Minimise corrosion while maximising distillate

Jul-2012

Reducing atmospheric fractionator overhead temperatures to maximise middle 
distillate production requires a full understanding of resulting corrosion ...

Future of opportunity crudes processing

Oct-2011

Five critical drivers help refiners remain profitable and sustain long-term business goals while processing relatively inexpensive, low-quality crudes

Combating reactor pressure drop

Apr-2017

A refiner investigates the causes of pressure drop due to fouling in a fixed bed reactor and considers an appropriate mitigation strategy

Advances in amine reclaiming

Feb-2007

Why there is no excuse for operating a dirty amine system. The benefits of reclaiming amine systems are trumpeted by many and doubted by others.

Amine plant corrosion reduced by removal of bicine

Jun-2012

Bicine, an amino acid, has been found in numerous amine gas treating systems including tail gas treating units, certain refinery services, and some natural ...

Evaluating opportunity crude processing

Oct-2006

Is processing opportunity crudes for every refiner? Technical challenges and economic benefits from processing high-acid crudes and bottom-of-the-barrel ...

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

Estimating silicon accumulation in coker naphtha hydrotreaters

Mar-2012

Improved sampling and analysis of silicon in the feed enable a significant gain in the cycle life of coker naphtha hydrotreater catalysts

Oil recovery from tank sludge

Nov-2017

Thorough tank cleaning means removing all of the sludge and restoring the vessel’s full storage capacity.

Operational challenges in sour 
water stripping

Jul-2019

How to keep a sour water stripper at optimum performance between shutdowns.

Control of primary fractionator fouling

Jan-2009

Optimal operation and chemical treatment of primary fractionators requires an in-depth knowledge of many parameters. A combination of analytical tools ...

Chemical analysis in amine system operations

Jul-2013

The array of contaminants that can disrupt the operation of alkanolamine systems needs to be precisely characterised and analysed

Stabilisation 
of asphaltenes

Jan-2009

Asphaltenes can plug refinery equipment and can decrease or stop production. Stabilisation of asphaltene particles is an efficient and cost-effective way ...

Analysis method for determining bound and free alkanolamines in HSS contaminated solutions

Jul-1990

A conductometric titration method has been developed to determine the true available alkanolamine in solutions used for H2S and CO2 removal from refinery ...

Pitting and crevice corrosion of offshore stainless steel tubing

Jan-2009

Stainless steel tubing on oil and gas platforms is regularly employed in process instrumentation and sensing, as well as chemical inhibition, hydraulic ...

Modelling to optimise natural gas dehydration

Apr-2009

Computer modelling can help processors to understand the severity of conditions in molecular sieves used for the dehydration of natural gas

Continuous removal of contaminants from amine solutions

Oct-2011

A continuous purification system overcomes amine degradation and the formation of corrosion-promoting heat stable amine salts

Operating challenges associated with fines in the delayed coker

Jun-2014

The coking process has been around since the early days of the refining industry. Over the years it has undergone continuous improvements to make it a ...

Mitigating corrosion from naphthenic acid streams

Jan-2003

The authors describe how crude and side-cut analysis, laboratory and field data lead to strategies for managing high severity operating conditions needed ...

Passivation of ethylene cracker transfer line heat exchangers

Jul-2009

Case study based on fours years of applying DEHA-based passivation treatment technology to the TLEs of Egyptian Petrochemicals’ ethylene crackers

Enhancing energy efficiency in the CDU

Apr-2015

Revisiting your crude distillation unit may expose hidden potential for major energy savings

Cuba’s oil: due for development

Apr-2017

Cuba’s ambitions for energy self-sufficiency require major investment in the nation’s oil reserves and refining industry

Monitoring and controlling corrosion in steam generation

Oct-2010

At-temperature oxidation reduction potential (ORP) technology enables 
real-time measurement and control of corrosion potential in steam generat ...

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.

Visbreaker optimisation: 
a step change

Apr-2009

Optimising visbreakers is not just a matter of monitoring and adding chemicals. Opportunity crudes demand a more integrated approach

Desalter chemical programmes for opportunity crudes

Nov-2021

Opportunity crude processing can present many challenges including incompatibility, high calcium and tramp amines.

Multiphase level measurements

Mar-2022

Improving level control in desalters to aid in use of opportunity crudes

Ceramic coating application in a refinery steam methane reformer furnace

Jun-2022

Increase an SMR’s thermal efficiency by applying a high emissivity ceramic coating on the furnace box walls.

High efficiency contaminant removal - Improving new and existing acid gas sweetening processes

Nov-2022

Gas sweetening processes using amine solvents are often challenged to meet productivity and reliability targets due to the impact of solid and liquid contamination. ...

Crude oil processing scheme for reducing operating costs in the CDU

Feb-2023

Development of crude oil distillation processing schemes to significantly reduce external energy and stripping steam demand.

Foaming in fractionation columns

Oct-2015

By understanding the foaming process and its root causes, steps can be taken to eliminate or minimise the formation of foaming.

Dealing with column fouling

Feb-2016

An understanding of process basics and fouling mechanisms enables increased run length in problem columns.

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

Control of foaming in amine systems

Sep-2007

Amine solutions foam. Solution foaming causes plant upsets. It is the disengagement or break time that differentiates normal, desirable froth from undesirable ...

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 ...

Operational challenges in sour 
water stripping

Jul-2019

How to keep a sour water stripper at optimum performance between shutdowns.

Opening the crude flexibility window: enhancing crude unit capabilities

Mar-2018

Innovative online analysers help refiners to mitigate crude unit threats in real time and provide new insights into existing problems.

Multiple corrosion mechanisms in crude distillation overhead system

Jul-2009

Extensive troubleshooting efforts determine distinct corrosion mechanisms simultaneously attacking multiple areas of an atmospheric tower overhead sys ...

Problems in processing discounted crudes Part 1: definition and crude preheat

Feb-2019

Project costs must be considered to fully understand whether or not an opportunity crude really does deliver on savings.

Oil recovery from tank sludge

Nov-2017

Thorough tank cleaning means removing all of the sludge and restoring the vessel’s full storage capacity.

Mitigating corrosion from naphthenic acid streams

Jan-2003

The authors describe how crude and side-cut analysis, laboratory and field data lead to strategies for managing high severity operating conditions needed ...

Amine plant corrosion reduced by removal of bicine

Jun-2012

Bicine, an amino acid, has been found in numerous amine gas treating systems including tail gas treating units, certain refinery services, and some natural ...

Our desalting rate drops away quickly when we use heavier feeds. What is the problem here?

Feb-2021

Responses to a question in the Q1 2021 issues Q&A Feature

Preventing ammonium salt fouling and corrosion

Jan-2018

Best practices and opportunities to reduce the risk of salt deposition and damage

Tube alloy degradation in a steam cracking furnace

Apr-2015

Understanding catalytic coke growth mechanisms to better predict and optimise furnace service times with tube alloy degradation

Maximising heat exchanger cleaning

Jun-2018

Powerful chemical cleaning programmes reduce downtime and increase the efficiency of heat exchangers.

Enhancing energy efficiency in the CDU

Apr-2015

Revisiting your crude distillation unit may expose hidden potential for major energy savings

Choose the right hose: a practical guide to hose selection

Mar-2013

The right hose keeps your process performing safely and cost effectively. The wrong hose could undermine your process, put personnel at risk and compromise ...

Predicting corrosion rates in amine and sour water systems

May-2014

A chemistry-based predictive model predicts corrosion rates in specific processing conditions. Corrosion is a ubiquitous problem in gas treating in the ...

Olefins plant cracker gas compressor fouling

Apr-2007

Monitoring and treating process gas compressors to prevent corrosion and fouling. Several examples of improved compressor performance through the utilisation ...