ARTICLES
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Understanding basic principles of flow calculations
Mar-2008
Valve size often is described by the nominal size of the end connections, but a more important measure is the flow that the valve can provide.
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Managing fouling in refinery networks
Jul-2015
Modelling heat exchanger and other networks enables the use of dynamic fouling models in performance assessment and predictive studies
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Spent sulphuric acid regeneration (SAR) process
May-2012
Several chemical processes utilise concentrated sulphuric acid as a catalyst or dehydrating agent, in which the acid becomes “spent”; ie, weakened ...
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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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Hydrogen generation for modern refineries
Jan-2009
With increasing demand for diesel, more stringent product specifications for cleaner fuels, reduced fuel oil demand and the economic advantages in processing ...
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Methanol from CO2: a technology and outlook overview
Apr-2023
Optimal capture of CO2 towards methanol production compels development of sustainable renewable solutions like green methanol.
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Sour water strippers: design and operation
Apr-2013
Simpler, more cost-effective sour water stripper designs can outperform more generally accepted designs in the refining industry
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Oil/water separation technologies
Apr-2013
Where stable emulsions cannot be removed mechanically, the application of demulsifiers, coagulants and flocculants accelerates the separation process
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Naphtha catalytic cracking for propylene production
Mar-2013
Investment in on-purpose propylene production technology based on naphtha-based feedstock is taking on various process configurations
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Catalytic reforming options and practices
Apr-2010
Design and practice in catalytic reforming is evolving to meet refinery challenges, including lower gasoline pool benzene content and increased demand ...
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High-purity propylene from refinery LPG
Apr-2012
A case study and financial analysis show that investment opportunities for refiners exist with the expected future high price of propylene
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RFCC units set new standard for propylene production
Oct-2012
RFCC units are being commissioned and operated to convert hydrotreated and straight-run resid to high levels of propylene
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Understanding centrifugal compressor performance
Apr-2002
In a connected process system, expensive changes to the compressor and driver can be avoided with system debottlenecking modifications
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Gasifying coke to produce hydrogen in refineries
Jul-2012
Coke gasification to produce hydrogen for hydroprocessing is more capital intensive than steam methane reforming, but not so vulnerable to natural gas ...
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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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Optimising sweep gas flow in a flare header
Oct-2012
How to calculate the minimum flow of flare header sweep gas needed to maintain safe conditions
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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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Calculating column relief loads
Apr-2010
Conventional, steady-state and dynamic simulation techniques are compared in a study of relief loads for failure modes applied to a distillation colum ...
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When excess air becomes too much
Jul-2020
Excessive use of excess air impacts operating costs through fuel efficiency, furnace reliability, and stack emissions
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Jan-2008
Highly exothermic olefins saturation and silica contamination can occur when hydrotreating coker naphtha.
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Metathesis for maximum propylene
Apr-2006
Using metathesis technology to process refinery-based C4 feedstocks can maximise propylene. The economic advantages of flow schemes using alpha-olefins ...
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Improved hydrogen yield in catalytic reforming
Jan-2013
A process step that sends higher-boiling C6 hydrocarbons to light tops isomerisation delivers an increase in hydrogen production from naphtha catalytic ...
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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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More petrochemicals with less capital spending
Sep-2020
Even in nations with exceptional dependence on transportation fuels like Brazil, better integration with petrochemicals production is essential for re ...
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Energy management and sustainability of the downstream industry
Jun-2022
Energy management must feature in any strategy in the downstream industry for both environmental impact and economic competitiveness.
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The role of biofuels in the energy transition
Apr-2022
Overcoming the challenges of coprocessing renewables.
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Delayed coking as a sustainable refinery solution
Jun-2021
Fuel grade coke is a serious environmental pollutant but the producer, the delayed coking process, can be a contributor to future sustainable development ...
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Profiting from the lubricants market
Apr-2023
Pursuing a profitable and more sustainable purpose for crude oil through the lubricants market requires examination of lubricants production via hydro ...
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Closing the sustainability cycle
Feb-2023
Role of plastics recycling technologies in the future of the downstream industry.
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Needle coke — overcoming quality challenges in a resurgent market
Nov-2022
The quality of needle coke precursors as a function of their origin and/or process is discussed against a backdrop of the drive to enhance quality, purity, ...
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Experimental phase balance assessment for duplex stainless steel welded pipe
Jan-2018
This paper discusses the assessment of weld metal ferrite content in duplex stainless steel pipe welded at a 45Ëšangle
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Delek brings refineries into synchronised digital maturity
Jul-2020
Since the company was founded in the early 2000s, the business strategy at Delek US Holdings, Inc. has focused on rapid growth through acquisition of downstream ...
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Computation of heat conduction in welding of thick wall reactor vessels
Sep-2017
The welding of reactors in refinery is complex due to various phase formation during and after welding. Each phase was unique with success of welding lies ...
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Maintenance and reliability for rotating equipment closing the loop
May-2024
Maintenance of rotating equipment is a vast subject that could fill volumes.
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Cartridge tray installation failures
Oct-2025
A study of the root causes for failed cartridge tray installations on-site, along with an alternative approach to mitigate the risk and optimise installation ...
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CCS from refinery emissions: CO2 purity must be analysed and controlled
Jun-2020
One of the most promising measures to decarbonise refinery operations is carbon capture and storage (CCS) from existing combustion processes, such as process ...
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IMO 2020 - Maritime CEMS and refinery changes
May-2020
For several years, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has stipulated low levels of sulphur emissions close to densely populated coastal areas, ...
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Improved hydrogen yield in catalytic reforming
Jan-2013
A process step that sends higher-boiling C6 hydrocarbons to light tops isomerisation delivers an increase in hydrogen production from naphtha catalytic ...
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Optimising cartridge tray installation
Oct-2024
Methodology for tackling site challenges and improving HSE and quality in cartridge tray installations while reducing the overall installation cost and ...
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Hydrogen SMR energy efficiency optimisation
May-2020
Steam methane reformers (SMR) are the most common hydrogen production technique in the oil and gas industry.
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Optimising FCC economics against changing market dynamics
Mar-2023
CO promoters are a frequently overlooked parameter for better control of afterburning, as demonstrated in a case study amidst a changing platinum group ...
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CFD application as diagnostic tool to resolve flow-induced process unit failures
Sep-2025
Background: Case 1: Reactor effluent air cooler (REAC) tube plugging issue in DHDS unit.
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Valorisation of plastic pyrolysis oil via co-processing in FCC units
Dec-2025
Optimising the value of PPO within a refinery involves its integration through co-processing in an FCC unit to enhance circularity.
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Environmental monitoring and management in the downstream oil and gas sector
Apr-2020
Keeping it clean, keeping it green. Ground water, rain water run-off and effluent. Contaminated soil replacement in spillage areas, excavated soil disposal ...
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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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Feb-2024
Part 1 covered the basics of crude-to-chemicals. Part 2 explains how hydroprocessing technology can be used to convert any crude to chemicals to maximise ...
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Capturing margins through timely and accurate crude evaluations
Mar-2026
(White Paper) - Refineries face unprecedented complexity in crude procurement. Price volatility, geopolitical instability, and shifting crude slates have ...
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Review of strategies to maximise profitability in HVO complexes
Mar-2026
(White Paper) - Given the ever-increasing focus on reducing Scope 3 CO₂ emissions and closing the gap on carbon neutrality, the interest in biofuels ...
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AI optimisation in closed-loop control
Mar-2026
Three case studies show how non-linear problems of the modern refining and chemicals industry are solved using AI to deliver breakthrough value.
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Boosting ATR methanol capacity within existing assets
Mar-2026
Revamp strategies combining ethane co‑feeding and intermediate condensation unlock a 5% methanol capacity increase, improving conversion and carbon ...
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Circular aromatics by breakthrough technological synergies
Mar-2026
Smart catalyst design and cascading pyrolysis processes deliver record BTX yields from waste plastics and biomass sources.
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Clean-up of fixed-bed reactor naphtha feed streams: Part 1
Mar-2026
Commercial demonstration of cleaning feed streams like coal tar naphtha feed to a hydrodesulphurisation reactor using an unconventional filter.
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FCC modelling and catalyst evaluation
Mar-2026
A compendium of FCC modelling best practices at a Marathon refinery serves as a practical guide for refinery engineers.
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Pathways to chemical recycling of waste plastic pyrolysis oil
Mar-2026
Chemical recycling is essential for managing problematic plastic waste, highlighting the pathways and challenges in converting waste plastics into high-quality ...
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Processing extreme feeds in FCC units
Mar-2026
Using catalyst technology while evaluating combined feeds and optimising process conditions to maximise benefits within unit hardware and operational ...
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Mar-2026
Enterprise-wide AI integration combined with deep process expertise enables step-change improvements in operational performance
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Emerging technologies for low-carbon intensity syngas: Part 1
Mar-2026
Part 1 focuses on four new technologies for low-CI syngas pathways, which use non-fossil fuels, water, waste CO2, and green hydrogen as feedstocks.
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Hydrogen blistering in rich amine flash drum of VGO HDS unit
Mar-2026
Case study illustrates how inlet flow dynamics and material selection contributed to the failure of an unlined amine flash drum
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Transitioning refinery hydrogen systems from grey to green
Mar-2026
The engineering considerations for transitioning refinery hydrogen systems from reformer-based grey hydrogen to electrolyser-based green hydrogen.
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Utilising process simulation to reduce SOx emissions
Mar-2026
Technical guide on designing an effective tail gas treating unit add-on to a sulphur recovery unit.
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Understanding heat integration losses in refineries
Mar-2026
By transforming pinch analysis from a static design document into a dynamic digital asset, refineries can systematically reclaim the heat they already ...
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Transforming process safety and efficiency in modern refineries
Mar-2026
Smart optical analysers, along with chemometrics, DRL and AI, turn measurements into a foundation for continuous learning and optimisation.
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End-to-end digital enablement of petcoke gasification complex
Mar-2026
By leveraging digital tools, an Indian refinery has improved plant reliability, optimised strategies, reduced energy losses, and enhanced decision-mak ...
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Benefits of high-performance Pt-based isomerisation catalyst
Mar-2026
Deployment of novel catalyst reflects continuing evolution of refinery catalysis toward more efficient, resilient, and sustainable gasoline production ...
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Accelerating energy transition through a sustainable process
Mar-2026
A carbon-neutral pathway for the production of HCNG eliminates the need for external hydrogen supply or blending infrastructure.
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Case studies in amine vessel corrosion control
Mar-2026
Amine systems are central to modern gas processing, enabling the removal of acid gases such as hydrogen sulphide (H₂S), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and mercaptans ...
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Artificial intelligence and process centricity in the downstream industry
Feb-2026
Artificial intelligence (AI) is not a shortcut; it can serve as a significant advantage when deployed well and is poised to redefine business operatio ...
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Biocrude’s role in charting a lower- carbon future
Feb-2026
Maritime shipping plays a key role in global trade, providing transportation for roughly 80% of goods traded internationally. At the same time, maritime ...
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Biofeed FCC co-processing and maximising low-carbon propylene yield
Feb-2026
With the refining industry’s strive towards decarbonising operations and pivoting towards the production of lower-carbon-intensity products, new challenges ...
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Capturing margins through timely and accurate crude evaluations
Mar-2026
(White Paper) - Refineries face unprecedented complexity in crude procurement. Price volatility, geopolitical instability, and shifting crude slates have ...
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Review of strategies to maximise profitability in HVO complexes
Mar-2026
(White Paper) - Given the ever-increasing focus on reducing Scope 3 CO₂ emissions and closing the gap on carbon neutrality, the interest in biofuels ...
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