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Comparing packing efficiencies
Apr-2006
In mechanically demanding applications, grid packing can help control costs and product degradation. Important parameters such as grid surface area and ...
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Are there alternatives to an expensive overhaul of a bottlenecked flare system?
Jan-2010
Changes in regulation or the revamp of an existing plant need not require an upgrade to a refinery’s flare system configuration
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Specifications — importance of getting them right
Mar-2003
Faulty equipment specifications sometimes carry unforeseen penalties, with loss of performance. It is the process design engineer’s responsibility to ...
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Vacuum unit design effect on operating variables
Jul-2002
To revamp vacuum units, process modelling and equipment design know-how are needed, and the understanding of connected equipment performance can lead to ...
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Crude column revamp using radial temperature profiles
Sep-2003
Designers need to be aware of all the factors influencing packed bed performance such as feed zone mixing problems
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Oct-2006
One refinery has proved it is possible to revamp any process unit by modification and/or replacement of key process equipment in situ
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FCC profitability assessment via 
advanced modelling
Oct-2015
Process and computational fluid dynamic modelling were applied to validate the technology used in an FCC unit revamp at Shell’s Puget Sound refinery ...
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Vacuum unit design for high 
metals crudes
Jan-2007
Vacuum unit design can influence vacuum gas yield, product quality and run length. A wet vacuum unit with residue stripping achieves the highest cutpo ...
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Troubleshooting instability in a debutaniser tower
Dec-2019
Successful diagnosis and remediation of premature flood in a debutaniser tower demonstrate the value of good diagnosis for solving tower problems econ ...
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Turnarounds deliver process improvements
Nov-2016
An extended unit shutdown is relatively rare and an opportunity to take every advantage to improve performance.
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Apr-2011
Space restrictions on site called for an innovative solution to replace a refinery’s main fractionator mid-section
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Increasing distillate production at zero capital cost
Oct-2014
Significantly increasing distillate production can at the earliest stages require no more than process tweaks before significant capital revamps are r ...
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Savings in exchanger network cleaning (TIA)
Jun-2015
The Super Clean System (SCS), an online heat exchanger cleaning technology, is being used by a major oil refiner in Japan at a refinery equipped with a ...
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Crude unit revamp to increase diesel yield
Apr-2002
Account of a crude vacuum unit revamp where detailed calculation of the true performance of existing equipment raised diesel production by 14.5 vol% on ...
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Revamp options for improved diesel
Jan-2001
Integration of cocurrent and countercurrent reactor systems into existing hydrotreaters makes various revamp options possible, providing opportunities ...
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A step-by-step approach to 
managing emissions
Oct-2010
A comprehensive review of combustion systems and controls underpins a strategy for emissions reduction
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Online cleaning of 
process equipment
Oct-2008
In the interest of time and cost savings, online cleaning prior to shutdown can reduce the duration and complexity of refinery turnarounds, as demonstrated ...
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Improvements to increase fuel capacity and quality
Oct-2002
By using staged technology upgrades, fuels production at the Jiddah refinery was expanded and quality improved, meeting market and regulatory criteria
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Successful turnaround planning
Dec-2019
Discussion of five key components in planning and executing a successful turnaround.
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Revamping crude towers to meet 
bitumen specifications
Jun-2017
A revamp of crude column internals improved bitumen quality, increased output of light products, saved on energy costs and improved ease of operation
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Improving performance through low-cost modification of tower internals
Jul-2010
Low-cost revamps of tower internals improve production from existing assets with a payback period of less than a year
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Jun-2017
Simple modifications to three carbon dioxide removal systems raised their efficiencies with short payback periods
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Cost efficient revamps in hydrogen plants
Jul-2001
Revamping of existing equipment is often seen as the cheapest and most cost effective solution, but this calls for a thorough knowledge of the plant, its ...
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Oct-2015
Understanding the full scope of projects and acting upon the right engineering choices reduces capital risk
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Staged FCCU main fractionator revamp
Oct-2008
A refinery column is debottlenecked in steps to address operational concerns and strategic goals. Understanding the site specific operational nuances and ...
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Revamping centrifugal compressors at an ethylene plant
Oct-2010
Technical improvements and increased throughput justify the revamp of a Russian ethylene plant’s compressors
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Strategies for improved naphtha processing
Oct-2013
To take advantage of dilbit from Alberta and light oils from shale formations, refiners must develop a strategy for processing additional naphthas and ...
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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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Debottlenecking product recovery using product pair distillation: Part II
Jul-2023
Advantages of using a thermodynamically efficient method to debottleneck existing distillation trains using fewer columns than traditional methods.
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Refractory detection system and floating roof protection
Feb-2024
New refractory detection system monitors skin temperatures in Claus or thermal oxidisers as well as SMRs, gasifiers, and emissions from floating roof ...
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Troubleshooting vacuum unit revamps
Jul-1998
While vacuum unit revamps increase gasoil yield, management is pushing the intervals between turnarounds to four or five years
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Vacuum pressure control: impact on profitability
Jul-2001
Optimisation of flash zone pressure and temperature can improve feedstock quality to downstream units
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Crude column revamp using radial temperature profiles
Sep-2003
Designers need to be aware of all the factors influencing packed bed performance such as feed zone mixing problems
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Sep-2003
Causes, penalties and solutions to coking in the FCC reactor vapour line, with regard to inlet nozzle coking affecting unit capacity, conversion and r ...
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Apr-2004
Water entrapment and foaming must be avoided to maximise LPG recovery and minimise downstream unit contaminants
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Oct-2005
Fundamental design considerations influencing diesel and vacuum gas oil (VGO) recovery when revamping existing or designing grassroots crude units. By ...
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Comparing packing efficiencies
Apr-2006
In mechanically demanding applications, grid packing can help control costs and product degradation. Important parameters such as grid surface area and ...
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Apr-2006
When designing vacuum units for processing heavy Canadian crudes, reliability costs can be high if the feedstock’s thermal instability is not fully ...
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Increasing deisobutaniser capacity
Oct-2006
Insight into procedures and details involving a distillation revamp can be gained by looking at a project carried out on a deisobutaniser unit separating ...
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Securing fuel supply and reducing GHG emissions
Apr-2008
Six strategic options are available to refiners to satisfy future energy and environmental requirements in the light of surging oil prices and public concerns ...
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Staged FCCU main fractionator revamp
Oct-2008
A refinery column is debottlenecked in steps to address operational concerns and strategic goals. Understanding the site specific operational nuances and ...
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Cost-effective and reliable revamps
Jul-2009
Test run hydraulic measurements and analysis, together with equipment know-how, can help refiners identify profitable, low-cost revamp opportunities
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Revamping hydrogen and sulphur plants to meet future challenges
Oct-2009
Revamp opportunities for hydrogen and sulphur plant operations in the era of clean fuels production offer significant benefits for refiners
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A novel process to reduce aromatics and benzene in reformates
Oct-2009
A catalytic scheme for reducing the aromatics and benzene content in reformates without octane barrel loss uses existing reforming units at Moscow Oil ...
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Improving performance through low-cost modification of tower internals
Jul-2010
Low-cost revamps of tower internals improve production from existing assets with a payback period of less than a year
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Debottlenecking a refinery fuel 
gas absorber
Oct-2010
A refinery fuel gas absorber was revamped to increase capacity while maintaining H2S in the product well below specification
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Energy management: raising profitability, reducing CO2 emissions
Oct-2010
Case studies show how lower energy demand via revamps and improved maintenance can save money and abate CO2 emissions in refinery operations
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Rental strategies counter seasonal performance problems
Jan-2011
Engineered solutions can reverse the adverse effects of high temperatures and humidity. Petrochemical and refinery processes rely on efficient heat transfer ...
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Bitumen processing: crude unit revamps
Jul-2011
The ability to process bitumen offers a competitive advantage, but revamps of crude and vacuum units to process bitumen require significant changes
to ...
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Advances in engineering and design technologies
Jul-2013
3D technology is moving out of the design office to transform the entire 
asset lifecycle
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Coordinating a complex automation project
Apr-2014
Installing an integrated control system in support of a major refinery upgrade meant coordinating the work of multiple EPC contractors
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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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Oct-2013
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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Strategies for improved naphtha processing
Oct-2013
To take advantage of dilbit from Alberta and light oils from shale formations, refiners must develop a strategy for processing additional naphthas and ...
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Reactor effluent air cooler safety 
through design
Oct-2013
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 ...
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Improving the distillation energy network
Oct-2013
Energy-efficient design applied to the refit of a distillation unit was achieved through optimisation between the distillation column and heat network ...
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Retrofitting a glycol contactor to 
prevent carryover
Oct-2013
A revamp of glycol contactor column internals, following CFD studies, resolved problems with gas production caused by glycol carryover
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Online cleaning of an integrated distillation unit
Oct-2013
Online cleaning technology was validated during a scheduled turnaround at the second largest refinery in Poland.
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Using pinch technology in operations?
Sep-2013
Pinch Technology is a well established concept, and a tool used to optimise waste heat recovery and design efficient heat integration schemes in a wide ...
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Refining/petrochemical integration: a new paradigm
Sep-2013
The global trend in motor fuel consumption favours diesel over gasoline. There is a simultaneous increase in demand for various petrochemicals such as ...
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Advances in engineering and design technologies
Jul-2013
3D technology is moving out of the design office to transform the entire 
asset lifecycle
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Apr-2013
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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The age of turbulence: charting a course for refiners to a profitable future
Nov-2012
Relentless turbulence has profoundly affected the global refining landscape in recent years. Moreover, the turmoil is likely to continue unabated in the ...
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Oct-2012
Bringing the structures of existing refineries into the digital information age transforms the processes of upgrading and operating
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Oct-2012
Serbia’s petroleum refinery describes its plans for a continuing programme of plant revamps and updates
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Platformer debutaniser revamp and optimisation
Oct-2012
Recommendations following a study of high reformate RVP delivered a range of benefits including a significant increase in gasoline production
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Hydroprocessing to maximise refinery profitability
Oct-2012
Low-cost changes in catalyst systems can significantly enhance operational flexibility and increase returns on investment
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Revamp of Slovnaft’s hydrocracking unit
Oct-2012
A revamp to maximise middle distillate production and increase unit reliability and safety.The KHK hydrocracking unit at the Slovnaft refinery in Slovakia ...
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Bayernoil mild hydrocracker CATnap application
May-2012
On 21 January, Bayernoil, Neustadt, successfully shut down the mild hydrocracker (MHC) using the CATnap catalyst passivation process applied by Cat Tech ...
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Column preheat improvement to debottleneck furnace operation
Apr-2012
Simulation helped to identify and mitigate the root cause of a furnace bottleneck to maximise the removal of light ends in the feed to a preflash colu ...
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Cost estimating for turnarounds
Jan-2012
Cost estimates for refinery turnarounds can lack accuracy, but lessons learned 
from capital project estimating could improve matters
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Improved performance from reforming
Oct-2011
Process and equipment solutions help to improve the profitability and reliability of reforming units
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Tray revamp for demethaniser ethane recovery
Oct-2011
As a first step in an ethane extraction plant’s operational improvement plan, a 
tray revamp was performed to improve both tray efficiency and ...
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Refinery expansion and oil quality upgrading
Oct-2011
Optimisation of resources and effective integration of clean fuels technology enable older refineries to better match the economic performance of new ...
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Optimising and revamping a refinery hydrogen network
Oct-2011
Pinch analysis and mathematical programming support hydrogen network 
design and retrofit. An increased demand for hydrogen often makes the supply ...