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Meeting changes in plant production targets
Apr-2007
Overview of a syngas plant automatic load controller shows how reliability is maintained. The functionality built into the plant automation concept allows ...
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Improved distribution of spent catalyst
Nov-2019
Application of a newly designed spent catalyst distributor improves spent catalyst distribution, coke combustion and bed temperatures in the FCC.
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Cutting the cost of refinery process control and CEMS gas analysis
Aug-2020
Developments in equipment functionality to reduce maintenance costs, innovative service delivery which can enable outsourcing and an array of digital solutions ...
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Molecular management for refinery-petrochemical complexes
Aug-2020
Designing a digital twin for process simulation of an integrated complex enables enhanced molecular management to deliver higher margin.The future comprises ...
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Ultra low sulphur analysis in liquid petroleum using MWDXRF
Jan-2018
Tougher regulations are challenging refiners to produce higher quality products while trying to maximise efficiency.
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Measuring level in a molten sulphur pit (TIA)
Nov-2018
Not every level measurement application is straightforward. In some instances, the nature of the substance being measured creates a hostile measurement ...
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Revamping advanced process control
Jul-2014
A programme to update a refiner’s APC systems employed a novel approach to the way new controllers are developed and existing controllers are mainta ...
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Optimised maintenance maximises PSA unit availability (TIA)
Jan-2016
The availability of a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit was becoming a major concern for a French refinery in 2009.
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Explosion protected portable flow metering - (TIA)
Apr-2015
Ruhr Oel refineries in Germany are among the first to employ the world’s first ATEX-certified portable flowmeter, the F Fluxus F/G608 from Flexim.
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Online chlorine analyser for crude oil and petroleum process streams
Jul-2017
Residual chlorine content in desalted crude oil streams can be a serious issue due to its highly corrosive nature. Online monitoring of chlorine has an ...
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Splitting distributed control for a 
refinery expansion
Jul-2015
A refiner’s expansion plan required a second distributed control system, achieved by splitting the original system without a shutdown
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Helium supply: scarcity prompts the search for alternatives
Nov-2013
Helium is a finite resource and, along with fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and natural gas, reserves of this noble gas are noticeably dwindling.
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Dec-2015
Why is elevated vibration during surge often absent from the data collected by the online vibration monitoring software?
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Online real-time optimisation helps identify energy gaps
Oct-2010
Real-time supervision of a refinery’s energy system enables optimisation of its fuel consumption and emissions levels
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Driving refining change: Part 1
Jun-2014
A look at how automotive emissions legislation and the drive for energy sustainability are impacting the refining industry.
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Evolution of a digital twin Part 1: the concept
Feb-2020
A two-part article provides a step-by-step introduction to the concept, construction and application of a digital twin for the lifecycle of an ethylene ...
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Refinery protection with gas detection
Apr-2020
Based on several recent M&A transaction valuations it is fair to say that the price tag of a medium-sized, medium-complexity refinery in Europe is in the ...
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Using a commercial process historian for full-featured machinery condition monitoring
Nov-2015
Can a commercial process historian be used to replace stand-alone condition monitoring software — including acquisition and display of high-speed vibration ...
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APC2: aligning people with control
Jul-2012
A lead practitioner explains how refinery-wide involvement of people underpins a major advanced process control programme
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Operator training simulator accelerates learning (TIA)
Jan-2016
As technology becomes more complex and companies strive to do more with fewer personnel, having a highly skilled workforce is paramount.
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Driving refining change: part 2
Sep-2014
A look at how automotive emissions legislation and the drive for energy sustainability are impacting the refining industry.
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Minimising product giveaway (TIA)
May-2019
Refiners are responsible for controlling their blends of gasoline and diesel fuels to meet specifications for multiple parameters.
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Machine learning in asset maintenance
Jun-2018
Application of machine learning to asset performance management marks a transition from estimated and statistical models towards measured patterns of ...
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Decarbonisation, electrification and the case for modern electric process heaters
Jul-2020
Companies in liquified natural gas (LNG) and other industries have been taking bold steps to reduce their carbon footprint.
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Packed bed performance analytics
Jun-2018
Advanced analytics introduce a numerical and easily understood approach to tower gamma scanning.
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Advanced process control in FCC and hydrocracking units
Apr-2015
Implementation of advanced process control of two major units produced significant savings with short payback times
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Three ways to effectively monitor total chlorine in liquid hydrocarbons
Feb-2018
Corrosion at petroleum refineries is a critical problem all over the world. In the United States alone, NACE International, a professional association ...
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Process flow determines coker 
heater performance
Jun-2018
Uniform tube metal temperature resulting from a change in process flow enhances the run length of a delayed coker heater.
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Jun-2023
Following an incident at a refinery, design modifications made to compressors means any future explosions will be prevented.
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Artificial intelligence for refiners
Jan-2019
First define the problem, then artificial intelligence can be the way forward to higher operational efficiencies.
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Predicting process performance through an online platform
Sep-2021
Digitalisation has potential benefits across the oil and gas value chain. The InFocus™ Online Platform allows ExxonMobil Catalyst and Licensing LLC’s ...
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Digital platform for intelligent operation of fired heaters
Apr-2023
An innovative web-based tool that optimises fired heater operation and reduces carbon footprint while doing so.
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Gas and fire detection in a tankage area
Apr-2015
A new detection system in a refinery’s tankage area has transformed the level of safety in the event of gas leakage and fire
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Advanced turbomachinery controls improve ethylene plant yield
Aug-2015
Advanced integrated turbomachinery controls can significantly alleviate the suction pressure dip of a cracked gas compressor, leading to considerable yield ...
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Connected data improves refinery operations
Sep-2016
Connecting data with a common knowledge management platform improves visibility, response, and analysis to benefit refinery operations
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Model predictive control of a distillation unit
Jul-2017
In a coordinated plant process, particular attention must be paid to control of individual columns.
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Improved distribution of spent catalyst
Nov-2019
Application of a newly designed spent catalyst distributor improves spent catalyst distribution, coke combustion and bed temperatures in the FCC.
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Digital twins expanding across the downstream industry
May-2022
Advances in new-generation information technologies including big data, digital twins and smart manufacturing are becoming the focus of global manufacturing ...
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Solutions to severe service control valves
Jan-2024
Selecting the most appropriate severe service control valves is of significant importance. Control valves are an important part of the refining and chemical ...
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Advanced sulphur analysis in hydrocarbons
Sep-2017
Petra MAX™ delivers advanced D4294 sulphur analysis in addition to 12 elements from P to Zn including Ca, Fe, K, Ni, and V at sub-ppm levels for various ...
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Ultra low sulphur analysis in liquid petroleum using MWDXRF
Jan-2018
Tougher regulations are challenging refiners to produce higher quality products while trying to maximise efficiency.
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Minimising product giveaway (TIA)
May-2019
Refiners are responsible for controlling their blends of gasoline and diesel fuels to meet specifications for multiple parameters.
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Determine organic and inorganic chlorides in crude oil
Nov-2020
Although all XRF techniques are capable of only total elemental analysis, with some sample preparation, Clora, Clora with Accu-flow, Clora 2XP, and Sindie ...
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Solving the flow control challenges in ethylene: Part 1
Jan-2024
Increasing supply of plastics to meet demand while reducing emissions to hit net zero targets requires the industry to review their processes and oper ...
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What makes speciality gases so special?
Sep-2013
The complexities that go into the manufacture and handling of specialty 
gases for the petrochemical sector, which differentiate them from other ...
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Isokinetic nozzles for steam sampling
Nov-2016
The proper design of a sampling system is critical for a sample that is representative of the stream to be measured.
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Modelling catalytic naphtha reforming
Jul-2017
A data handling modelling approach is applied to predict the output performance of a heavy naphtha catalytic reforming unit
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An overview of Honeywell’s layered optimisation solution
Nov-2018
Advanced process control (APC) and real-time optimisation (RTO) tools have become necessary technologies for today’s process operating companies to compete ...
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Jul-2015
How to maximise the life cycle of control systems used in turbomachinery
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Controlling the hydrocarbon dew point of pipeline gas
Jul-2017
A key factor in selecting technology to control the hydrocarbon dew point of natural gas is the quantity of heavy hydrocarbons in the feed stream
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Precision Comparison Case Study – HDXRF® vs ICP (IP 501 & IP 621)
Jul-2020
As petroleum professionals continue to refine their production processes, products such as crude oil, residual fuel oils, and VGO can contain higher concentrations ...
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Decarbonisation, electrification and the case for modern electric process heaters
Jul-2020
Companies in liquified natural gas (LNG) and other industries have been taking bold steps to reduce their carbon footprint.
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Delek brings refineries into synchronised digital maturity
Jul-2020
Since the company was founded in the early 2000s, the business strategy at Delek US Holdings, Inc. has focused on rapid growth through acquisition of downstream ...
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Detailed hydrocarbon analysis (DHA) — past, present and future Part 1
Jul-2020
A Historical Perspective. In the 1990s, gasoline regulations were changing rapidly. Lead antiknock compounds were banned. Typical gasoline benzene levels ...
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2019: The Year of Gasoline Analysis on the VUV Analyzer™ Platform
Jul-2020
VUV Analytics™, pioneers of developing analytical tools based on vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) detection technology, is dedicated to providing fast, easy, ...
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Detailed hydrocarbon analysis (DHA) — past, present and future Part 2
Jul-2020
In part two of this series I want to focus on the future of detailed hydrocarbon analysis. If you remember my first article, I talked a little about my ...
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Bring your operation on-line and into the future with Wasson-ECE & Eclipse E-VUV
Jul-2020
Accurate, easy, and fast solutions are key for any operation to be successful. This is no more apparent than in the hydrocarbon processing (HPI) and chemical ...
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Introducing the new ASPYRE DT — now up to 2100 Amps
Jul-2020
Take your heat control system to the next level with the latest Watlow power and temperature controllers. We’re proud to introduce our new ASPYRE DT ...
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Managing a control system migration
Jul-2020
Overcoming the inherent risks of a control system upgrade relies heavily on collaborating and sharing information transparently with a systematic, integrated ...
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Cross-unit APC boosts downstream performance
Jul-2020
Manipulating advanced process control in a crude unit reduced constraints in a downstream diesel hydrotreater
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Evolution of a digital twin Part 2: Use of the digital twin
Jul-2020
A two-part article provides a step-by-step introduction to the concept, construction and application of a digital twin for the lifecycle of an ethylene ...
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Model predictive control in a lube oil complex
Jul-2020
An application of model predictive control targeted optimum performance from a refinery’s propane deasphalting unit.
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Downtime damages environmental performance too
Jul-2020
Advanced technologies can reduce the environmental impact of unexpected shutdowns.
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Jun-2020
Petcoke gasification. The chemistry of gasification fits somewhere between combustion and pyrolysis. Combustion is a high temperature reaction in an excess ...
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Heat storage in solar power plants
Jun-2020
Avoiding freezing and leakage: optimal thermal management for the use of molten salt in solar thermal power plants with concentrated radiation
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Improving level control under extreme conditions such as in FCC units
Jun-2020
Catalytic cracking is one of the most important conversion process used in petroleum refineries. It is a widely used process in the refineries for converting ...
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How to replace sensors on process heaters
Jun-2020
Process heaters, such as immersion heaters, use a range of sensor options to accurately measure and adjust the heat of a manufacturing process.
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Gas analysis in petrochemical production
Jun-2020
Accurate gas analysis is critical in the production of PTA. Purified terephthalic acid (PTA) is, together with ethylene glycol, a key component in the ...
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Fast and precise elemental screening in petroleum coke and coal
May-2020
Petroleum Coke (also referred to as petcoke), a byproduct of the oil refining process, is typically sold and used as either fuel or material for anodes ...
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Detailed how to measure chlorides in crude oil by ASTM D4929C and water extraction
Apr-2020
Organic chlorides do not occur naturally in crude oil; however, they can make their way into crude oil as a result of cleaning operations in pipelines ...
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Refinery protection with gas detection
Apr-2020
Based on several recent M&A transaction valuations it is fair to say that the price tag of a medium-sized, medium-complexity refinery in Europe is in the ...
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The business case for digitalisation in the refining sector
Apr-2020
When we use the word ‘digitalisation’ what do we really mean? Computers have been used for process control since Fortran 77 was developed in the late ...
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A reliable solution to measure chlorine in catalyst
Mar-2020
Over the years, refineries have fine-tuned their production methods to maximise efficiency while ensuring a higher-quality product.
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How watt density specifications may be holding back optimal electric heat exchanger design
Mar-2020
Typical customer specifications for a direct electric heat exchanger (DEHE) in forced convection gas applications aim for efficiency and safety given the ...
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Better predicting terminal enclosure temperature to improve heater reliability
Feb-2020
One of the most common failures in electric process heaters used in various industrial applications involves electrical terminations and not the heating ...
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Steam methane reformer tube lifecycle improvement best practices
May-2024
(White Paper) - Reformer tube life assessment can be done via online monitoring, non-destructive testing, and tube harvesting with historical operating, ...