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Light tight oil crude comparison
Mar-2015
The production method for Eagle Ford and Bakken is via fracturing of the tight or shale formations in two different North America regions. Crude from the ...
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Integrating CPT with existing OCT units
Apr-2008
Lummus Technology’s Olefins Conversion Technology (OCT) has achieved industry acceptance, as evidenced by the 25 units under licence, representing almost ...
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Jun-2021
An analysis of the costs and merits of grey, blue, and green hydrogen.
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Designing a crude unit heat 
exchanger network
Oct-2012
Preheat train design for heavy Canadian crudes can be very challenging, requiring an approach not normally required with other crudes
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Overcoming the challenges of tight/shale oil refining
Apr-2014
The impact tight oil processing can have on a refinery, particularly the considerations that must be given to desalter performance, corrosion and fouling ...
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Protecting compressors with dynamic simulation
Apr-2014
Dynamic simulation supports reliable operation of compressor installations to deliver maximum plant availability and productivity
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Jul-2006
The use of both regenerative and non-regenerative wet scrubbing systems to control the emission of particulate and SO2 is well proven and established
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Solvent deasphalting and gasification: a synergy
Oct-2000
An analysis of the different refinery bottoms processing schemes, identifying configurations that produce the lowest cost feedstock for the integrated ...
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Elemental Analysis in waste oil and recycling
Jan-2011
Huge quantities of waste oil and related wastes are generated each year. Properly collected and processed, these wastes can be a valuable energy source ...
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Sizing relief valves for real gas or vapour
Jul-2019
An appraisal of relief valve discharge area sizing methods for gas or vapour.
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Development of a refinery petrochemical master plan
Jan-1999
A master plan for a refinery/petrochemical complex justifies comprehensive study of all the variables, from market forecast to operating costs
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A promoter for selective H2S 
removal: part I
Apr-2011
A new MDEA promoter achieves very low H2S lean loadings and the option for flexible design of acid gas enrichment units by varying absorber heights
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Oct-2016
Large maintenance overhaul projects are complex, expensive processes, often with unpredictable challenges that call for best practice techniques.
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Jan-2013
Poor-quality crude oils and strict environmental regulations promote the use of technologies that favour energy savings and environmental protection
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Enhancing energy efficiency in the CDU
Apr-2015
Revisiting your crude distillation unit may expose hidden potential for major energy savings
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Designing for sulphur removal and storage: part II
Jul-2010
Selection of technologies for the sulphur block must serve legislative demands and the efficient operation of upstream processes
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Revamping the hydrogen generation unit
Apr-2014
Hydrogen plants can be modified for higher production by employing innovative process schemes
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What does SIL and functional safety mean to operators of rotating equipment?
Aug-2014
SIL - standing for Safety Integrity Level, is one very important safety indicator. Extensively discussed, described and often misunderstood within the ...
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Speciality gases: essential for research, production and quality control
Jul-2011
Laboratories all around the world stand or fall by their reputation for accuracy and quality control. Pivotal to this performance is the quality, purity ...
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A balanced approach to vacuum tower flash zone/wash section design
Sep-2010
Revamping an existing vacuum column to operate at a higher feed rate, higher flash zone temperature, lower pressure, and different feed stock characterisation ...
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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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Production of biolubricant base stock
Oct-2012
Using microwave technology in biolubricants production enhances product yields and reduces reaction time
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Oct-2005
Process modelling and equipment know-how are needed to design deep-cut vacuum units that operate reliably at high temperature and low pressure
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Precious metals catalyst: understanding the technology (ERTC)
Nov-2017
The Catalyst Life-Cycle. The vast majority of petroleum and petrochemical processors use catalysts that contain one or more precious metals such as platinum, ...
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Maximising diesel recovery from crude
Jan-2009
The CDU/VDU process flow scheme is reviewed, including equipment design and operating fundamentals used to maximise straight-run diesel recovery
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HDXRF vs ICP for nickel and vanadium in crude oil
Sep-2020
Technology introduced over the last decade, such as horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, has led to new sources of light tight oil (LTO). LTO ...
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PackView™ liquid retention scale is a quantitative analysis of packing maldistribution
Sep-2020
PackView™ can be used to compare operational parameters with engineering design
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Tru-Scan™ identifies abnormal process conditions and helps optimise vessel efficiencies
Sep-2020
Tru-Scans™ provide valuable data aiding operations in achieving 115% of unit capacity
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Tru-Grid™ scans detect solids build-up to assist in determining the appropriate maintenance path
Sep-2020
PackView™ liquid retention scale included on Tru-Grid™ Scan results provide customers the amount of build-up, relative density and growth patterns ...
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Detecting leaking PSVs helps a refiner avoid potential emission fines and penalties
Sep-2020
A Tracerco Diagnostics™ Leak study identifies leaks resulting in massive savings from environmental fines, without any interruption to production.
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ThruVision™ scans are the next step to investigate liquid maldistribution
Sep-2020
ThruVision™ technology allows for a complete understanding of liquid distribution, saving days of production losses and massive costs of a unit shut ...
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Increase production rates with Tracerco’s FrothView and Tru-Scan technologies
Sep-2020
How Tru-Scan™ and FrothView™ results help increase production, and remove the debutanizer tower, which seemed to be the bottleneck for the unit.
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Pre-turnaround scans enable better critical path planning
Sep-2020
Tru-Scan™ and Tru-Grid™ Scan results help determine whether to enter a particular column during the turnaround outage or remove it from the critical ...
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Sep-2020
Tracerco technology can see inside the very heart of operations to determine why processes are not operating as expected.
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Baseline scans prove critical in diagnosing any potential future column problems
Sep-2020
A baseline scan establishes a reference point, a historical marker for column performance
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Oct-2020
Responses to a question in the Q3 2020 issue of PTQ
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Oct-2020
Response to a question in the Q3 2020 issue of PTQ
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Oct-2020
Responses to a question in the Q3 2020 issue of PTQ
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Mid-cycle skim doubles run time and throughput (TiA)
Nov-2020
Not long after a recent summer turnaround, a major Gulf Coast refinery had a problem.
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High performance internals in severe service
Nov-2020
Application of a severe service grid achieved 10% higher throughput with improved reliability in a vacuum tower revamp.
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Adding value with catalyst testing — supporting refineries in challenging times (ERTC)
Nov-2020
The refining industry is under enormous pressure to adapt to the global changes led by measures against climate change.
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Rare earths weaponised: the impact on FCC units from an escalation in global trade tensions (ERTC)
Nov-2020
Most refiners with FCC units do not need to be reminded of the chaos and financial pain resulting from the monumental 30-fold increase in rare earth metal ...
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Energy transition: solving a global problem requires a holistic pursuit (ERTC)
Nov-2020
The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked a renewed focus on planning for sustainability and achieving the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement (PCA).
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Isomalk-2: a low-temperature, non-chlorinated light naphtha isomerisation process (ERTC)
Nov-2020
Isomalk-2 is a low-temperature isomerisation technology that has been commercially proven in grassroots projects, revamps of semi-regenerative reforming ...
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Profitably complying with red ii: A q&a with shell biofuel technology specialists (ERTC)
Nov-2020
Though it may be tempting to see the EU’s revised renewable energy directive (RED II) as simply another legislative burden, this conversation with Shell ...
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Versatile performance with BioFlux renewable diesel (ERTC)
Nov-2020
Clean fuel from renewables is an important element in meeting energy requirements of the future. Renewable diesel has become the leading alternative as ...
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Nov-2020
The energy transition is all about supplying the world’s growing needs for energy and mobility in a more sustainable way.
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Mitigating corrosion with a digital twin
Nov-2020
Data-driven engineering helps engineers to identify ways to improve predictions of corrosion. Processing plants depend on assorted metallic equipment and ...
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Heater experts solve common problems with IR thermography
Dec-2020
Many owner operators in the oil/gas and petrochemical industry know infrared (IR) thermography is a pillar of any robust inspection program. At Becht Fired ...
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Processing lower cost crudes with greater confidence and improved reliability
Dec-2020
For more than 100 years, it has been understood in the petroleum refining industry that certain crude oils or, more accurately, crude oil fractions contain ...
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Premature foam-flood in an amine absorber: Part 2
Jan-2022
Troubleshooting and hydraulic analysis identified vapour channelling in fixed valve trays as the root cause of premature foam-flooding in a high pressure ...
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Carbon capture with least opex and capex
Jan-2022
Recommendations on how to optimise the mass and heat balance of the process and equipment designs of a typical post-combustion CO2 capture unit.
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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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Sludge dewatering technologies
Jan-2022
Higher levels of pollutants and solid wastes from opportunity crude processing require the most effective and economical approach to sludge dewatering ...
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Jan-2022
Improvements in performance and energy efficiency were achieved during the turnaround of a crude distillation unit.
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Jan-2022
Tips on how to achieve effective installation of fluid system components during a turnaround.
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Impact of not integrating capex in shutdowns
Jan-2022
Capital projects must comply more with detailed practices and principles.
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Hydroprocessing routes for flexible residue upgrading
Jan-2022
Efficient and flexible resid processing options maintain profitability and reduce risk when price volatility is high.
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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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Shaping the future of refining with advanced technologies (ERTC)
Dec-2021
The refining industry has a unique expertise, which is to process and convert multiple feedstocks made of highly complex molecules. Refining should think ...
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Precious metals catalyst management: measuring quality of service (ERTC)
Dec-2021
In today’s highly competitive, global petroleum and petrochemical industry, the importance of supply management has never been greater.
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Refiners weigh opportunities for circular asset decarbonisation polymer production (ERTC)
Dec-2021
Zero to single-digit returns for European refiners compel the development of revenue streams around low carbon products. In addition to biofuels, hydrogen ...
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Sustainable process recovers ultra high-purity styrene from waste polystyrene (ERTC)
Dec-2021
Polystyrene (PS) chemical recycling, as opposed to mechanical recycling, is an emerging route to establish circularity in PS and qualify the recycled PS ...
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Controlling hyper-active catalysts with injection (ERTC)
Dec-2021
Starting up a hydrocracker after a catalyst change-out can be complex and operationally challenging, especially when high-activity cracking catalysts have ...
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Game-changing catalytic dewaxing: Zeopore reaches 30°C cloud point improvement (ERTC)
Dec-2021
Making diesel winter-proof is currently an expensive process as refiners face high diesel yield losses or have to turn to expensive additives or kerosene ...
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A streamlined approach for FCC catalyst and additive management and order fulfilment (ERTC)
Dec-2021
Johnson Matthey is a global leader in sustainable technologies, and we apply our cutting-edge science to create solutions with our customers that make ...
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Advanced biofuels: where are the long-term opportunities? (ERTC)
Dec-2021
Global energy demand is projected to grow by as much as 25% through 2040 in parallel with GHG emissions reduction targets. Hydrocarbon-based fuels will ...
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How to successfully upgrade plastic pyrolysis oil and make it suitable for a steam cracker (ERTC)
Dec-2021
As the plastics industry is slowly taking action with recycling and renewables initiatives, the global demand for plastics continues to increase.
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Value engineering: a continuous front-end process (ERTC)
Dec-2021
The concept of front-end loading of projects is not new, where robust planning and design early in a project’s lifecycle helps to influence changes in ...
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Optimising hydrotreating catalyst reuse with Excel rejuvenation technology (ERTC)
Dec-2021
The refining industry is currently under pressure to optimise profit margins in challenging financial conditions while adapting to a changing global climate ...
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The carbon negatives: impact of increasing carbon and coke in spent precious metals catalysts (ERTC)
Dec-2021
There is a trend in the petroleum and petrochemical refining industry over the past five years or so as an ever-increasing percentage of carbon is being ...
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Environmental impact of the precious metal value chain on refineries (ERTC)
Dec-2021
The world is aligned to fight climate change and has set challenging climate targets, which are shown, for example, in the Paris Climate Agreement.
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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.
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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, ...