ARTICLES
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Controlling the dew point of natural gas
Jul-2015
Meeting water and hydrocarbon dew point specifications for natural gas without acid gas components
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Challenges of heavy crude processing
Oct-2012
A review of upgrading options and refinery configurations to process heavy crudes profitably. Refiners have long faced a major dilemma when designing refineries ...
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Reciprocating compressor suction and discharge valve monitoring
Feb-2013
A decision making guideline evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the most common online monitoring technologies
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Seismic design of structural steel pipe racks
Nov-2011
Structural steel pipe racks are structures in petrochemical, chemical and power plants that support pipes, power cables and instrument cable trays. Occasionally, ...
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Apr-2013
A careful evaluation of the options for removing mercury from natural gas plant feed and product streams is a prudent exercise
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Gases: identifying hazards and mitigating risks
Feb-2012
Although critical for the operation of refineries and petrochemical plants, industrial gases can be associated with a spectrum of possible hazards and ...
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Steam reforming natural gas containing higher hydrocarbons
Apr-2013
A method is described for estimating reformed gas composition in a primary reformer when the feed is a natural gas containing higher hydrocarbons
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Relative economics of mixed C4 processing routes
Jan-1998
Ethylene producers are seeking ways to upgrade the mixed C4 stream from ethylene plants to improve operating economics
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Understanding FCC feeds and benefits to refinery operation
Apr-2015
In this work, over one hundred FCC feed samples, originating from diverse geographic locations and consisting of assorted FCC refinery streams, were a ...
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Advanced propane dehydrogenation
Jan-2008
Oxdehydrogenation-based on-purpose propane dehydrogenation can close the propylene supply-demand gap. Reactor design and the effect of thermodynamic equilibrium ...
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Stripping sour water: the effect of heat stable salts
Oct-2012
Mass transfer rate-based simulation models sour water stripping and assesses the distribution of ammonia in conventional amine treating systems
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Removing contaminants from crude oil
Mar-2016
Natural and introduced contaminants limit crude desalting effectiveness, increasing fouling and corrosion risks in downstream units
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Processing NH3 acid gas in a sulphur recovery unit
Apr-2010
The feasability and economics of a two-stage sour water stripper with an SRU for NH3 contents of 25% and higher are discussed
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Natural gas fuels the integration of refining and petrochemicals
Jul-2012
Maximising the use of natural gas in a refinery-petrochemicals complex offers higher margins and lower carbon emissions
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Troubleshooting steam ejectors
Oct-2014
Some causes and practical solutions concerning problems with refinery steam vacuum ejectors
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Jul-2013
A simulation model compares accurately with actual operating data to provide reliable predictions of catalyst lifetime in naphtha reforming
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Assessment of crude oil blends
Oct-2011
A refiner’s assessment of the compatibility of opportunity crudes in blends aims to avoid the processing problems introduced by lower-quality feedst ...
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Bioethers impact on the gasoline pool
Feb-2007
Benefits of producing bioethers compared to blending bioethanol are examined for the total European gasoline pool. The result of maximising ethanol use ...
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Recovery of olefins from refinery offgases
Oct-1998
The Lummus process eliminates the multi-stage feed gas compressor yet maintains over 90 per cent recovery of ethylene while cutting capital cost and reducing ...
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Optimisation of product yield and coke formation in a RFCC unit
Apr-2010
Simulation studies of a commercial residue fluid catalytic cracking unit indicate the conditions for an optimum balance of product yield with low coke ...
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GC-MS: an ideal tool for forensic analysis
Mar-2011
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) presents the ideal analytical tool for forensic analysis in the petrochemical industry.
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The petrochemistry of paraxylene

Feb-2015
Understanding the basics of the paraxylene manufacturing process.
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Hydrotreating in the production of green diesel
Apr-2010
A novel scheme enables co-processing of light gas oil and tall diesel to produce a renewable diesel meeting EN 590 specifications
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Optimising pumparound reflux for 
zero-cost energy savings
Apr-2012
By increasing pumparound ratios in principal units, refinery engineers were able to recover energy for process heating and reduce stack emissions
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Mar-2012
The source of a fouling problem in a FCC CO boiler was identified by systematic analysis of fresh catalysts, additives and equilibrium catalysts
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What is sintering in relation to catalyst deactivation and how can it be avoided? (PTQ Q&A)
Oct-2020
Response to a question in the Q3 2020 issue of PTQ
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A novel approach to cleaning 
furnace coils
Jul-2013
A modified pigging operation aims to greatly reduce the time required for coke removal from furnace coils
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Hydrocracker revamp lifts product flexibility
Nov-2020
How an innovative moving bed technology enabled a major refinery to improve residue conversion and crude flexibility.
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Maximising stripping section performance
Aug-2021
The design of a crude unit stripping section affects diesel and gasoil yields, energy usage, and unit reliability.
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Rejuvenated catalysts optimise refinery margins in high severity ULSD applications
Jun-2022
Rejuvenated catalysts compare well with fresh catalysts for performance in high pressure ULSD applications with added cost savings.
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Minimise amine losses in gas and 
liquid treating
Jun-2018
Even with incomplete information, a systematic approach can be used to identify the source of amine losses and the action needed to reduce them.
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Jun-2017
There is a good economic case for petcoke slurry as a refinery fuel, but first you need to deal with the rheology
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Savings using divided wall columns
Jan-2019
Divided wall columns can provide substantial energy and capital cost savings compared to conventional distillation methods.
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Catalytic answer to a steam cracking challenge
Apr-2021
Rapid growth in steam cracker capacity has encountered a developing problem — contamination of opportunity naphtha feed by carbon disulphide.
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SMR for fuel cell grade hydrogen
Dec-2020
Affordable and sustainable production of blue hydrogen is key to the successful use of fuel cells in transportation.
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Revamping crude towers for quality and yield
Nov-2016
A successful revamp of distillation towers for increased diesel quality and yield depended on reliable design and accurate assembly
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Reducing NOx emissions from an FCC unit (TIA)
Aug-2018
Refinery processes account for a considerable share of the overall emissions of air pollutants in Europe. The Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) is the ...
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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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Processing high TAN crude: part I
Jan-2010
Huizhou, which is the first refinery for processing 100% high TAN crude, started up in 2009. This article describes the challenges of an opportunity crude ...
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Refining-petrochemicals integration: an Indian view
Mar-2018
Integrating a refinery with a petrochemicals complex offers high value products and a boost to gross margin.
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Jun-2016
The outlook and opportunities for petrochemicals based on China’s development of shale gas
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Evaluating quickly deactivating catalytic systems (TIA)
Nov-2018
Avantium provides contract research services for high throughput catalysis R&D. For some years now, Avantium has been helping refineries select the best ...
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Pre-reformer catalyst in a hydrogen plant
Apr-2020
Good operation following recommended practice with technical support highlight the successful performance of a pre-reformer catalyst.
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Pricing licences for gas processing units
Mar-2021
How technologies can be selected on the best licensing terms.
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Apr-2021
An alumina-supported catalyst for ULSD production or hydrocracking pretreat provides longer catalyst cycles, higher throughput, and better product qua ...
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Tools for FCC unit troubleshooting
Nov-2022
Strategies, resources, and technology can help to rapidly identify potential operational problems in FCC units targeted for upgrading and optimisation ...
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Automating catalyst evaluation (TIA)
Nov-2019
Accurate evaluation of catalysts performance is an important step in optimising catalytic refinery processes with respect to product yields, run length, ...
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Simulation model increases 
visbreaker conversion
Jan-2011
Introduction of advanced analytical monitoring, chemical treatment and process optimisation has raised the profitability of a visbreaker unit
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Interpreting FCC equilibrium 
catalyst data
Apr-2018
Regular Ecat and fines analysis provides information to support optimum performance from the FCC.
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Oil-to-chemicals: new approaches
Jul-2020
A review of developments and trends in the expanding business of oil-to-chemicals.
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Feb-2023
Using SWSPlus technology to transform sulphur recovery facilities from a cost centre to positive cash flow.
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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.
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Jan-2023
The Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA) expects record oil demand in 2023, ramping up from its current 100 million bpd to almost 104 million ...
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Diversifying the downstream value chain
Jan-2023
The deterioration of the economic environment in 2023 could affect demand for most chemical products amid high feedstock and energy costs. Moreover, increased ...
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Jan-2023
What is the best estimation for refinery and petrochemical product demand in 2023?
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Dec-2022
The Crude-to-Chemicals project is designed for world-scale petrochemicals production to deliver a flexible, bankable, and sustainable free-market inve ...
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Dec-2022
A project management team was tasked with speeding up the installation of a large number of high-return opportunities by altering their current work p ...
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Dec-2022
Risk-based Inspection (RBI) has been around the refining and petrochemical industry for many years.
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How can Becht help customers with additive manufacturing
Dec-2022
For more than half a century, Becht has maintained a valued reputation for exceptional innovation, service and partnership solving engineering problems ...
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What makes hydroprocessing different to other refining technologies?
Dec-2022
Most of the people that have worked around refineries for some time, feel that they have mastered the basics of the major refining technologies and feel ...
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Keeping your scaffolding under control during a turnaround
Dec-2022
During any Maintenance work or Turnarounds, there will be a need to reach inaccessible areas of the process plant, either for inspection or maintenance ...
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Dec-2022
Both 316 and type 304 (L is low carbon for weldability) are susceptible, under certain conditions, to three forms of attack in cooling water containing ...
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Dec-2022
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Becht expert witness - a true partner to support your case
Dec-2022
In any legal case it is very important to establish a true partnership between the law firm and the expert witness.
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Cooling tower acceptance testing
Dec-2022
In a recent blog, August 8, 2022, the subject of an independent check-rate or rating of a cooling tower’s thermal design was discussed.
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Thriving in demanding petrochemical applications
Dec-2022
The petrochemical industry presents valve solutions with demanding applications and operating environments.
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Reinventing reliability through material science
Dec-2022
Reinventing reliability is a critical mission that impacts technology and product development
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Dec-2022
For us, re-inventing reliability is a critical mission that impacts technology and product development. The above concept is also reflected in ESD-valves ...
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Pipeline operator boosts uptime and profitability with Q-Ball
Dec-2022
Self-flushing anti-cavitation trim eliminates maintenance outages, while decreasing noise and vibration and eliminating cavitation damage
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Valmet butterfly valves deliver versatility and performance for severe service applications
Dec-2022
Their compact and lightweight design, availability in larger sizes and easy usability make our butterfly valves an attractive option for many industrial ...
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Sustainable aviation fuel: prepare for take-off!
Dec-2022
Despite the unprecedented drop in global air traffic due to the Covid-19 crisis in the past years, passenger numbers and cargo volumes are anticipated ...
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Solution for ammonia monitoring in CEMS and DeNOx applications
Nov-2022
The SERVOTOUGH Laser 3 Plus Environmental delivers Tunable Diode Laser sensing precision to ammonia monitoring applications in a low-maintenance, cost-effective ...
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Nov-2022
Going into the winter, global economies need more diesel, petrochemical feedstocks, etc. Refinery disinvestment in North America and Europe has led to ...
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Cationic polymer application in DAF units
Nov-2022
Dissolved Air Floatation (DAF) technology is one of the proven purification technologies already used in the world. It is designed to meet all costumer ...
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Sulzer’s VIEC technology provides the solution with single-stage early separation
Nov-2022
The principle of “easiest first” applies as much in the oil industry as in most other enterprises. This in no more evident than in the state of the ...
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Electric process heaters and decarbonisation in hydrocarbon processing
Apr-2023
(White Paper) - Processing and refining hydrocarbons ultimately requires the use of high heat for a number of critical steps, and heaters based on fossil ...
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Intervening when feed gas is too lean: Heavies removal challenges for LNG projects
Apr-2023
(White Paper) - UOP and Kiewit, based on previous work experience, have found that one size does not fit all when it comes to gas treating for LNG plants. ...
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Petrochemical complex digitalisation for greater efficiency and emissions reduction
Apr-2023
(White Paper) - Concepts of automation and data exchange in manufacturing have propelled both upstream and downstream sectors into the 4.0 world, gradually ...
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Cooling tower acceptance testing
Dec-2022
In a recent blog, August 8, 2022, the subject of an independent check-rate or rating of a cooling tower’s thermal design was discussed.
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