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Mar-2021
Hybrid modelling combines artificial intelligence and processing expertise to develop accurate models of refining processes.
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Flow metering vacuum tower bottoms
Oct-2011
A clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter can make flow measurement at the bottom of vacuum distillation towers more reliable
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Cyber security in the refining world
Jul-2015
Protection of industrial control assets requires ongoing risk assessment, well-defined security policies and an aggressive overall strategy
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Apr-2017
Finite element analysis can be employed to improve the safety and quality of old or new designs and troubleshoot problems in the field
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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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Real-time refinery energy management
Oct-2009
An online model installed at Repsol Cartagena refinery enables optimal balance between internal energy production and demand
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Predicting middle distillate properties
Apr-2019
Development of on-stream correlation models to predict cloud point, flash point and freezing point and increase production of on-spec jet fuel using a ...
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Real-time downstream dashboard
Oct-2010
Real-time infrastructure enabled an organisational transformation to achieve integration in a highly complex downstream supply chain
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Enhanced control techniques for cryogenic turboexpander recompressors
Feb-2014
Turboexpander compression trains are commonly used in petrochemical processes for extracting the heavier hydrocarbons from natural gas.
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Digitalisation in refining and petrochemicals
Dec-2019
The introduction of IIoT technologies is helping two companies improve their decision making and performance.
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Crude analysers in corrosion prevention
Mar-2018
On-line salt-in-crude oil analysers and crude oil analysers are essential in protecting the CDU and other refinery process units from corrosion.
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Oil/water interface control for desalters
Oct-2007
Profiling instrument provides vertical real-time phase density measurement in desalter vessels. Benefits include reduced process upsets from interface ...
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Building a refinery monitoring system
Jun-2017
Developing a process network and unit monitoring system that identifies significant changes in process parameters
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Safety system separation - examination of three types of machinery protection systems
Apr-2016
overspeed, surge detection and vibration monitoring, to help clarify when a SIL certification is truly necessary. Authors explain how companies can protect ...
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Manufacturing execution systems for the refining industry
Jul-2013
Real-time data and decision support tools provide access to plant information to enable a timely response to production issues
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Improving crude unit operation
Jan-2011
Most crude and vacuum units present an opportunity for improvement using modern process control systems
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Parallel expander-recompressor controls and piping layouts
Jul-2015
Turboexpanders are key pieces of process equipment for the recovery of high-value condensates from natural gasses in modern NGL plants.
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Jul-2015
How to maximise the life cycle of control systems used in turbomachinery
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Apr-2011
An integrated energy management system supports improvements to a refinery’s performance in energy consumption and emissions control
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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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Minimising gasoline specification 
give-away
Oct-2015
Minimising the difference between a measured physical property and a critical specification for gasoline can have a significant impact on refinery pro ...
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Minimising giveaway through online blending (TIA)
Jan-2016
Refiners are responsible for controlling their blends of gasoline and diesel fuels to meet specifications for multiple parameters.
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Predictive analytics in incident prevention
Sep-2018
Predictive analytics can support risk management by identifying where failures are likely to occur and what can be done to prevent them.
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Monitoring and diagnostics for reciprocating compressors
Jul-2012
A guide to the purpose and terminology of monitoring systems that ensure effective operation of reciprocating compressors
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Controlling LPG/propylene quality
Oct-2016
Online analysers can minimise costly upsets in FCC LPG/propylene quality and realise savings in caustic wash operations.
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Optimise your workflow and improve lab efficiencies
Oct-2020
XOS’ Sindie® series sulphur analysers offer a variety of features and capabilities aiming to improve your operational efficiencies. In addition, XOS’ ...
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Mar-2022
Improving level control in desalters to aid in use of opportunity crudes
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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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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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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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Dec-2020
Leveraging IIOT concepts leads to a reduction in energy consumption and improved refining margin
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Apr-2017
Predictive analytics is an evolving technology with many potential applications in and gains for the process industries
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Controlling film temperature in fired heaters
Jan-2013
Film temperature control is critical to the successful design of fired heaters, especially for heaters employed in upgrading heavy feedstocks
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Predicting middle distillate properties
Apr-2019
Development of on-stream correlation models to predict cloud point, flash point and freezing point and increase production of on-spec jet fuel using a ...
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Rapid and accurate analysis of sulphur and chlorine in biofuels by XRF
Nov--0001
(White Paper) -Biofuels are fuels produced from feedstocks such as vegetable oil, animal fat, used cooking oil, biomass, or a blend of these. They are ...
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Real-time downstream dashboard
Oct-2010
Real-time infrastructure enabled an organisational transformation to achieve integration in a highly complex downstream supply chain
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Monitoring and simulation resolves overhead corrosion
Mar-2016
Online corrosion monitoring in tandem with simulation modelling identified the root cause of corrosion in a crude unit overhead
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Apr-2017
Finite element analysis can be employed to improve the safety and quality of old or new designs and troubleshoot problems in the field
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A better approach to detailed hydrocarbon analysis with Verified Hydrocarbon Analysis™
Nov-2019
Most refineries rely on Detailed Hydrocarbon Analysis (DHA) to analyse and monitor specific contents of their fuel streams. While this technique has been ...
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Nature of errors in machinery diagnostics
Jan-2020
A reliability theory has been developing for almost 70 years, and all the time scientists, engineers and practitioners attempt to point out an instance ...
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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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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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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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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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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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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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Downtime damages environmental performance too
Jul-2020
Advanced technologies can reduce the environmental impact of unexpected shutdowns.
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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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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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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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AC Analytical Controls productivity center combines full ASTM D86 alternative in a single GC
Jul-2022
Distillation is a method that separates a liquid mixture by boiling and subsequent condensation of the gas phase.
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Jul-2022
The AC Reformulyser is one of the most used analysers worldwide to determine the total aromatic, total olefin, benzene, oxygen content, and oxygenates ...
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Jul-2022
ASTM D6667 is an established test method for the determination of total volatile sulphur in gaseous hydrocarbons and liquefied petroleum gases (LPG). This ...
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Improving accuracy and precision in crude oil boiling point dstribution analysis
Jul-2022
It is not a secret that the most valuable cuts of the crudes are present in the lighter part of them, where primarily gasoline, kerosene, diesel and jet ...
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Jul-2022
In the crude oil value chain, margins are a big deal
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Refineries can choose from different options for distillation of gasoline at atmospheric pressure
Jul-2022
Many refineries use a combination of technologies to efficiently measure and optimise the distillation of crude oil into separate hydrocarbon components, ...
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Jul-2022
Total nitrogen content is an important quality criterium for many types of water, but especially for wastewater, such as process effluents.
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Why Reformulyser is the preferred analysis technique for gasoline grouptype analysis?
Jul-2022
Gasoline is a fuel mainly used as an engine fuel for vehicles, and as a retail product it should meet certain specifications based on local or global ...
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Achiving decarbonisation targets with innovative digital capabilities
Jun-2022
For oil and gas companies to achieve mandated decarbonisation targets, they need to increase the use of data and innovative digital capabilities, including ...
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Artificial intelligence for sustainable development
Jun-2022
AI and machine learning technologies support the modern hydrocarbon processing industry by adopting business strategies and developing artificial solu ...
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The optimum installation torque (TIA)
Jun-2022
Determining the required installation torque for a tight flange system is a daily challenge for industrial valve manufacturers and plant operators alike. ...
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Digital twins heat up the capabilities of energy storage plants
Jun-2022
How to support future energy security by enhancing energy storage with automated digital twins.
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Jun-2022
How digital solutions help energy companies achieve short and long-term sustainability.
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Accelerating the digital transformation
May-2022
The energy and utilities (E&U) industry constantly changes and transforms to comply with government regulations, implement new technologies, and satisfy ...
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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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Model Based Definition: What is it and Why?
Apr-2022
Model Based Definition (sometimes Drafting or Dimensioning or Design) is an iteration to mechanical design that uses a CAD generated 3D model with dimensions, ...
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Mar-2022
Improving level control in desalters to aid in use of opportunity crudes
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So long clipboards, data logging is here
Mar-2022
Exploring why data logging is key to bringing heating technologies into Industry 4.0.
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Intelligent FTIR system for efficient fuel analysis
Feb-2022
From the very beginnings of fuel characterisation, infrared spectroscopy was widely applied in the field of fuel analysis. Fuel, be it gasoline, diesel ...
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The digital route to sustainability
Jan-2022
The pace of investment in digitalisation is set to ramp up in response to the need for greater sustainability.
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Jan-2022
Tips on how to achieve effective installation of fluid system components during a turnaround.
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Optimising critical level control in desalters by using multiphase level measurements
Dec-2021
Refineries are a complex set of various operating units designed to process crude oil into refined products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuels and feedstocks ...
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Digital data management helps national oil companies improve operations
Dec-2021
National oil companies (NOCs) face a host of unique challenges compared to their private counterparts. NOCs, owned by national governments and their populace, ...
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Energy efficiency: project optimisation through proven tools and practices (ERTC)
Dec-2021
The world’s refining sector is at a pivotal inflection point where operators must evolve to remain competitive following a challenging year.