Carmagen Newsletter
Our newsletter contains information and viewpoints on engineering topics relevant to the process and energy related industries.
The articles provide generalized information and should not be relied upon as
advice for specific applications; nor should the statements or opinions
contained therein be deemed to constitute engineering or consulting advice.
We note that advice can change depending on the factual circumstances unique to
each project.
Contact us to be placed on our mailing list and be notified when a new issue of our newsletter is posted on our website.
May 2017 
The article below is in the May Newsletter
- Top Ways a Refinery Can Use to Help Weather Current Market
Conditions
What are the top ways a refinery can use to help
weather current market conditions is a question we posed to our 160+
engineers. This is the next article in the series which includes
responses from several different authors.
April 2017
The article below is in the April Newsletter
- Top Ways a Refinery Can Use to Help Weather Current Market
Conditions
What are the top ways a refinery can use to help
weather current market conditions is a question we posed to our 160+
engineers. This is the next article in the series which includes
responses from several different authors.
March 2017
The article below is in the March Newsletter
- Top Ways a Refinery Can Use to Help Weather Current Market
Conditions
What are the top ways a refinery can use to help
weather current market conditions is a question we posed to our 160+
engineers. This is the next article in the series which includes
responses from several different authors.
February 2017
The article below is in the February Newsletter
- Top Ways a Refinery Can Use to Help Weather Current Market
Conditions
As far as reliability and hence availability for
production is concerned, this can be achieved by operating the plant
within its design parameters and in part through the implementation of
a well-managed inspection program. There are many reference
tools available to the refinery industry, which include several well
written API standards and recommended practices. The experience
and professional knowledge of refinery inspection and engineering
personnel is paramount to the successful and cost effective
implementation of refinery programs. Training of such personnel
has to be structured and complete.
January 2017
The article below is in the January Newsletter
- Top Ways a Refinery Can Use to Help Weather Current Market
Conditions
In general, a $1 improvement in the bottom line
is equivalent to $10 - $25 needed on the top line.
- Reduce labor costs by adjusting the organization to match
current needs.
- Reduce input costs (e.g., cost of fuel gas, electrical power).
Negotiate/renegotiate contracts.
- Operate equipment to its available capacity (know your
equipment).
November 2016
The article below is in the November Newsletter
- The Top Ten Ways to Get the Best Pilot Plant for Your Buck
Pilot plants are inherently expensive and time consuming;
organizations are always looking for ways to reduce their costs and
installation schedule. Here are some of the best ways to make
your next pilot plant project the most efficient, effective, fastest,
and least costly.
October 2016
The article below is in the October Newsletter
- Marine Terminal Safety Assessments
Marine terminals that facilitate product imports and exports are
a crucial and necessary part of the oil industry, and yet you rarely
hear much in the media about the inherent risk that terminals may
pose. Every day in the US alone, there are thousands of product
transfers involving millions of barrels of hydrocarbons and chemicals
being moved via refinery and chemical plant docks as well as
distribution terminals. Each one of those transfers represents a
risk of a safety or environmental event if minimum standards of care
are not followed.
September 2016
The article below is in the September Newsletter
- The Evolution and Need for Process Safety Management Regulations
OSHA Process Safety Management regulations for the handling of a
defined list of "Highly Hazardous Chemicals" became law in the United
States in 1992. These regulations were prompted by several major
releases at facilities around the world that resulted in multiple
fatalities both inside the respective plant and in their surrounding
communities. Since that time, the PSM regulations have been
modified and adjusted periodically to best serve the interests of the
refining and chemical industry and the general public. Process
Safety Management regulations consist of 14 Elements covering all
aspects of Highly Hazardous Chemical management.
July 2016
The article below is in the July Newsletter
- Compressed Air Systems
Compressed air systems are required in almost all industries
such as oil and gas, chemical and petrochemical plants, agro-chem
plants, power plants, nuclear facilities, pulp and paper, food,
pharmaceuticals, automotive, aerospace, IT/PC industry, industrial
manufacturing, large commercial buildings, hospitals, R&D facilities,
and so on. The size and scope of the system depends on the type
of facility. Hydrocarbon processing facilities have very large
air systems with complex configurations.
June 2016
The article below is in the June Newsletter
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Inspections Can Save Time and Money
Equipment inspections within chemical plants and refineries are
vital to ensure safe and efficient operations. Maintenance
inspections and turnarounds are costly and result in unavoidable
downtime.
Aetos, a member of MISTRAS Group, Inc., uses proven Unmanned Aerial
Vehicle (UAV) technology that provides an alternative to current
methods of turnaround planning, infrastructure inspections,
environmental monitoring, and disaster relief.
May 2016
The article below is in the May Newsletter
- Service Life Determination for Damaged Delayed Coker Drum
Delayed cokers are an essential unit in oil sands plants and
refineries since introduction of this technology to industry in the
early 1930's. The delayed coker drum operates under severe
service conditions of not only high temperature to 900°F
(482°C) but also quenching to near ambient
temperatures. The drums are also operated in a batch manner of
approximately 24 hours which contribute to the severe,
thermo-mechanical cyclic loading.
April 2016
The article below is in the April Newsletter
- Case Study - Energy Efficiency Improvement
As follow-up to an earlier article on Profitability and Energy
Efficiency Improvement, this is a case study of a job that we worked
on.
March 2016
The article below is in the March Newsletter
- Changes to ASME B31.3, "Process Piping"
The 2014 edition of ASME B31.3 is a revision of the 2012
edition, was officially issued February 27, 2015, and became effective
six months after that date. As with previous editions, it
includes several pages at the beginning that highlight where changes
were made, and these are further identified by a margin note (14) in
the body of the code placed next to the affected area.
February 2016
The article below is in the February Newsletter
- Profitability / Energy Efficiency Improvement
Every facility owner is very interested in maximizing
their profits. With energy consuming a substantial portion of a
petroleum refinery's or petrochemical plant's operating costs, the
range of effort required to address this can vary significantly.
At Carmagen Engineering, Inc. (CEI), we're committed to the cause of
improving energy profitability/efficiency in a cost effective manner.
We typically advise our clients not to jump into time and
resource-intensive programs head first, but rather to take a phased
approach. We first focus on a few major opportunity areas based
on our experience to reap the "low cost/no cost" opportunities first,
and also identify/prioritize areas that are worthwhile for more
detailed analysis.
January 2016
The article below is in the January Newsletter
- Finding the Reliability - Maintenance Sweet Spot
Benchmarking consultants provide information suggesting your
maintenance costs and availability are not competitive. Many
tell you that you can reduce maintenance costs
and increase availability. This often seems
counterintuitive particularly when they don't tell you how to make
such improvements except in general terms. Senior Management is
eager to capitalize on cost reduction while reliability and operations
personnel are concerned about operational shutdowns and surprises.
November 2015
The article below is in the November Newsletter
- The Business of Engineering and Science Consulting - Part Three
Since there has been a lot of interest in this series of
articles, here are the last four rules that we thought were important
to the building of our consulting business.
October 2015
The article below is in the October Newsletter
- The Business of Engineering and Science Consulting - Part Two
Since there has been a lot of interest in this series of
articles, here are the next four rules that we thought were important
to the building of our consulting business.
September 2015
The article below is in the September Newsletter
- The Business of Engineering and Science Consulting
I have threatened to write an article for this newsletter for
years, thinking that our engineers and scientists would keep writing
articles just to make sure I didn’t do it. Well – today is the big
day, and I like the idea of writing an article.
First off, please understand that I am NOT an engineer or scientist –
my college major was psychology. That being said, since I have been
with Carmagen since its inception some 28 years ago, I can actually
talk some engineering and know who to go to when I need help. I know
what corrosion holidays are (thanks, Jack), I know what some process
solutions look like (dark beer, light beer or was it coffee, coffee
with cream – thanks, Paul), and I can discuss tank bottom foundations,
sand, gravel, concrete (thanks Roger and Vince). Second, this is not
the typical technical article normally found in our newsletter and
website.
June 2015
The article below is in the June Newsletter
- Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals - Part 3
This brief article is a continuation of prior articles on
Process Safety Management (PSM) to provide information on requirements
to minimize unexpected or accidental releases of toxic, reactive, and
hazardous chemicals listed in the OSHA PSM Standard (1910.11), and to
prevent potential disasters from occurring. Information was
largely obtained from the source documentation. This brief
article focuses on process hazard analysis (PHA) and operating
procedures pertinent to PSM.
May 2015
The article below is in the May Newsletter
- Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals - Part 2
Further to Part 1, this brief article continues highlighting
Process Safety Management (PSM) requirements to minimize the
possibility of unexpected or accidental releases of toxic, reactive,
or hazardous chemicals listed in the OSHA PSM standard 1910.119, and
to prevent potential disasters from occurring. It focuses on the
elements of PSM, and information is largely obtained from the source
documentation.
April 2015
The article below is in the April Newsletter
- Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals - Part 1
A dreaded scenario for any company that works with highly
hazardous substances is an incident that results in death, injury,
and/or economic loss. Several catastrophes have occurred in
recent years, such as the accidents in Bhopal, India (1984), Norco, LA
(1988), Pasadena, TX (1989), and Texas City, TX (2005) to mention a
few.
March 2015
The article below is in the March Newsletter
- Changes Contained in the 10th Edition of API 510, Pressure Vessel
Inspection Code: In-Service Inspection, Rating, Repair, and Alteration
The 10th Edition of API 510 was issued May 2014 and replaces the
9th Edition. The following summarizes several of the key
changes. Please refer to the original document for details.
February 2015
The article below is in the February Newsletter
- Top Ten Ways to Prepare for a Semi Regenerative Catalytic Reformer
Regeneration
Because semi regenerative catalytic reformers are regenerated so
infrequently, it is critical to thoroughly prepare in advance and
train personnel responsible for implementing the procedure.
Preparation and training increase the probability of optimized unit
performance after oil in, and reduce the probability of delays,
additional downtime, and incidents that can result in equipment
reliability issues.
January 2015
The article below is in the January Newsletter
- Top Ten Tips for Tower Troubleshooting
Not all towers are the same, but they share some fundamentals.
The troubleshooting tips listed below can be used across a wide
variety of towers to help bring about an efficient resolution to most
problems.
December 2014
The article below is in the December Newsletter
- Ten Ways to Achieving Successful Turnarounds
Turnarounds are the single biggest annual maintenance
expenditure that a process plant can experience and have a major
effect on future operations and safety. Therefore, they need to
be executed in an efficient and effective manner. The following
lists ten key areas that need to be addressed to achieve a "World
Class" turnaround.
November 2014
The article below is in the November Newsletter
- Top Ten Ways to Specify and Buy Reliable Centrifugal Pumps
The following summarizes the top ten ways to specify and buy
reliable centrifugal pumps.
October 2014
The article below is in the October Newsletter
- Top Ten Ways to Improve Catalyst Performance
In-service catalyst deactivation is unavoidable, and poisoning
incidents compound the problem. The goal in catalytic processing is
to minimize catalyst cost in ¢/bbl of feed
while achieving process targets (conversion, selectivity, etc.) over
the useful life of the catalyst. Thus catalyst "management" is
key to maximizing unit profitability.
September 2014
The article below is in the September Newsletter
- Top Ten Ways to Control Corrosion in Process Plants
Corrosion in industrial facilities in general, and process
plants in particular, is a costly degradation mechanism. It
could also have safety, environmental, and equipment reliability
consequences should it result in a loss in pressure containment.
Listed below are the top ten ways to control corrosion in process
plants.
June 2014
The article below is in the June Newsletter
- Top Ten Ways to Improve Fired Heater Efficiency
Carmagen's April 2014 newsletter identified the Top Ten Ways to
Increase Site Energy Efficiency. This companion article focuses
on improving fired heater efficiency. Note that many of the
items listed below can be done at no or minimal capital cost, and
could yield significant fired heater efficiency improvement.
May 2014
The article below is in the May Newsletter
- Top Ten Ways to Improve Mobile Crane Safety
Mobile crane safety is an important aspect of overall
construction safety as evidenced by the recently issued OSHA
regulations in 29 CFR 1926.1400, Subpart CC - Cranes and Derricks in
Construction. Listed below are ten ways to improve crane safety
on your site.
April 2014
The article below is in the April Newsletter
- Top Ten Ways to Increase Site Energy Efficiency
Assuming operational efficiency improvements have been realized
to a large extent, further increases in site energy efficiency are
accomplished via implementation of modest, incremental capital
investment opportunities. An energy loss analysis is conducted
to quantify energy lost to air / water cooling followed by Process
Flow Diagram brainstorming reviews to identify potential capital
projects that will reduce fired heater and boiler fuel consumption.
March 2014
The article below is in the March Newsletter
- Top Ten Ways to Improve Reliability and Control Maintenance Costs
Decisions regarding reliability and maintenance can have a
measurable impact on both maintenance costs and reliability in any
plant. The following lists ten key areas that can help you
achieve positive results.
February 2014
The article below is in the February Newsletter
- Plant Visitation to Assist Process Technology Selection
Frequently when a refining company decides to pursue
installation of a new or unfamiliar process technology in their
facilities, they go through technology screening, bid solicitation,
and rigorous technical and commercial evaluations to arrive at the
best choice. Part of the evaluation may be to visit existing plants
that are of similar design, style, and capacity to the target design
of interest. Sometimes the visit may follow shortly after selection,
if the client is more aware of the licensor design specialties,
issues, etc. In other cases, the visit may occur before selection to
assist in the decision process. The licensor or contractor usually
arranges visitation meetings and a unit walk-thru at the sites.
January 2014
The article below is in the January Newsletter
- Some Tips for Shell Thickness Evaluations of In-Service
Aboveground Atmospheric Storage Tanks - Part 2
An earlier article introduced the basic equations used in
API-653 to determine whether the shell thickness of in-service
aboveground atmospheric storage tanks is acceptable for continued
operation. It highlighted several items that inspectors and
engineers should be aware of, and help avoid being overly
conservative. This article highlights several other items.
November 2013
The article below is in the November Newsletter
- Galvanizing Isn't Always a Good Way to Stop Corrosion
Galvanizing is widely used as a way to prevent corrosion of
structural steel, and for piping used in water service. A layer
of zinc is applied to the surface of the steel, usually by dipping the
component into a bath of molten zinc. Zinc is anodic to steel,
and, at any exposed areas of the steel, it provides sacrificial
cathodic protection when the steel is exposed to aqueous corrosion.
It is this galvanic protection at breaks in the coating that makes
galvanizing such a useful and widely-used corrosion control measure.
October 2013
The article below is in the October Newsletter
- Integrity Operating Windows
Integrity Operating Windows establish a safe operating regime
for equipment and can be used to trigger a Management of Change review
of any changes that might reduce equipment integrity. They can
also define limits beyond which short term operation is possible, and
to set a safe operating period beyond which corrective action is
required.
September 2013
The article below is in the September Newsletter
- Changes to API 650, Twelfth Edition - Welded Tanks for Oil Storage
Three addenda were issued for the Eleventh Edition of API 650 in
2008, 2009, and 2011 since it was first published in June 2007.
The Twelfth Edition of API 650 was published in March 2013. The
following highlights several of the changes that were made and is not
all inclusive. Refer to API 650 for complete information.
One general comment is that sections that were previously called
"Appendix" are now called "Annex."
August 2013
The article below is in the August Newsletter
- Pipeline Reliability Risk Assessment
Carmagen Engineering, Inc. recently conducted a study for an
overseas client to identify the risk associated with a change in
quality of gas fed to a natural gas pipeline. The corrosion
impact of the change in gas composition was evaluated using published
data and gas compositions and operating data supplied by the client.
The resultant change in risk was assessed considering a range of
damage scenarios according to the methodology defined in ASME B31.8S.
This standard covers managing integrity of onshore pipelines that
handle nominally dry gas.
June 2013
The article below is in the June Newsletter
- Unsaturated Gas Plant Retrofit Concepts
Refinery processes, such as coking and catalytic cracking,
produce substantial quantities of sour gases. Unsaturated gas
plant feeds are largely comprised of paraffinic and olefinic light
hydrocarbon components, such as C2's and lighter, C3
- C4, plus some C5 and naphtha, H2S,
and other light material. C3's and C4's
can be recovered as separate streams, or as LPG, since these streams
represent saleable hydrocarbon products of considerable value.
May 2013
The article below is in the May Newsletter
- Some Tips for Shell Thickness Evaluations of In-Service
Aboveground Atmospheric Storage Tanks - Part 1
The original required design thickness of an aboveground
atmospheric storage tank shell is determined based on the hydrostatic
head of liquid in the tank. The hydrostatic head produces
circumferential and longitudinal stresses in the shell, and the shell
thickness is selected to keep these stresses within safe, allowable
limits. This approach is analogous to determining the minimum
required thickness of a pipe or pressure vessel due to internal
pressure.
April 2013
The article below is in the April Newsletter
- Underground Obstructions
Underground obstructions are any buried object or obstacle that
interferes with our completing planned work. Some common
underground obstructions are production lines, fire water lines,
cooling tower water lines, electrical feeders, communication cables
(fiber optic cables, phone lines, instrumentation lines), bell pile
bases, and foundation footings.
In a "Greenfield" project, coming into contact with most of these
objects, provided the unit hasn't been commissioned, generates impacts
that are primarily limited to cost and schedule.
March 2013
The article below is in the March Newsletter
- Crude Oil Entrainment of Settled Water in Arabian
Light/Medium/Heavy Pipelines
The existence of free water, i.e., liquid, as a separate phase
in the bottom section of flowing or stagnant crude oil lines is of
prime concern. This free water phase provides the electrolyte
necessary for the progression of various forms of corrosion, utilizing
the corrosive agents most typically found in the crude oil, such as
hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Besides the more benign or
tolerable "general corrosion" caused by H2S, both sulfide
stress corrosion cracking (SSCC) and hydrogen induced cracking (HIC)
may also occur, with their potential for leading to unexpected,
catastrophic failure of the crude oil line pipe.
February 2013
The article below is in the February Newsletter
- Shell Repairs to Aboveground Atmospheric Storage Tanks Using
Lap-Welded Patch Plates
API-653, Tank Repair and Alteration, intends that
repairs and alterations made on Aboveground Atmospheric Storage Tank
(AST) result in general equivalence to API-650 requirements.
Section 9 of API-653, contains specific requirements that are intended
to meet this objective. After the AST has been in service for
some time, thinning due to corrosion may require that sections of the
shell be repaired in order for the tank to have adequate strength for
its next period of operation. Such repairs are generally done by
installing insert plates into the shell using full-thickness butt
welds.
January 2013
The article below is in the January Newsletter
- Revamp Screening Studies
In the early phases of revamp project conceptual engineering, it is
usually beneficial to perform screening-type studies to explore
various approaches or potential options in order to achieve the
desired objectives. It is also advantageous to understand the
salient factors/drivers that may validate facilities upgrade strategy.
Further, such activities can quickly reveal the complexity, potential
ramifications, and preliminary economic differentials for implementing
a specific option or change relative to other paths.
November/December 2012
The article below is in the November/December Newsletter
- How Safe Are Your Docks?
Every year incidents at Marine Terminals cost operating companies
hundreds of thousands of dollars in downtime, equipment replacement,
and environmental clean-up costs. Outdated marine terminal
facilities may also result in longer tanker loading or unloading times
which translate to increased costs and potential increased rates.
More importantly, many personal injuries and fatalities have occurred
which may have been avoided with the right equipment and operatng
procedures in place.
October 2012
The article below is in the October Newsletter
- Aboveground Atmospheric Storage Tank Bottom Plate Corrosion
The required internal inspection interval of an Aboveground
Atmospheric Storage Tank (AST) must be determined based on corrosion
rates measured during previous inspections or anticipated based on
experience with similar tanks in similar service. Bottom plate
corrosion normally controls the required internal inspection interval,
and this corrosion may occur both from the top side and the
underside.
September 2012
The article below is in the September Newsletter
- Using Single Blend Optimizer to Quickly Maximize Bunker Profits
In the current global economic downturn, we can increase profit
margins in the face of constantly increasing fuel and operating costs
by using a bunker blend optimization tool. By optimization, we
mean maximizing profit, and as such, money has to be explicitly
included in blend optimization calculations.
June 2012
The article below is in the June Newsletter
- What Makes Outstanding Negotiators Outstanding?
Negotiating is persuading the other party to accept your way ... and
for them to feel satisfied with the outcome. Negotiating is a
critical business (and personal) skill ... which can be learned and
improved. Why are some people consistently very successful in
their negotiations, while other people achieve only average results?
Outstanding negotiators have certain characteristics that differ from
those of other negotiators.
May 2012
The article below is in the May Newsletter
- Changes in API 653, Tank Repair, Alteration, and Reconstruction
Two addenda have been issued for the Fourth Edition of API 653 since
it was published in April 2009. Addendum 1 was issued August
2010, and Addendum 2 was issued January 2012. The following
highlights several of the changes that were made and is not all
inclusive.
April 2012
The article below is in the April Newsletter
- Petroleum Coke Formation
Unwanted coke formation in
high temperature petroleum processing can result in significant
effects on unit performance such as:
- Flow constriction in pipes and vessels
- Blockages on grids, sheds, and trays
- Increased back pressure on fixed catalyst beds
- Decrease in heat transfer efficiency (especially for fired
heaters and heat exchangers)
These problems will not only reduce unit productivity
but may also increase the frequency and duration of unit turnarounds.
March 2012
The article below is in the March Newsletter
- Licensor Technology Selection
Proper refinery or
process facility planning often necessitates the use of third-party
licensed technology to enhance the client's project objectives, which
typically target optimized performance, safe and reliable operation,
and maximized profitability. Most selections are typically
handled as separate technical and commercial evaluations by
experienced staff proficient in that area.
February 2012
The article below is in the February Newsletter
- Canadian Oil Sands - Challenges and Opportunities
Mining, Separation, Upgrading
"Alberta's oil-sands region
is awash with companies from Japan, South Korea,
China and Norway, as well as big international players like Royal
Dutch Shell PLC and BP PLC – all competing for access to an estimated
170 billion barrels of oil recoverable using current technology.
Alberta is now second only to Saudi Arabia in recoverable oil
reserves, thanks to improvements in technology and higher oil prices
that have made the labor-intensive oil-sands projects more economical.
The oil sands represent a unique opportunity for investors.
Of all the oil currently produced in the world, five out of six
barrels are state-owned or state-controlled.
Of the portion that remains – oil available for public
investment – half is in Canada’s oil sands.”
(Edward Welsh in the Wall Street Journal, November 29, 2010).
The American Petroleum Institute has broadcast a series of
radio advertisements supporting the growth of the oil sands industry
suggesting that 300,000 American jobs will be created in support of
this growth. Construction
of the Keystone Pipeline, a $7 Billion investment, if built, will
bring Athabasca oil to the Gulf Coast.
January 2012
The article below is in the January Newsletter
- Nano Refining
The popular perception of a petroleum
refinery generally conjures up images of large-scale towers, vessels,
reactors, pumps, and compressors facilitating processes measured in
thousands of barrels or tonnes of crude oil, steam, and derived
products. What is less appreciated is how much of modern
refining is pinioned on the use of materials whose functions can only
be properly understood and controlled by delving into the world of the
very small. That refineries operate today at a high efficiency,
can largely be attributed in good part to a shift from property-based
processing, reliant on bulk measures such as viscosity, boiling point,
pour point and color, into refining strategies tuned to
transformations at the molecular level enabled by new materials.
Modern refining is the confluence of macro-scale engineering with
nano-scale catalytic chemistry.
November 2011
The article below is in the November Newsletter
- Product Quality and Energy Use Improvements Through Better Process
Control
After a plant has been built, it has a control system that reflects
the "state of the art" at the time of construction and commissioning.
It then typically operates with the "as built" controls for many
years. In a complex refinery or chemical plant, many process
units are typically added or modified over a number of years.
So, we end up with field instrumentation, controls, and control rooms
that are probably very dissimilar. This leads to the usual
maintenance challenges because we must deal with many different
product vendors, spare parts that are becoming harder to get, and
often find ourselves in a situation where modern network technologies
cannot be used to extract and store process data for archiving and
analysis. In addition, there may be too many control rooms that
require significant upkeep, and that do not meet current "best
practices" standards.
October 2011
The article below is in the October Newsletter
- Proprietary CTI
In the July 2011 issue of the Carmagen eNews, George Swan introduced
the use of Competitive Technology Intelligence (CTI) as an important
element in developing a good business plan. That article focused
on patent searching and systematic (computerized) evaluation of
technical threats to a commercial position. Consideration of
patent timing, intensity, and focus can lead to a "map" of competitor
Intellectual Property (IP) strategies. This article continues to
examine CTI tools focusing on the use of non-patent sources to
determine how IP fits into competitor strategies.
September 2011
The article below is in the September Newsletter
- Designing Delayed Coker Drums to ASME VIII Division 2
Coke drums in delayed coker units are pressure vessels that are used
in the oil sands and conventional petroleum refinery processing
industries for the thermal cracking of reduced bitumen to recover
additional saleable gas and liquid product streams. The drums
are typically constructed to the requirements of ASME VIII Division 1,
although they are in a low cycle, thermal-mechanical service
environment. Recent practice has been to introduce design by
analysis considerations from ASME VIII Division 2, even though service
temperatures of the actual equipment exceed the design limits of the
Division 2 Code [1, 2].
August 2011
The article below is in the August Newsletter
- Calculating Safety Valve Fire Relief Loads for Multicomponent
Systems
According to the ASME Code, pressure vessels must be protected against
overpressure caused by exposure to external fires. When a vessel
containing liquid is exposed to an external fire, the contained liquid
will vaporize and, potentially, cause the vessel pressure to exceed
its maximum allowable working pressure unless the resulting vapor is
relieved at a flow rate equal to the vapor generation rate.
July 2011
The article below is in the July Newsletter
- Competitive Technology Intelligence (CTI): Surveying the
Competitor Landscape
An important element of good business plans is knowledge of the
competition, not only their current operations but also probable future
trends. This is particularly relevant for the refining and chemical
process industry where technology evolution is critical to improving
profitability. Benchmarking against the competition provides a basis
for key investment decisions, but benchmarking is often a formidable task
since the required information is not easily accessible. However,
over 90% of valuable competitor technology insights may be found in the
public domain; the challenge is to collect "intelligence" from multiple
sources and then fit the pieces of the puzzle together to create a unified
picture of the competitor landscape.
June 2011
The article below is in the June Newsletter
- About Compressor Drivers in Gas Production and Transmission
Applications
Gas compressors that are used in natural gas production and
transmission applications are fundamentally of two types: positive
displacement and centrifugal or turbo-compressors. Displacement
compressors are reciprocating or rotary screw machines. Displacement
compressors are designed to move relatively small quantities of gas at
high pressure differentials. Smaller and medium sized reciprocating
compressors, and for smaller gas flows lately, rotary screw compressors
are applied in gas production and gathering where high pressure
differentials are required. Turbo-compressors convey gas in large
quantities with a relatively low pressure rise. Larger size
turbo-compressors have been mostly utilized in long distance transmission
services.
May 2011
The article below is in the May Newsletter
- Logistical Forensics
Logistics, the flow of petroleum crude movements and product
distribution, plays a major role in refinery operations. Logistical
problems cause refiners' nightmares. If precipitates overwhelm
desalters, then flows may need to be reduced in the entire refinery.
If a process stream is contaminated, then blended products may be off
spec. If a delivered product is unacceptable to customers, then
entire distribution systems may get backed up. Because any of these
problems may be related to contamination or process failures, they may be
subject to litigation. In such cases, determination of
responsibility falls to "logistical forensics."
April 2011
The article below is in the April Newsletter
- Biodiesels - What are They?
Three distinct types of biodiesels form the bulk of what is available today:
- Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) or Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters (FAEE)
-
Hydrogenated Biomass (Vegetable or Animal Fat) Oils Biodiesel
- Gasified
Biomass Fischer-Tropsch Synthesized Biodiesel
Biodiesels are also categorized by "generations," where FAME-type biodiesels
are the 1st generation, while the hydrogenated biomass oil and Fischer-Tropsch
diesels are part of the 2nd generation.
March 2011
The article below is in the March Newsletter
- Increasing Fired Heater Thermal Efficiency
Increasing the thermal efficiency of a Fired Heater reduces the heater's
carbon footprint and operating costs. For example, assuming a Fired
Heater with a heat release of 100 MBTU/hr, an increase in efficiency of 1%
will result in a savings of $38K/yr at a fuel cost of $4 per MBTU.
February 2011
The article below is in the February Newsletter
- Lowering Your Facility's Carbon Footprint
A facility's carbon footprint is related to the CARBON emitted to the
atmosphere. There has been pressure in recent years to lower the amount
of carbon emitted from industrial facilities. Expectations are that this
pressure will continue via increasingly stringent legislative mandates that
facilities must meet.
January 2011
The article below is in the January Newsletter
- Evaluate New Machinery Purchases Using Life Cycle Costing Tools
Capital costs of new projects attract the most attention of both management
and vendors. However, it must be recognized that operating and
maintenance (O&M) expenses are also as significant. Unfortunately,
evaluating the total cost of ownership of a plant asset on a common basis with
the capital cost is difficult: so managers tend to give priority to
initial cost. In extreme cases, the potential O&M costs might not be
considered at all when specification and purchasing decisions are being made
and are driven only by initial capital cost and schedule considerations.
Consequently, poor reliability and performance of our machinery equipment do
not show up until the plant is actually up and running.
October 2010
The article below is in the October Newsletter
- Process Operating Stress Test (POST) = Pathway to Improved Unit
Profitability
The first step toward maximizing process performance is to assess the overall
“health” of the existing operation.
Analogous to cardiac stress testing, methodology is available for
systematically testing refinery or chemical process units, and extending their
normal operating envelope. The
Process Operating Stress Test (POST) protocol comprises a series of
incremental changes in process variables (typically targeting higher severity
operation) which results in corresponding responses of key process parameters,
e.g., conversion, yields, etc.
Statistical analysis of these responses facilitates diagnosis of probable
process limitations and sets the stage for developing both optimization and
unit debottlenecking strategies.
An important outcome is also a blueprint for addressing identified process
constraints.
September 2010
The article below is in the September Newsletter
- Are Large Amendments Needed for Our Rotating Equipment Specifications?
I heard the complaints of several technical managers of an EPC (Engineering,
Procurement, Construction) company. There were complaining about the
proliferation of voluminous technical specifications for rotating equipment:
reams and reams of paper in addition to commonly used industry standards.
They felt that there were frequent duplications and contradictions in such
specifications, frustrating them or the vendors, and causing costly delays.
While these specific complaints were directed towards rotating equipment
specifications, especially for compressors, the same can often be said for
other equipment specifications (e.g., pressure vessels, heat exchangers,
storage tanks, etc.).
August 2010
The article below is in the August Newsletter
- Preservation of Process Machinery
In the early nineties, a decommissioned and subsequently mothballed fertilizer
plant located in the United States was purchased, dismantled, and
reconstructed at a location half way around the world. When I visited
this plant about 10 years after it was restarted at its new location, it was
producing fertilizer at a fraction of the investment cost of a brand new
plant. This attested to good storage protection because the plant had
sat idle for a considerable time before it was relocated. This is just
one example demonstrating that long-term storage protection of sensitive
machinery such as compressors, pumps, and associated drivers saves money.
July 2010
The article below is in the July Newsletter
- Agitated Vessel Heat Transfer Design
There has been continued growth of refinery-based downstream processing
involving petrochemicals, polymers and specialty
chemicals such as lube oil additives, high impact, crystal and expandable
polystyrenes, certain synthetic fibers, vat dyes, wire enamels,
automotive/airplane plastics, etc. Therefore, the ability to design for
types of equipment not typically associated with refinery units is now
considered to be a useful tool for the hydrocarbon processing engineer.
Such a design area involves heat transfer in agitated vessels such as
Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors (CSTRs) or in Batch Operations.
June 2010
The article below is in the June Newsletter
- Engineering Coordination Tips During Front-End Engineering Design
This might be a statement of the obvious to many, but it's surprising how
often some fundamental coordination tips for successful front-end engineering
design and execution are forgotten under pressure. There can be
exceptions and additions to any project; so, these tips are not all inclusive.
This article hopes to provide a checklist for such work and why we need to
remember.
May 2010
The article below is in the May Newsletter
- Opportunities for Refinery and Petrochemical Plant Integration
Changes in the transportation fuels industry, dictated by environmental and
political pressures, will significantly impact the demand for conventional
refinery fuel products and put increased pressure on refining margins.
However, refinery facilities are valuable assets that can be used for the
co-production of products other than conventional transportation fuels.
As capacity is freed-up by reduced demand for conventional refinery fuels,
more opportunities become available for production of such alternate
co-products.
April 2010
The article below is in the April Newsletter
- Calculating Blending Profitability
In the current uncertain economic environment, it is extremely important to
determine how much money, if any, you make on every barrel of blended product.
The basic principle is simple.
March 2010
The article below is in the March Newsletter
- Changes to API 650, Eleventh Edition – Welded Steel Tanks for Oil Storage
Two addenda have been issued for the Eleventh Edition of API 650 since it
was published in June 2007. Addendum 1 was issued November 2008, and
Addendum 2 was issued November 2009. The current article highlights
several of the changes that were made and is not all inclusive. Refer
to API 650 for complete information.
February 2010
The article below is in the February Newsletter
- Fluid Cat Cracking – Still a Profitable Refining Process
In the current climate of significantly reduced refining margins, it is critically important to maintain perspective and emphasis on the areas that still produce a good financial return. Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) has been, and remains, one of the most important and most profitable processes in a refinery operation.
January 2010
The article below is in the January Newsletter
- Are you Ready for the Future?
In today's environment of excess capacity, poor profit margin, and capital restraint, should operating plants consider directing their efforts at optimizing process operations and improving reliability? Despite the current downturn and restrictions on expenditures, this is the best time to consider investing in the future. This can be achieved by identifying and resolving persistent reliability problems before utilization increases and profit margins improve.
October 2009
The article below is in the October Newsletter
- Methods to Determine Diesel Cetane Number
ASTM recently published an updated ASTM D7170 test
method for Derived Cetane Number (DCN) measurement using the ignition delay
principle, which provides for an economical and reliable way to determine
the diesel fuel cetane number.
The cetane number is a very important property of diesel oils indicating the
quality of the ignition of the diesel fuel (the higher, the better),
somewhat analogous to octanes for gasoline.
September 2009
The article below is in the September Newsletter
- Effective Lump Sum Contracting
Many project management professionals believe that properly administered
engineering, procurement and construction contracts awarded as the result of
competitive lump sum bidding can save an owner up to 10 percent vs.
reimbursable cost contracts when market conditions are favorable for lump
sum. This has been proven in an examination of contract performance
over the last century. But... and there are a few significant "buts"... the
market conditions must enable the assembly of a competitive slate of
qualified bidders committed to the lump sum, and the bidding development,
commercial and technical bid conditioning review, contract award, and the
administration of the contract must be done in a professional manner.
August 2009
The article below is in the August Newsletter
- Making or Saving Money in Non-Process Engineering Areas for Petroleum
Refineries
This is part two of our series on making and/or saving money in refineries.
What is your best cost-effective tip for refineries is a question we posed to
our 180+ engineers. The majority of our engineers have 35+ years of
experience, so they know what they are talking about. This article
contains their answers for the non-process engineering side of the refining
industry. There are several "repeat tips" from our first article, since
they also apply to the non-process engineering area.
July 2009
The article below is in the July Newsletter
- Independent Project Reviews
For major capital projects, structured reviews of progress and planning are
often done at significant milestones/transition points to validate
activities as being consistent with project objectives. This article
provides a summary of the Independent Project Review Process, which is a key
element to successful capital project execution.
June 2009
The article below is in the June Newsletter
- Making or Saving Money in Process Engineering Areas for Petroleum
Refineries
What is your best cost-effective tip for refineries is a question we posed to
our 180+ engineers. The majority of our engineers have 35+ years of
experience, so they know what they are talking about. The following
are their answers for the process engineering side of the refining industry.
There will be another article that will cover this topic for the non-process
side of the industry as well.
May 2009
The article below is in the May Newsletter
- Research Reality (Part 2): Limitations of Model Compound Research
In Part I of this series on "research reality", we summarized the factors that
limited the application of laboratory research to engineering models (the
Chemical Research Space - Figure 1). To probe process phenomena,
research experiments are based on model compounds in a constant matrix.
In this part of the series, we elaborate on the factors that affect the
choice of model compounds for both upstream and downstream petroleum
research.
April 2009
The article below is in the April Newsletter
- Article 4 - API 579-1 Fitness-For-Service (FFS) - Pitting Assessment
Pitting corrosion is evaluated differently than general corrosion. This
article discusses the evaluation of widely scattered pitting using API
579-1/ASME FFS-1 2007 Fitness-For-Service Level 1 assessment procedures.
March 2009
The article below is in the March Newsletter
- Fuel Reduction Projects for Steam Systems
With today's high cost of fuel, an audit of your steam facilities offers
an opportunity for significant dollar savings by recovering heat now
discharged as waste. Six areas which offer significant energy and fuel
savings are discussed.
September 2008
Below is a list of articles in the September newsletter
- 2008 - A Great Year for Holidays
- Lightning Protection for Instrumentation
- 2008 Survey of Blending On-Line NIR Analyzers
May 2008
Below is a list of articles in the May newsletter
- Changes in API 650, Welded Steel Tanks for Oil Storage
- Article 3, API 579-1 Fitness for-Service (FFS) - Nozzle Assessment
- Changes in API 653, Tank Inspection, Repair, Alteration, and
Reconstruction
February 2008
Below is a list of articles in the February newsletter
- Research Reality
- Article 2 - API RP 579 Fitness-for-Service
- Process Plant Bad Actor Program
December 2007
Below is a list of articles in the December newsletter
- The Ten (Actually Twelve) Commandments for Achieving Successful Turnarounds
- Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit Flue Gas and Transfer Line Refractory Lining System Development
- Those Stinkin' Mercaptans … They're Back
September 2007
Below is a list of articles in the September newsletter
- It's in Refiners' Interest to Train New Blending Engineers Fast
- OSHA Announces Increased Emphasis on Petroleum Refineries
- Article 1: Reduce Your Maintenance Costs With Fitness-For-Service (FFS) Assessments
June 2007
Below is a list of articles in the June newsletter
- Changes Contained in
Addendum 4 of API 570:Piping Inspection Code
- Changes Contained in the 9th Edition of API 510: Pressure Vessel Inspection Code: In-Service Inspection, Rating, Repair and Alteration
- Achieving Full Reliability of Typical Bad Actor Heat Exchangers in Crude Units, Catalytic Reformers, and FCCUs
March 2007
Below is a list of articles in the March newsletter
- A Realistic Approach to Weldor Training and Testing
- Does Your Plant Have A Turnaround Manual?
- Experience With 100% Mechanical Reliability of Refineries' Bad Actor Heat Exchangers
- Calculating the Potential Surge Pressure in Liquid Filled Piping Systems
December 2006
Below is a list of articles in the December newsletter
- Computerized Inspection Management Systems
- Changes Contained in Addendum 2 of API 653, Tank Inspection, Repair, Alteration and Reconstruction
- Changes in API 650, Welded Steel Tanks for Oil Storage
- Cost Management - Part 3 Data Collection and Analysis
September 2006
Below is a list of articles in the September newsletter
- Cost Management - Part 2, Cost Control
- Risk Based Inspection
- How FCCU Trickle Valves Affect Catalyst Losses - Part 2
June 2006
Below is a list of articles in the June newsletter
- Cost Management - Part 1
- NIR Analyzer Precision Targets for Gasoline Blending Applications
- How FCCU Trickle Valves Affect Catalyst Losses - Part 1
April 2006
Below is a list of articles in the April newsletter
- Transition in the Chemical Industry
- Significant Energy Savings Achievable Even At "Smaller" Refineries
- Invention Disclosures and Documentation
- Training the Current and Next Generation of Refinery Engineers
February 2006
Below is a list of articles in the February newsletter
- Guidelines Will Enable Determination of Unknown Loss in Refineries and Terminals Promoting Closure of Mass/Volume Balances
- Managing Boiler Water Treatment Steps is Critical
- The Choice is Yours … Protecting Proprietary Technology
November 2005
Below is a list of articles in the November newsletter
- Application of Temperature Activated Relief Devices
- Part 2 - How to Develop NIR Property Models That Work
- Special Safety Considerations for Hot Tapping
August 2005
Below is a list of articles in the August newsletter
- Application of Temperature Activated Relief Devices - Part 1
- Comparing Knock Engines With NIR Analyzers for In-Line Blending
- Hot Tap Inspection Considerations
- Hot Tap Installation Considerations
May 2005
Below is a list of articles in the May newsletter
- Applied Chemistry Puts Specialty Process Back On Track
- How Thick Does A Nozzle Neck Have To Be On An Existing API-650 Storage Tank?
- Hot Tap Location and Design Considerations
- Resonance and Magnification in Piping System Vibration
February 2005
Below is a list of articles in the February newsletter
- Applied Chemistry Spans Molecules, Models, and Refinery Reality
- Controlling Piping System Vibration
- Hot Tap Guidelines
December 2004
Below is a list of articles in the December newsletter
- Unit Integrity Audit - the "Carmagen Engineering" Way
- Screening Piping Vibration Problems
- More Energy Efficiency Improvement Tips
- Can You Afford Not to Apply R&M Principles On Your Next Capital Project?
- Hot Bolting for Flange Leakage Control
October 2004
Below is a list of articles in the October newsletter
- How Much Cash Is Going Up In Smoke?
- Common Causes of Flange Leakage
- Common Causes of Piping Vibration
July 2004
Below is a list of articles in the July newsletter
- Fouling and Plugging Cause High Reactor Pressure Drop and Premature Shutdown in Hydroprocessing Units
- Flange Joint Assembly and Bolt-up Procedures
- Flange Bolt Tightening Methods
- All About Nickel Alloy Welding Electrodes
March 2004
Below is a list of articles in the March newsletter
- Thoughts On Crane Safety & Prequalification of Suppliers
- Assessing the Creep Life of FCCU Internals
- New Appendix G of API-653 Provides for Tank Bottom Inspection Qualification Guidelines
- New Requirements for Welded-on Plates to Storage Tank Bottoms
September 2003
Below is a list of articles in the September newsletter
- Processing High TAN or Corrosive Crudes
- Let Weld Metal Match Base Metal
- Contemporary Problems in Blending Automation
- Vaccinate Against the Tube-to-Tubesheet Plague
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