q3

Integrating products from the steam cracker, aromatics complex and FCC unit to produce petrochemicals without gasoline may offer more attractive margins
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Refinery power failures: causes, costs and solutions

Patrick J Christensen, William H Graf and Thmas W Yeung, Hydrocarbon Publishing Company

2013 / Q3

Power outages typically lead to damaging costs for refiners.  Strategies are needed to minimise them.
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Combating green oil formation in a CCR reformer

Osman Kubilay Karan, Mehmet Asim Ay, Koray kahraman, Tupras Kirikkale Refinery
Arnaud Selmen, Axens Technology & Technical Services

2013 / Q3

The addition of a chloride adsorber guard bed solved a refiner's issues with contamination affecting a CCR reformer's rich gas compressor
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Role of fired heater safety systems

Nikki Bishop and David Sheppard, Emerson Process Management

2013 / Q3

A fully automated burner management system operating as a SIS burner control can meet minimum safety targets, improve system availability and lower costs
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Manufacturing execution systems for the refining industry

Marty Moran, AspenTech

2013 / Q3

Real-time data and decision support tools provide access to plant information to enable a timely response to production issues
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Advances in engineering and design technologies

Simon Bennett, Aveva

2013 / Q3

3D technology is moving out of the design office to transform the entire asset lifecycle
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A novel approach to cleaning furnace coils

Rupali Sahu, Shyam Kishore Choudhary, Ugrasen Yadav and M K E Prasad, Technip KT India

2013 / Q3

A modified pigging operation aims to greatly reduce the time required for coke removal from furnace coils
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Extending gasification runtime with antifoulant

Berthold Otzisk, Kurita Europe

2013 / Q3

When fouling is observed in the syngas cooler, an antifoulant programme can provide a gasification unit with an extended runtime.
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Improving reliability and efficiency in centrifugal pumps

Geoff Lewis, DuPont

2013 / Q3

Conversion of metal pump wear parts to advanced composite materials can lead to substantial annual cost savings
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Oil sands-derived feed processing

Max Ovchinnikov, Josiane Ginestra, Dorian Rauschning, Bill Gillespie and Kevin Carlson, Criterion Catalysts & Technologies.

2013 / Q3

Processing crudes derived from oil sands requires a good understanding of the facility, and of the sources and processing requirements of the available crudes.
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Predicting catalyst liftime

S Reza Seif Mohaddecy, Sepdhr Sadighi, RIPI

2013 / Q3

A simulation model compares accurately with actual operating data to provide reliable predictions of catalyst lifetime in naptha reforming
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Additives provide flexibility for FCC units and delayed cokers

Alan Kramer and Raul Arriaga, Albemarle Corporation

2013 / Q3

A proprietary additivie applied to a novel coker process increases the liquid yield from delayed coking
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Preventing ingress of HCN into amine systems

Ralph Weiland, Nathan Hatcher and Clayton Jones, Optimized Gas Treating Inc

2013 / Q3

Simulation studies provide guidelines on how to avoid contamination of refinery amine systems by hydrogen cyanide
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Optimised hydrogen production by steam reforming: part 2

Kedar Patwardhan, Sanke Rajyalakshmi and P Balaramakrishna, Larsen & Toubro

2013 / Q3

Emerging technologies for hydrogen production from steam reforming are modelled.
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Corrosion control with high-acid crudes

India Naghi-Hanspal, Mahesh Subramaniyam and Parag Shah, Dorf Ketal Chemicals

2013 / Q3

Appropriate corrosion control strategies help refineries to profit from discounted high-acid crudes
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Chemical analysis in amine system operations

Scott Waite, Arthur Cummings and Glen Smith, MPR Services 

2013 / Q3

The array of contaminants that can disrupt the operation of alkanolamine systems needs to be precisely characterised and analysed. This digital version of the article includes the extensive table providing a 'reconciliation of analytical methods and their reports' referenced in the print edition.
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Improving the distillation energy network

Soun Ho Lee, GTC Technology

Kwang Gil Min, GS Caltex Corporation

2013 / Revamps

Energy -efficient design applied to the refit of a distillation unit was achieved through optimisation between the distillation column and heat network system
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Strategies for improved naphtha processing

Mike Armstrong and Martin Brandt, Jacobs Consultancy

2013 / Revamps

To take advantage of dilbit from Alberta and light oils from shale formations, refiners must develop a strategy for processing additional naphthas and light components
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Laser surveying a revamp

Gary Farrow, AVEVA

2013 / Revamps

Efficient project workflow in a revamp can be achieved using 3D design technology that integrates with laser scan and engineering data sources.
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Retrofitting a glycol contactor to prevent carryover

Anne Phanikumar and Yang Quan, Sulzer Chemtech Switzerland

2013 / Revamps

A revamp of glycol contactor column internals, following CFD studies, resolved problems with gas production caused by glycol carryover
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Reactor effluent air cooler safety through design

Eric Lin and Peter Risse, Chevron Lummus Global

2013 / Revamps

Quality-controlled replacement of carbon steel with Duplex 2205 for revamps can increase the service life and reliability of the REAC in the high-pressure loop
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Wet scrubbing modifications to reduce emissions

Edwin Weaver and Nicholas Confuorto, Belco Technologies Corporation

2013 / Revamps

Modifications to existing wet scrubbing systems for FCC units can readily be made to achieve additional reductions in particulates, SO2 or NOx
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Online cleaning of an integrated distillation unit

Mariusz Holowacz and Rafal Zaprawa, Grupa Lotos

Marcello Ferrara, ITW

2013 / Revamps

Online cleaning technology was validated during a scheduled turnaround at the second largest refinery in Poland
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Towards a zero gasoline production refinery: part 2

Blasis Stamateris, Foster Wheeler, UK

Dan Gillis, Foster Wheeler, USA

2013 / Q4

Refinery configurations can suit various processing objectives, such as variations to the propylene-to-ethylene ratio and production of middle distillates and aromatics
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Minimising transfer line vibrations

Rahul Patil, Randheer Yadav, Ajay Gupta and Asit Das, Reliance Industries Ltd, Jamnagar

2013 / Q4

Computational fluid dynamics was used effectively to solve start-up problems in a transfer line
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High-acid crude processing enabled by unique use of computational fluid dynamics

Dr Collin Cross, GE Water & Process Technologies

2013 / Q4

A methodology for applying CFD enables faster identification of pipe elements that are the most vulnerable to attack by high-acid crudes
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Processing strategies for metallic and high-acid crudes

Vivek Srinivasan, Mahesh Subramaniyam and Parag Shah, Dorf Ketal Chemicals

2013 / Q4

Refiners can minimise the risk of processing crudes that are acidic with high metals content through innovative treatment chemistries
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Maintaining reliability when processing opportunity crudes

Eric Vetters and Dannie Clarida, CorrMat International

2013 / Q4

A risk-based approach that considers crude oil corrosivity can allow refiners to safely and reliably process increasing levels of opportunity crude
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How glycols affect acid gas removal

Torsten Katz, Georg Sieder and Justin Hearn, BASF SE

2013 / Q4

How to control the amine unit's full acid gas capture performance over time and so avoid operational surprises involving glycol build-up
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Extending the treatment of highly sour gases: part 1

Francois Lallemand, Gauthier Perdu and Laurent Normand, Prosernat

Claire Weiss, Total EP

Julia Magne-Drisch and Sebastien Gonnard, IFP Energies nouvelles

2013 / Q4

The removal of acid gas components from highly or super-sour gases requires the optimum choice of process
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Gasification for hydrogen supply

Max-Michael Weiss, Helmut Heurich, Delphine Roma and Stefan Walter, Air Liquide Global E & C Solutions/Lurgi GmbH

2013 / Q4

Integrating the gasification of liquid residues into a refinery balances the hydrogen demand of hydroprocessing units
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Catalyst raises kero-treating performance

Woo Kyung Kim, SK Innovation

Jessy Trucko and Eric Baker, UOP, A Honeywell Company

 

2013 / Q4

The activity and stability of a replacement catalyst in a kerosene treater enabled a refiner to process difficult-to-treat condensate in greater quantities
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Refinery power failures: causes, costs and solutions: part 2

William H Graf, William F Vukovich and Thomas W Yeung, Hydrocarbon Publishing Company

2013 / Q4

Technologies are discussed to help refiners formulate strategies in managing risks and crisis due to emergency shutdowns, thereby minimising financial loss
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Heat integration projects for refining processes

Alisan Dogan, Turkish Petroleum Refineries Corporation

2013 / Q4

Heat integration projects can deliver substantial savings, but they require detailed simulation and case-specific heat integration analysis
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Applying pinch technology to energy recovery

Farbod Rikhtegar, Iranian Fuel Conservation Company

Sepehr Sadighi, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry

2013 / Q4

A pinch technology-based study of heating and cooling of material streams in a large-scale olefins plant identifies major opportunities for energy savings
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Multistage reaction catalyst with advanced metals tolerance

Yves-Alain Jollien, Tamoil

Jeremy Mayol, Vasileios Komvokis and Carl Keeley, BASF

2013 / Q4

The metal trapping capabilities of a catalyst gave a refiner greater flexibility to upgrade heavy residue feed with increased metals content in its RFCC unit
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Mitigating fouling in the caustic tower

Hua Mo and David Dixon, Baker Hughes

Lowell Sykes, Westlake Vinyls

2013 / Q4

Comprehensive analysis of foulants in an ethylene plant's caustic tower led to the identification of an effective treatment programme
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Gasoline benzene reduction

El-Mekki El-Malki and Benjamin Umansky, ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Co

Erik Moy, Grant Donahoe and Timothy Thom, Badger Licensing

2013 / Q4

By adding a new unit that reacts a benzene-rich stream with light olefins, a refiner complied with current regulations for benzene and achieved a payback in 20 months
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