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High performance catalyst for liquid phase EB technology
Jul-1997
The EBZ-500 catalyst has raised catalyst peformance, achieving not only greater purity in the ethylbenzene produced and, consequently, in styrene monomer, ...
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How ZSM-5 works on FCC gasoline composition
Oct-2015
A study of the effect of matrix versus zeolite in the base catalyst on the composition of light and heavy gasoline fractions.
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Importance of heat maintenance in sulphur recovery units
Mar-2016
While sulphur recovery in an SRU depends on the condensation and removal of elemental sulphur, its unintended condensation and accumulation can present ...
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Anode-grade coke from traditional crudes
Apr-2010
A combination of solvent deasphalting and delayed coking is an option to minimise fuel oil production and produce anode-grade coke
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Handling mercury in gas processing plants
May-2017
Advances in the safe treatment and disposal of mercury in gaseous and liquid streams.
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Operational challenges in sour water stripping
Jul-2019
How to keep a sour water stripper at optimum performance between shutdowns.
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Using APC in refinery energy systems — develop your own solutions
Oct-2013
Advanced Process Control (APC) has been used extensively to assist in operating refinery and petrochemical processes smoothly, safely and profitably.
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Alternative routes to paraxylene production
Apr-2004
An integrated refining and petrochemical approach to paraxylene manufacture from various feedstocks, such as excess aromatics in reformate or pyrolysis ...
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Increasing catalytic reforming yields
Mar-2008
Case study where a CCR Platforming process unit increased profitability by changing to a high-density catalyst. Higher aromatic yields and the ability ...
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Delayed coker design and project execution
Apr-2002
This article presents insights into the key considerations for residue upgading and details some of the advances in technology, including online computer ...
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What is sintering in relation to catalyst deactivation and how can it be avoided? (PTQ Q&A)
Oct-2020
Response to a question in the Q3 2020 issue of PTQ
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Revamping atmospheric crude heaters
Sep-2007
Revamp of an atmospheric crude unit heater suffering from coking caused by asphaltene precipitation resulted in an increased heater run length
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Revamping crude towers for quality and yield
Nov-2016
A successful revamp of distillation towers for increased diesel quality and yield depended on reliable design and accurate assembly
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Refining/petrochemical integration 
- FCC gasoline to petrochemicals
May-2015
The global trend in motor fuel consumption favours diesel over gasoline, with gasoline often being in surplus. There is a simultaneous increase in demand ...
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Accurate front-end scope definition: the key to a successful revamp project
Mar-2014
One of the characteristics of a mature industry such as petroleum refining, particularly in the U.S., is that many capital projects are facility revam ...
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New flare technology utilising low pressure steam
Sep-2009
The American Petroleum Institute defines a flare to be a “device or system used to safely dispose of relief fluids in an environmentally compliant manner ...
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Online cleaning and decontamination of a butadiene unit
Apr-2010
Chemical treatment by closed-loop recirculation reduced cleaning time for a butadiene unit turnaround from a typical 20 days to 24 hours
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FCC gasoline and C4 streams for 
BTX production
Oct-2009
An extractive distillation process provides direct recovery of aromatics from FCC gasoline to rebalance refinery production towards higher levels of p ...
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Oct-2013
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 ...
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Steam reformers for hydrogen and synthesis gas
Jan-2013
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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Refinery power failures: causes, costs and solutions: part 2
Oct-2013
Technologies are discussed to help refiners formulate strategies in managing risks and crisis due to emergency shutdowns, thereby minimising financial ...
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Small-scale LNG — what refrigeration technology is the best?
Mar-2014
Currently, low natural gas prices are allowing multiple secondary players in the U.S. market to consider investments in small-scale LNG plants.
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Decrease catalyst costs by regeneration, analysis and sorting
Mar-2012
Use of regenerated catalyst can be maximised by careful sampling and analysis of spent catalyst to construct a reactor contamination profile
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A comparison of physical solvents for acid gas removal
Mar-2008
Physical solvents such as DEPG (Selexol or Coastal AGR), NMP or N-Methyl-2- Pyrrolidone (Purisol), Methanol (Rectisol), Propylene Carbonate (Fluor Solvent) ...
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Advanced solutions for efficient 
crude blending
Apr-2014
The use of nuclear magnetic resonance based process analysers supports the production of blends at lowest cost
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Considerations for repurposing a fuel-grade coker into a needle coker
Nov-2022
How a delayed coking unit originally designed and operated to produce fuel-grade coke could be repurposed to produce needle coke.
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Design configurations for lowering quenched coke drum venting pressure
Feb-2023
Compare the advantages when installing either an ejector or a water ring compressor for lowering coke drum venting pressure.
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Advice to my aspiring engineer: What will make you stand out?
Feb-2023
What separates the good engineers from the great? The top three traits to consider that could ensure a rewarding and challenging career in the industr ...
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Petrochemical complex digitalisation for greater efficiency and emissions reduction
Apr-2023
Concepts of automation and data exchange in manufacturing have propelled both upstream and downstream sectors into the 4.0 world, gradually extending to ...
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Refineries can reduce leak repairs by monitoring emissions
Jul-2023
Cutting oil refinery leak repair times by 80 percent through game-changing fixed, continuous emissions monitoring.
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Troubleshooting steam ejectors
Oct-2014
Some causes and practical solutions concerning problems with refinery steam vacuum ejectors
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Characterising and tracking contaminants in opportunity crudes
Jan-2014
The specific properties of contaminants in opportunity crudes affect the selection of crude slates for existing facilities and the design of revamps and ...
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Dec-2022
The Crude-to-Chemicals project is designed for world-scale petrochemicals production to deliver a flexible, bankable, and sustainable free-market inve ...
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Are produced water emission factors accurate?
Oct-2016
Rules of thumb are often used for estimating emissions from Produced Water storage tanks, especially when entrained hydrocarbons are present.
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Assessment of crude oil blends
Oct-2011
A refiner’s assessment of the compatibility of opportunity crudes in blends aims to avoid the processing problems introduced by lower-quality feedst ...
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Process and energy analysis for cost savings and CO2 reduction
Jul-2010
Applying heat pinch technology and process know-how to maximise energy savings. In an increasingly carbon-conscious market, improving energy efficiency ...
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Oct-2011
Ring distributors are a simple yet effective means of improving air/steam distribution within the FCC unit
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Effect of reactor inlet temperature 
in a hydrotreater
Sep-2018
Solving a problem of pressure drop in a naphtha hydrotreater led to fresh insights into the role of reactor inlet temperature.
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Simulation of Claus unit performance
Nov-2019
Simulating a sulphur recovery unit using a fundamental approach enables the effects of process changes on a host of performance metrics to be reliably ...
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Managing vacuum tower wash beds
Sep-2020
ThruVision™ scans monitor the rate of coking in vacuum tower wash beds to get the most out of bed productivity.
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Revamping an integrated hydrocracker and lube base oil unit
Dec-2020
Process and catalytic advances enabled large-scale expansion of an integrated unit to increase fuels and base oil production.
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Recovering hydrogen and LPG from off-gases
Dec-2020
A practical investigation devised the most effective combination of available separation technologies to recover valuable products from refinery off-g ...
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Piping and instrument diagrams: Part 2 Causes and management of change
Apr-2021
It is difficult to categorise or group the many reasons for routine or late changes to a P&ID. Some causes are listed here.
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Delivering drop-in renewable fuels
Jun-2021
A series of pretreatment, hydrotreating, and distillation steps converts fresh or used lipid based feedstocks to full range, drop-in renewable fuels.
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Co-processing renewable and recyclable feedstocks in the FCC unit
Apr-2022
As new regulations drive refiners to develop more sustainable processes to produce fuels and chemicals, they are exploring co-feeding renewable and recyclable ...
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Reduce emissions and improve refinery profitability
Mar-2023
Tools and solutions for the naphtha complex and beyond.Today, refineries and petrochemical facilities across the globe are faced with the challenges of ...
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Anti-fouling additives to improve heavy oil processing
Apr-2023
A continuous pilot testing evaluation shows how magnesium sulphonated-based nano-additive is highly effective in mitigating and reducing upgrader/refinery ...
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Simulating FCC upset operations
Feb-2024
Examples are provided of FCC upset event consequences predicted by using FCC performance simulation models.
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Mar-2012
The source of a fouling problem in a FCC CO boiler was identified by systematic analysis of fresh catalysts, additives and equilibrium catalysts
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Economics of refining catalysts
Nov-2022
Risk aversion, such as averting a dual-sourcing catalyst strategy, obstructs improved profit contribution, supply flexibility, adoption, and replication ...
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Rejuvenate profits and support sustainability with reused catalysts
Nov-2022
Rejuvenated catalysts can optimise refinery margins for cat feed hydrotreating (CFH) applications.
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Demystifying digital transformation
Nov-2022
How to automate and optimise operational processes using technology.
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Needle coke — overcoming quality challenges in a resurgent market
Nov-2022
The quality of needle coke precursors as a function of their origin and/or process is discussed against a backdrop of the drive to enhance quality, purity, ...
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Identifying the root cause of underperforming ejector systems
Nov-2022
Underperforming ejector systems illustrate the importance of the long air baffle, its proper operation, and how to quickly identify problems when they ...
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Tools for FCC unit troubleshooting
Nov-2022
Strategies, resources, and technology can help to rapidly identify potential operational problems in FCC units targeted for upgrading and optimisation ...
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Chemical cleaning and fouling removal technologies
Nov-2022
Chemical cleaning technologies for the removal of hazardous gases and problematic fouling deposits are explained.
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Safer and efficient combustion for fired heaters and boilers
Nov-2022
A technological approach to achieving efficiency improvements, CO2 emissions reduction, and parallel effects in NOx emissions control in a crude oil-fired ...
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Crude preheat train fouling and fix-up
Nov-2022
Rigorous modelling of crude preheat train exchangers allows for fouling progression of the heat exchangers to be monitored throughout the crude unit run ...
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Nov-2022
Weld peaking or out-of-roundness affecting PSAs is evaluated, highlighting the value of conducting peaking measurements to determine a PSA’s inherent ...
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Advancing industries through materials technology
Oct-2022
At the end of August 2022, following shareholder approval of a proposal presented by the Sandvik AB board of directors, Sandvik Materials Technology officially ...
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Development and commercialisation of superabsorbent polymer technology
Oct-2022
As part of the Propylene Derived Petrochemical Project (PDPP) of BPCL Kochi Refinery (KR), superabsorbent polymer (SAP) was identified as one of the value-added ...
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Smarter and safer sulphur for refinery and petrochemical plants with SULSAFE
Oct-2022
Refiners and petrochemical operators are looking for a sustainable replacement for dimethyl disulphide (DMDS), which is known to be hazardous in the i ...
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Comprehensive energy efficiency improvement and benchmarking studies
Oct-2022
Climate change due to global warming has made it obligatory for all nations to reduce their carbon emissions to save the Earth and environment and undertake ...
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Efficient and cost-effective amine purification process
Oct-2022
In refineries and gas processing complexes, H₂S and CO₂ present in the sour gases are removed using an aqueous solution of alkanolamine.
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Catalyst technologies for enhancing profitability in the energy transition
Oct-2022
Fuels derived from fossil sources have been the dominant global energy vehicle for several decades despite making inroads into alternative fuels.
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Digital transformation of component repair boosts compressor uptime
Oct-2022
Valves, packing, and other replaceable components have a key influence on the performance and reliability of reciprocating compressors.
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Precious metals: managing the markets in a changing world
Oct-2022
The metals we call ‘precious’ were originally given that title based on their beauty and rarity. They were shiny, and people have always liked shiny. ...
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Oct-2022
Most refineries are adopting cloud-enabled digitalisation to reap the benefits of technology in terms of scale-up, security, and availability of the applications ...
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Indigenous technologies pave the way for crude oil-to-chemicals transition
Oct-2022
The crude oil-to-chemicals (COTC) transition is being brought in due to growth in petrochemicals, estimated at 1.4 times GDP, which could contribute to ...
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SprayMax FCC feed injection nozzles
Oct-2022
Fluid catalytic cracking is a well-established conversion process in the refining industry in which a low-value, heavy hydrocarbon liquid is converted ...
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Recovery of ammonia from sour gases and conversion to valuable products
Oct-2022
Sour gases generated from a two-stage sour water stripping unit (SWSU) comprise mainly two types of waste stream: an H₂S-rich stream and an NH₃-rich ...
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DWC technology for improved separation and reduced CO2 emissions
Oct-2022
The two most important challenges today’s refinery and petrochemical industries are facing from a sustainability point of view are reducing carbon footprints ...
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Three steps to optimise fractionator performance with plate technology
Oct-2022
The refining industry has dealt with various challenges throughout its history, but the current pressure from a range of factors, such as energy optimisation, ...