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 CONTENTS
July 2019 Volume 24 Number 07 ISSN 1468-9340
03 Comment
05 World news
10 Playing catch up
Ng Weng Hoong, Contributing Editor, reports on how
Southeast Asia will continue to have a substantial oil
products deficit, despite a rise in refining capacity.
17 The route to light olefins
Eric Macedo and Shekhar Tewari, McDermott – Lummus
Technology, examine the diverse and flexible routes to light
olefins in a dynamic market.
23 Balancing the economies of scale
Shane Harvey, Elliott Group, USA, discusses how ethylene
producers can meet future plant capacity needs and
maintain economies of scale without increasing cracked gas
compressor size.
29 Putting theory into practice
Victor Alvarez, Bentley Systems, USA, outlines the value
of advanced work packaging on an upgrade project at the
Anacortes refinery.
33 Modernising with added intelligence
Andreas Hennecke, Pepperl+Fuchs, Germany, highlights
the range of savings that can be made when process
plants activate fieldbus diagnostic capabilities during
modernisation work.
35 Disparate data
Jodi Johnson, Emerson Automation Solutions, USA, considers
the value-adding benefits of the Industrial Internet of Things.
38 Enhancing plant safety
Tony Downes, Honeywell Performance Materials and
Technologies, USA, looks at how modern approaches to
process safety management can reduce risk, lower costs,
and even predict failures.
43 The missing step
Dr. Bert Knegtering, ESSAIES, the Netherlands, and
Tino Vande Cappelle, TinoVC, UAE, overview safety risk
assessment procedures currently in place in the downstream
industry and put forward a solution to current oversights.
47 Dew point vs condensation temperature
Paul Lyon and Maria Chwal, Vympel GmbH, Germany, with
Gleb Derevyagin and Sergey Seleznev, LLC SPA Vympel,
Russia, compare the water dew point and the hydrocarbon
condensation temperature in measuring the quality of
natural gas.
51 Desalter measurement challenges
Bob Irving, Ametek STC Business Unit, USA, evaluates the
benefits of capacitance level and interface measurements in
desalter applications.
56 A golden opportunity
Nigel Hilton, Dorf Ketal, USA, explains why it is difficult to
predict a desalter’s ability to handle a change in crude slate
and offers a new solution to combat the problem.
61 Reducing tube fouling
Bill Gretta, Concord Environmental, USA, outlines a novel
ammonia injection grid design which lowers ammonia usage
and heat recovery steam generator tube fouling.
66 Separating the wheat from the chaff
Mark W. Abbott, ValvTechnologies, USA, focuses on
methods of keeping gasification reactor filters clear,
allowing syngas to be efficiently separated from char.
71 Pumps, valves and seals review
Hydrocarbon Engineering presents an overview of some of
the recent developments and technologies in pumps, valves
and seals for the downstream oil and gas industry.

THIS
MONTH'S An Elliott back-to-back 78MD4-3 / 4-3 refrigerant

FRONT
compressor rotor being manufactured for
propylene (PRC) service in India.

COVER
2019 Member of ABC Audit Bureau of Circulations

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Engineering Engineering

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tom.mostyn@hydrocarbonengineering.com
SALES DIRECTOR Rod Hardy
rod.hardy@hydrocarbonengineering.com
SALES MANAGER Chris Atkin
chris.atkin@hydrocarbonengineering.com
SALES EXECUTIVE Sophie Barrett
sophie.barrett@hydrocarbonengineering.com
PRODUCTION MANAGER Ben Munro
ben.munro@hydrocarbonengineering.com
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tom.fullerton@hydrocarbonengineering.com
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laura.white@hydrocarbonengineering.com
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
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COMMENT
CALLUM O'REILLY
SENIOR EDITOR
T
o say that Brexit is the big black
cloud hanging over the British
political landscape at the moment
would be somewhat of an
understatement. I have spent far too many
of these comment pieces touching upon
the subject as, truth be told, it is becoming something of an all-consuming
monster. It is that constant nagging itch that you just can’t scratch, no
matter how hard you try; always there, just sitting in the background,
and preventing you from ever truly relaxing. By the time the next issue
of Hydrocarbon Engineering lands on your desk, the UK will have a new
Prime Minister in charge of Brexit negotiations (and hopefully other
important issues at some point too); the country’s third PM since the public
voted to leave the EU three years ago. At the time of writing, Boris Johnson
and Jeremy Hunt are making their case to Conservative Party members as
they battle to win the keys to 10 Downing Street. It’s fair to say that both
men are focusing rather heavily on their ability to remove that big black
Brexit cloud looming overhead. If (and it’s a big ‘if’) they are able to do so,
we will all wait anxiously to see if that cloud is replaced by clear skies and
bright sunshine or heavy thunderstorms.
Perhaps it would be fair to suggest that the impending IMO 2020
regulations are creating similar levels of anxiety for many in the refining
sector. Regular readers of this magazine will have noticed the volume of
articles on this topic throughout the year so far, and I can assure you that
there are many more to come in the months ahead.
In its recently released ‘Global Fuels 12-month Outlook’, ESAI Energy
forecasts that Asia will bear the brunt of the demand shift caused by the new
sulfur cap. The region makes up 40% of global bunker demand, and the relative
availability of marine gasoil (MGO) to low sulfur fuel oil (LSFO) in Asia means
that MGO will be a more likely substitute in that market. In other regions,
substantial shifts are taking place from high sulfur fuel oil (HSFO) to LSFO, and
ESAI Energy expects that a big shift in demand will move global markets.
However, ESAI Energy forecasts that global economic growth and trade
flows will continue to slow in 2020, with bunker demand set to fall. While
this will reduce the impact of the sulfur cap, the market analysts still expect
diesel spreads to get a boost and HSFO discounts to widen.
ESAI Energy Analyst, Chris Cote, comments: “IMO is going to hit
Singapore hardest […] Complex logistical changes at storage depots are
already underway, but we still expect hiccups come January in the world’s
busiest bunkering hub.” Cote notes that Europe will also have to act quickly
to comply with the new rule, adding: “In Rotterdam especially, HSFO is going
to move into surplus quickly. The heavy discounts that result will weigh on
the margins of some refiners there. Despite higher distillate premiums, there
are going to be losers.”
In this month’s issue of Hydrocarbon Engineering, our regional report
from Ng Weng Hoong takes a closer look at Singapore’s bunker market, as
well as other issues impacting Southeast Asia’s downstream sector, starting
on p. 10.
GROUP
 WORLD NEWS
MHIENG receives order for US
USA |
polyethylene plant
M itsubishi Heavy Industries
Engineering (MHIENG) and
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America
(MHIA), group companies of
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI),
have received an order for the
construction of a large-scale
polyethylene plant with a
1.3 million tpy production capacity.
The order derives from a joint
project with Zachry Group, and was
received from Gulf Coast Growth
Ventures (GCGV), a joint venture of
ExxonMobil and Saudi Basic
Industries Corp. (SABIC). The
Belgium | INEOS awards FEED contract
INEOS has announced the next
step forwards in the design and
build of its state-of-the-art propane
dehydrogenation (PDH) unit at the
centre of its €3 billion investment
to be located at its site in Antwerp.
The company has awarded
SK E&C, Korea the front-end
engineering and design (FEED)
contract for the 750 000 tpy plant,
which is due to come on stream in
2023.
The signing of the contract with
SK E&C took place at the INEOS
headquarters in London, UK. The
event was attended by Chairman of
USA | Air Liquide inks supply agreements with Marathon Petroleum
A ir Liquide has announced that it
has signed two long-term supply
agreements with Marathon
Petroleum Co. for a total of up to
900 tpd of oxygen for Marathon
Petroleum’s refineries in Texas City,
Texas and Garyville, Louisiana.
The two agreements mark a
growing relationship between the
two companies and nearly double
polyethylene plant will be part of a
large ethylene complex GCGV plans
to build near Corpus Christi, Texas.
MHIENG will handle the design
details, supply and procurement of
equipment, and building of the
modules.
ExxonMobil and MHIENG have
built similar polyethylene plants in
Singapore in 2011, and Texas in 2017.
An additional large-scale
polyethylene plant is currently
under construction in Beaumont,
Texas, making this latest order the
fourth consecutive project.
INEOS Olefins & Polymers, Gerd
Franken, alongside John McNally,
CEO of INEOS Project ONE, Ahn
Jae-Hyun, CEO of SK E&C, and Kim
Chul-Jin, President of SK Advanced.
Franken said: “This plant will not
only be highly energy and carbon
efficient but will help to give
Europe a competitive and
sustainable industry for years to
come. The demands on the
environmental performance of this
unit will be very high and we are
recruiting a talented team to design
a plant that meets the highest
standards.”
the amount of oxygen Air Liquide
will supply Marathon Petroleum in
total.
At Marathon Petroleum’s
Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City,
Air Liquide will increase its current
oxygen delivery by 400 tpd.
In Garyville, Air Liquide will
increase oxygen delivery by up to as
much as 500 tpd.
Qatar | Chevron
Phillips and QP sign
agreement
C hevron Phillips Chemical Co. and
Qatar Petroleum (QP) have
signed an agreement to pursue the
development, construction and
operation of a petrochemicals
complex in Qatar to produce
ethylene and high-density
polyethylene (HDPE). The facility will
be developed and constructed in
Ras Laffan Industrial City and is
expected to have a 1.9 million tpy
ethane cracker and two high-density
polyethylene derivative units with a
combined capacity of
1.68 million tpy.
QP will own a 70% majority share
of the joint venture and Chevron
Phillips Chemical will own the
remaining 30%.
In addition to the exclusive
licensing of its MarTECHTM loop
slurry process for manufacturing
HDPE, Chevron Phillips Chemical will
provide project management,
engineering and construction
services to develop the project. As
part of the development phase, the
companies will study the potential
efficiencies that could be realised by
harnessing the existing capabilities of
the Qatar Chemical Co. (Q-Chem)
joint ventures to provide overall
operational management of the
facility once complete.
Michael J. Graff, Executive Vice
President and Executive Committee
Member, Air Liquide Group, said:
“The two new supply agreements [...]
demonstrate Air Liquide’s ability to
develop and scale its capacity across
our pipeline networks and safely and
reliably serve the growing demand
for industrial gases in key
geographies.”
HYDROCARBON 5 July 2019
ENGINEERING
 WORLD NEWS
IN BRIEF
 
W. R. Grace & Co. has licensed its
UNIPOL® PP process technology to
Hyundai Chemical Co. Ltd, a joint
venture between Hyundai Oilbank Co.
Ltd and Lotte Chemical Corp.

Neste and LyondellBasell have jointly
announced the first parallel production
of bio-based polypropylene and
bio-based low-density polyethylene at
a commercial scale. The joint project
used Neste’s renewable hydrocarbons
derived from sustainable bio-based raw
materials, such as waste and residue
oils. The project successfully produced
several thousand tonnes of bio-based
plastics which are approved for the
production of food packaging

Equilon Enterprises d/b/a Shell Oil
Products US, a subsidiary of Royal
Dutch Shell, has announced it has
reached an agreement for the sale of
Shell’s Martinez Refinery in California
to PBF Holding Co., a subsidiary
of PBF Energy, for US$1 billion
consideration plus the value of
hydrocarbon inventory, crude oil supply
and product offtake agreements, and
other adjustments.

INVISTA Performance Technologies
(IPT) and Koch-Glitsch, affiliates of
Koch Industries Inc., announced an
expansion of their partnership to offer
the proprietary ExoSTM technology
to customers. The technology allows
refineries to generate an olefin rich
C6/C7 raffinate with less than 10 ppm
sulfur that bypasses the FCC naphtha
hydrotreater for direct blending.
July 2019 6 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
President welcomes Dos Bocas
Mexico |
refinery
D uring an event commissioning the
work to prepare the site where
Petróleos Mexicanos’ (Pemex)
refinery in Dos Bocas will be built,
the President of Mexico, Andrés
Manuel López Obrador, stated that
the construction project will be an
“act of justice” for the state of
Tabasco and the south-east of
Mexico.
IEA: hydrogen production should
Worldwide |
be scaled up for a clean energy future
T
he world has an important
opportunity to tap into
hydrogen’s vast potential to become
a critical part of a more sustainable
and secure energy future, the
International Energy Agency (IEA)
said in a major new report.
The in-depth study, which
analyses hydrogen’s current state of
play and offers guidance on its future
development, was launched by
Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA’s Executive
Director, alongside Mr Hiroshige
Seko, Japan’s Minister of Economy,
Trade and Industry, on the occasion
of the meeting of G20 energy and
environment ministers in Karuizawa,
Japan. The report, ‘The Future of
Hydrogen: Seizing Today’s
ExxonMobil completes Singapore
Singapore |
facility expansion
E xxonMobil has completed an
expansion at its Singapore refinery
to upgrade its production of EHCTM
Group II base stocks, strengthening
the global supply of high-quality
base stocks and enhancing the
integrated facility’s competitiveness.
Supply to customers is expected
in 3Q19, and builds upon recent
The President expressed that the
decision to build this new refinery,
and to modernise the six existing
refineries, will allow the company to
achieve self-sufficiency in gasoline
and diesel fuel production in the
medium-term. He also urged Pemex
to continue producing oil products
using the various projects that are
currently being executed.
Opportunities’, finds that clean
hydrogen is currently receiving strong
support from governments and
businesses around the world, with
the number of policies and projects
expanding rapidly.
Hydrogen can help to tackle
various critical energy challenges,
including helping to store the
variable output from renewables like
solar PV and wind to better match
demand. It offers ways to
decarbonise a range of sectors –
including long-haul transport,
chemicals, and iron and steel –
where it is proving difficult to
meaningfully reduce emissions. It can
also help to improve air quality and
strengthen energy security.
expansions at ExxonMobil’s
Rotterdam facility, which along with
existing production in Baytown, Texas
strengthens the global supply of
high-quality base stocks.
Construction of the expansion
began in 2017 and was completed
safely and on schedule with 1 million
workforce hours.
MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER
Shell Catalysts & Technologies has brought our catalyst, technology licensing and services businesses together.
We’ve combined over 100 years of knowledge to provide integrated and differentiated customer solutions into the
marketplace. As a leading global energy company that owns and operates its own plants and refineries, we are
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 WORLD NEWS
DIARY DATES SINOPEC and SIBUR sign framework
Russia |
agreement for Amur gas chemical complex
10 - 12 September 2019
Turbomachinery & Pump Symposia
Houston, Texas, USA
tps.tamu.edu
C hina Petroleum & Chemical
Corp. (SINOPEC) and SIBUR
Holding recently signed a framework
Management Board at SIBUR Dmitry
Konov. Dai and Konov also signed an
industry cooperation agreement and
agreement for Amur Gas Chemical ZapSibNeftekhim product
17 - 19 September 2019 Complex (Amur GCC) in Moscow, distribution agreement on behalf of
Gastech Russia the two companies in Moscow.
Houston, Texas, USA
www.gastechevent.com
Under the agreement, SINOPEC The parties expressed strong
will have a 40% stake in Amur GCC. wishes and commitment to
25 - 26 September 2019 The agreement was signed in the strengthen strategic partnerships in
Tank Storage Asia presence of Chinese President China, Russia and other countries,
Singapore Xi Jinping and Russian President while working together on the
www.tankstorageasia.com Vladimir Putin by SINOPEC Chairman export of polyethylene produced by
Dai Houliang and Chairman of the ZapSibNeftekhim to China.
8 - 10 October 2019
ASIA-TECH
Bali, Indonesia
www.europetro.com/week/asia-tech2019
BP releases its Statistical Review of
UK |
14 - 16 October 2019
AFPM Operations & Process Technology
World Energy 2019

B
Summit
San Antonio, Texas, USA P has released the 68th annual
www.afpm.org/conferences edition of the BP Statistical
Review of World Energy (BP Stats
22 - 24 October 2019 Review), a comprehensive
Chem Show collection and analysis of global
New York City, New York, USA energy data.
www.chemshow.com
This year’s edition highlights the
29 October 2019 growing divergence between
Hydrocarbon Engineering: Catalysts 2019 demands for action on climate
Online conference change and the actual pace of
www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/catalysts progress on reducing carbon
emissions.
4 - 7 November 2019 The review points out that
Sulphur 2019 + Sulphuric Acid global energy demand grew by 2.9%
Houston, Texas, USA
and carbon emissions grew by 2% in
events.crugroup.com/sulphur/home
2018, faster than at any time since
2010 – 2011.
Natural gas consumption and
production was up over 5%, one of
the strongest rates of growth for
both demand and output for over
30 years, while renewables grew by
14.5%, nearing their record-breaking
increase in 2017.
The review also notes that the
US recorded the largest-ever annual
production increases by any
country for both oil and natural
gas, the vast majority of increases
coming from onshore shale plays.

4 - 7 November 2019
Sonangol and United Shine sign
ERTC
Warsaw, Poland Angola |
ertc.wraconferences.com
agreement for refinery construction
10 - 14 November 2019
The International Water Conference
Orlando, Florida, USA
eswp.com/water/overview/
S onangol and United Shine
recently signed a partners’
agreement in Luanda. This took
United Shine was selected
following a tender launched by
Sonangol in 2017 for the
place during the opening of the construction of a refinery in
11 - 14 November 2019 Africa Oil & Gas Conference, at the Cabinda province that should have
ADIPEC
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Talatona Convention Center, and is a processing capacity of
www.adipec.com for the construction of a 60 000 bpd of oil to produce
high-conversion crude oil refinery derivatives such as diesel, gasoline,
in the province of Cabinda. fuel oil and Jet A1.

July 2019 8 HYDROCARBON

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NORPRO
 Ng Weng Hoong,
Contributing Editor, reports
on how Southeast Asia will
continue to have a substantial
oil products deficit, despite a
rise in refining capacity.

July 2019 10 HYDROCARBON

ENGINEERING
S
outheast Asia’s oil products deficit will remain
substantial, likely at between 1.2 million bpd and
1.5 million bpd despite an expected rapid increase in
its refining capacity in the coming years.
Growing at a projected 2.5% a year from 2017, the
region’s oil products consumption will reach 7.5 million bpd
in 2023. This puts the combined oil demand growth rate of
the 10 countries at more than double the global average.
This is hardly surprising as the economies of Brunei,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are among
the fastest growing in the world.
“Although average per capita energy demand in the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has
increased by 20% over the past decade, it still remains at
around half of the world average, indicating significant
scope for future growth,” stated consulting firm PWC, citing
the International Energy Agency (IEA).
According to data provided by BP and the Economic
Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA),
Southeast Asia’s oil consumption grew by an annual average
3.06% from 3.5 million bpd in 1997 to just under
6.5 million bpd in 2017. It far outpaced the global annual
rate of 1.4% over those 20 years.
Over the same period, Southeast Asia’s oil refining
capacity edged up by an annual rate of 1.2% from
3.9 million bpd to just under 5 million bpd.
As a result, the region’s oil products deficit surged
nearly four times from 374 000 bpd in 1997 to over
1.47 million bpd in 2017.
According to projections by PWC and oil companies,
Southeast Asia’s refining capacity could rise by more than
1 million bpd from 4.99 million bpd in 2017 to over
6 million bpd in 2023. If the region’s oil demand reaches
7.5 million bpd, its products deficit will remain stuck at
around 1.5 million bpd.
HYDROCARBON 11 July 2019
ENGINEERING
 In its 2018 report on Southeast Asia’s fuels outlook, While small compared to competing projects in
PWC said it expects the region’s strong economic growth Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, the PMB complex
to underpin its fuel demand growth. represents the biggest injection of foreign direct
The consulting firm predicts Southeast Asia will investment into the tiny Southeast Asian country since it
become the world’s third-largest fuel consuming region by gained independence from the UK in 1984.
2021, behind the US and China. It will contribute to Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah’s long-held
“This growth in fuel consumption will be driven mainly vision to diversify the economy’s dependence from the
by the rising demand for mobility in the transport sector, for export of crude oil and natural gas by creating a
cleaner cooking fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) manufacturing base out of oil refining and petrochemicals
rather than solid biomass in the household sector, and for production.
petrochemical feedstocks in the industrial sector,” said PWC. According to Singapore-based research firm AMRO, the
complex’s start-up together with the recovery in oil and gas
Brunei: Asia’s latest oil products prices will boost Brunei’s economic growth to 2.1% this year,
exporter when refinery starts up in up from 0.5% in 2018.
2H19 “The government’s efforts in attracting FDIs into the
Brunei expects to join Asia’s crowded bandwagon of oil country as well as in improving the business environment
products exporters soon when its US$3.4 billion and enhancing the competitiveness of small and
refinery-petrochemicals complex starts up later this year. medium-sized enterprises are laudable,” said AMRO.
Located on the island of Pulau Muara Besar (PMB), the As the first and likely biggest tenant in the newly
complex comprises a 175 000 bpd oil refinery and a developed 955 ha. PMB industrial park, Hengyi will act as a
petrochemicals plant with the capacity to produce magnet to attract other foreign companies to invest in
1.5 million tpy of paraxylene and 500 000 tpy of benzene. Brunei’s fledgling manufacturing sector. The company is in
According to Brunei’s Ministry of Energy, Manpower and discussion with the government to invest another
Industry (MEMI), the project is jointly owned by the US$10 billion to expand its project.
country’s Ministry of Finance and Economy through trust The complex’s start-up could not come soon enough
firm Damai Holdings Ltd, and China’s Zhejiang Hengyi for the Bruneian economy which has been hard hit by the
Group, which will be its operator through the subsidiary slump in oil and gas prices from 2014 to 2017.
Hengyi Industries International Pte Ltd. Hengyi owns a 70% According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF),
stake with Damai holding the remaining 30%. Brunei’s economy shrank for three consecutive years from
Zhejiang Hengyi, a major synthetic fibre producer in 2014 to 2016 before recovering to grow by 1.3% in 2017. Oil
China and owner of Shenzhen-listed Hengyi Petrochemical, and gas exports, which account for over 90% of the
won approval from the Sultan of Brunei in 2011 to build the country’s earnings, collapsed from B$9.6 billion in 2014 to
complex. B$4.32 billion in 2016. It rebounded to nearly B$5 billion in
“When the plant becomes operational, it will produce 2017 on higher oil and gas prices (US$1 = $1.35 Brunei dollar).
petroleum products for domestic use and for export, Government revenues plunged from B$37.7 billion in
including those used for the textile industry in the People’s 2014 to B$17.7 billion in 2016. It recovered to B$26 billion in
Republic of China,” said the energy ministry. Almost all its 2017, but fell back to an estimated B$23.3 billion last year.
gasoline, diesel and kerosene will be exported to markets Over the same period, Brunei’s oil production fell from
mostly in Asia while the aromatics will be shipped to 126 000 bpd in 2014 to 113 000 bpd in 2017, according to
Zhejiang Hengyi Petrochemical’s plants in China. data provided by BP. Brunei’s oil production peaked at
221 000 bpd in 2006.
Royal Dutch Shell, the country’s main private
Table 1. Southeast Asia’s oil data (‘000 bpd) company, operates its upstream oil and gas sector. The
Oil refining capacity Oil products consumption company, which says it accounts for 90% of Brunei’s oil
1997 2017 1997 2017 and gas revenues and over half of the country’s GDP, has
not been actively investing in the sultanate view of the
Brunei 10 10 12 15
market’s weak outlook.
Cambodia 0 0 8 80
Indonesia 1008 1111 1024 1652 Malaysia: refining capacity on course
Laos 0 0 5 22 to exceed 1 million bpd in 2020
Malaysia 376 625 512 803 Malaysia is on course to challenge Singapore’s oil
products export leadership with plans for a 60%
Myanmar 57 57 24 95
increase in its 658 000 bpd primary refining capacity and
Philippines 389 271 387 455 investment in expensive upgrades of secondary facilities
Singapore 1200 1514 649 1430 over the next two years.
Thailand 867 1235 805 1423 Malaysian state-owned energy firm Petronas expects
Vietnam 0 167 131 486 to start up its new joint venture 300 000 bpd refinery
with Saudi Aramco in Johor state by mid-2019 that will
Total 3907 4990 3533 6461
boost the nation’s total capacity to 958 000 bpd.
Sources: BP, ERIA, companies Petron Corp., a privately-owned Philippines company, is

July 2019 12 HYDROCARBON

ENGINEERING
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 weighing a decision to more than double its 88 000 bpd According to local media reports, Burel Industries Sdn
refinery located south of the Malaysian capital city of Putra Bhd, the subsidiary of a Singapore firm, and a Sabah state
Jaya, to 178 000 bpd by 2020. If Petron approves the final agency have agreed to jointly build the naphtha-processing
investment decision, Malaysia’s primary refining capacity plant in the port town of Lahad Datu on Borneo island.
will rise to a record 1.048 million bpd in 2020. Burel, which is owned by various Swiss, Saudi, Chinese and
The Petronas-Aramco refinery will be part of a larger Malaysian interests, has yet to fully disclose the project’s
complex that includes a US$11 billion petrochemicals plant, details.
power facilities and storage terminals. The 7.7 million tpy Constrained by its small land mass of just over 720 km2,
petrochemical plant is scheduled to start up 6 to 12 months Singapore has been unable to expand its primary refining
after the refinery comes online in 2Q19. capacity, which has remained little changed at just over
Saudi Aramco shipped a cargo of 2 million bbl of crude 1.5 million bpd for over two decades. Its once formidable
to the Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development position as Southeast Asia’s refining centre has shrunk as
(RAPID) complex last September as part of the project’s neighbouring countries have been expanding capacity to
commissioning and testing process. reduce their products import dependency.
At the same time, Malaysian companies will be
investing hundreds of millions of dollars to upgrade several Petronas net profit up, but worries
refineries to produce higher quality gasoline and diesel to remain if oil prices stay weak
meet tougher environmental standards. Despite the good news of a 22% rise in net profit for 2018,
Petronas is leading the charge with a US$350 million Malaysia’s state energy firm, Petronas Berhad, held back
upgrade to produce ultra-low sulfur fuels at its two celebrations on account of a weak fourth quarter weighed
refineries in Melaka state on the peninsula’s west coast. The down by falling oil prices and a slowing global economy.
company is also investing an unknown sum to upgrade its While net profit rose to RM55.3 billion from
Kertih refinery in Terengganu state to produce Euro-5 RM45.5 billion the previous year, the company said earnings
quality gasoline and diesel by 2022. fell sharply in 4Q18.
Hengyuan Refining Co. Bhd (HRC), a subsidiary of China’s The slide in crude oil prices in the final months of 2018
Shandong Hengyuan Petrochemical Co., is investing took the shine off the company’s overall performance and
US$170 million in upgrades at its Port Dickson refinery, will be of concern if it continues into 2019. Petronas also
including US$48 million to produce fuels by June 2019 to attributed the quarter’s 21% profit plunge to RM14.3 billion
comply with Malaysia’s clean air project. from RM18.2 billion for the same period of 2017 to a
Malaysia’s output of high-end hydrocarbon products combination of higher product and production costs, asset
could be further boosted if a proposed RM13 billion depreciation, and amortisation of plants and facilities.
petrochemicals plant in Sabah state is Petronas said its full-year revenue rose 12% to
implemented (US$1 = RM4.08). RM251 billion from RM223.6 billion in 2017, thanks to higher
sale prices for its main products. The
group’s revenue was boosted by a
Table 2. Southeast Asia’s upcoming refinery projects surge in oil and gas prices last year.
New refineries Project Date ‘000 bpd Stakeholders Its overall oil and gas production
Malaysia RAPID, Johor 2019 300 Petronas, Saudi Aramco rose 2% to 2.361 million boe/d, thanks
Vietnam Nghi Son, Thanh 2018 – 2019 200 PetroVietnam, Kuwait to rising production from its equity
Hoa Petroleum International, holdings in Iraq and Turkmenistan.
Idemitsu Kosan, But some of that glow was offset
Mitsui Chemicals by the impact of lower LNG sales
Brunei PMB, Pulau 2019 160 Zhejiang Hengyi Group volume and the slight strengthening
Muara Besar of the ringgit against the US dollar on
Cambodia Kampong Som 2019 40 China Perfect Machinery which most of its international trade
Industry Corp., is conducted.
Cambodian Petrochemical
Co.
Amid geopolitical risks in the
Middle East and continued trade
Total 700 000 bpd in new capacity
tensions between the US and China,
Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin, Petronas’s
Refinery expansion President and CEO, expressed
Malaysia Port Dickson 2020 82 Petron Corp. caution in his outlook for 2019: “The
Philippines Limay, Bataan 2019 80 Petron Corp. oil price is expected to remain
Indonesia Cilacap, Java 2021 52 Pertamina, Saudi Aramco volatile in 2019, and uncertainty in
various fronts will have a significant
Thailand Chonburi 2023 135 Thai Oil
Sriracha impact on prices.
“The (company’s) board expects
Singapore Jurong 2023 48 ExxonMobil
the financial performance for 2019 to
Total 397 000 bpd in expansion
be affected by the movements in (oil
Source: PWC 2018 and gas) prices.”

July 2019 14 HYDROCARBON

ENGINEERING
 According to the US Energy Information Administration
(EIA), North Brent crude averaged US$71.19 a bbl over the
course of last year, up more than 31% from US$54.15 in 2017.
The agency expects the Brent price to fall more than 14% to
average US$61.01 a bbl in 2019.
Weak oil prices and margins vs rising
costs
A combination of lower oil prices, weaker margins and
rising cost slashed the net profit of Malaysia’s leading
domestic downstream oil company by nearly 45% last year.
Petronas Dagangan Bhd (PDB) reported net profit of
RM849.85 million for the financial year ending
December 2018, down from RM1.54 billion the previous
year. Thanks to increased sales, revenue rose 9.7% from
RM27.42 billion to RM30.07 billion.
The company, a subsidiary of Malaysia’s state oil and gas
firm Petronas, said its fourth quarter results were
particularly hard hit by a sharp drop in refined product
prices even though revenue was up by 10% to RM7.9 billion
on higher sales volume.
PDB said revenue from its commercial business was
dragged down by both a decline in sales volume (8.5%) and
gross profit (6%) in the third quarter. Its sales of diesel,
jet fuel and LPG fell for the quarter. LPG’s gross profit for
the quarter plunged 30.7% on higher product cost.
Earlier, PDB’s Managing Director and CEO, Syed Zainal
Abidin, had warned that its fourth quarter profit would be
hit by a trio of weaknesses: oil product prices, the economy
and Malaysia’s consumer sentiments.
Malaysia’s economic growth of 4.7% last year was just
below the government’s forecast of 4.8%, but was sharply
lower from 5.9% in 2017. The country’s central bank has
forecast growth to rebound to 4.9% this year.
ExxonMobil’s Singapore plant to
produce high-value lubricant base
stocks and distillates
US major ExxonMobil has announced a “multi-billion-dollar
expansion” of its manufacturing complex in Singapore to
produce 20 000 bpd of group II lubricant base stocks and
48 000 bpd of low-sulfur marine fuels.
With engineering, procurement and construction (EPC)
activities already underway, the company said it expects to
start up the new facilities to convert fuel oil and residual
products into the higher value products starting 2023. The
new supply of EHCTM 50, EHCTM 120 and high-viscosity
group II base stocks will be exported to Asia-Pacific
countries, while the 0.5%-sulfur grade marine fuels will be
sold to the bunker market.
The investment will enhance the competitiveness of
the company’s existing integrated oil-petrochemical
complex in Jurong, which includes the world’s only steam
cracker capable of cracking crude oil. The complex includes
a 592 000 bpd refinery and a 1.9 million t ethylene plant.
“The project, which leverages proprietary technologies,
integration and scale, will significantly increase site
downstream and chemical earnings potential,” said an
ExxonMobil statement. It declined to provide the exact
cost of investment.
July 2019 16 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
“The demand for high-quality fuels and lubricants will
increase as the global economy expands,” said Bryan
Milton, President of ExxonMobil Fuels & Lubricants Co. “By
using a combination of proprietary catalyst and process
technologies, we will increase the site’s competitiveness
and help meet growing demand for high-performance
lubricants and cleaner fuels.”
The company has awarded EPC contracts to Spain’s
Técnicas Reunidas for the new process units, and Scotland’s
Wood Group for interconnecting pipelines and supporting
infrastructure facilities. ExxonMobil is also working on a
long-term commercial agreement with Ireland-based Linde
to upgrade residue from the site to hydrogen and synthesis
gas.
Karen McKee, President of ExxonMobil Chemical Co.,
said: “The project also applies new chemicals technologies
and leverages integration across the crude cracker and
refining complex to further enhance the competitiveness
of crude cracking.”
ExxonMobil said the project represents the latest and
most significant in a series of recent investments in base
stock production, including a 2015 expansion in Singapore
and the startup of a world-scale, enhanced hydrocracker
unit in Rotterdam in 2018.
Singapore bunker market to remain
under pressure
Singapore’s bunker fuels market is expected to remain
under pressure in 2019 to follow on last year’s 1.6% decline
in sales volume.
According to the Maritime and Port Authority of
Singapore, fuel sales at the port fell to 49.8 million t in
2018 after reaching a record 50.6 million t in 2017.
Traders attribute the decline, the first since 2014, to
weakness in global trade, slower economic growth in the
region, and concerns over the quality of fuels sold in
Singapore.
Unresolved trade tensions between the US and China
will continue to weigh heavily on Asia’s economies this
year, slowing down demand for goods. The improved fuels
efficiency of newer ships has also contributed to reduced
bunker consumption.
There will be further uncertainty in the coming
months caused by the International Maritime
Organization’s (IMO) imposition of tougher environmental
standards on shipping fuels starting on 1 January 2020. As
a result, shipowners and operators will face higher
bunkering costs to comply with the new regulation to use
fuel with less than 0.5% sulfur content, compared with
3.5% now.
Singapore has started work on becoming a centre for
providing cleaner-burning LNG in place of fuel oil as a
shipping fuel.
In February, Pavilion Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary
of state investment firm Temasek, chartered its first vessel
to begin supplying LNG bunker to ships refuelling inside
Singapore’s port waters. Pavilion said it is collaborating
with Sinanju, a Singapore-based bunker tanker operator, to
manage the vessel which is owned by Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K.
Lines Ltd.
 Eric Macedo and Shekhar Tewari, McDermott – Lummus Technology,
examine the diverse and flexible routes to light olefins in a dynamic market.
D
emand for plastics, textiles, and other
consumer goods derived from light olefins is
growing rapidly as the global population
continues to increase and living standards
rise in large, developing countries. The polymers
comprising these plastics and textiles are formed
largely from ethylene, propylene and their derivatives,
such as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, ethylene
glycol, propylene glycol, styrene, phenol and acetone.
Ethylene and propylene demand is expected to
continue increasing at a higher rate than global GDP.
One feed, one product
The shale gas revolution and resultant availability of
cost-advantaged ethane and propane have led to a
changing feedstock slate for light olefins
production. In 2005, 55% of the world’s steam
crackers processed naphtha feed, whereas today
naphtha comprises less than 45% of steam cracker
feed and ethane is filling the gap, rising from 27% to
nearly 40% of global steam cracker feed over the
same period. In the US, the projected ethane supply
is providing impetus for large ethane cracker
projects and the construction of export terminals
shipping ethane to Asia. Figure 1 shows that as steam
cracker feeds shift from naphtha and gas oils to
ethane, the production of propylene as a side
product decreases significantly. On-purpose
propylene production has made up for the shortfall
in propylene produced as a byproduct.
HYDROCARBON 17 July 2019
ENGINEERING

Figure 1. Co-production is significantly reduced by
the shift from naphtha to ethane feed for ethylene
production.
Figure 2. Coils in the SRT-X are arranged perpendicular
to the heater axis, increasing the capacity for a given plot
area.
Figure 3. Overall material balance for ethane cracker
integrated with DIMER-OCT unit.
When the objective is to produce the maximum
ethylene or propylene from the corresponding
paraffin, an ethane cracker or propane
dehydrogenation (PDH) plant provides the most simple,
direct route. These ‘one feed, one product’ process
technologies are optimised to produce the target
olefin with minimal byproducts. Recent developments
have reduced the investment cost and increased the
capacity of single-train plants. McDermott is one of
the companies taking advantage of these
developments with advances in project execution,
leveraging modularisation experience with offshore
July 2019 18 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
platforms to bring schedule reduction and CAPEX
savings to the onshore industry.
Advancements in ethane crackers
McDermott’s Lummus Technology ethane crackers
feature Short Residence Time (SRT®) heaters, a low
pressure recovery section, and a single mixed
refrigeration system. Most low-value byproducts in an
ethane cracker are produced by sequential reactions,
so the latest SRT heaters achieve high selectivity to
ethylene by minimising residence time of olefins at
high temperature. A low pressure recovery section
design provides dual advantages. First, the lower
discharge pressure of the charge gas compressor allows
for a low cost 3-stage, 2-casing machine where a
5-stage, 3-casing machine is traditionally required.
Secondly, the low design pressure of the recovery
section equipment offers considerable cost savings.
The patented mixed refrigeration technology employs
a single compressor to provide all of the refrigeration
needs for the unit. This provides cost savings by
eliminating the need for up to three separate
compressors and associated equipment.
Rethinking the layout of a cracking heater firebox
has led to a step-change in cracking heater capacity.
Lummus Technology’s SRT-X maximises the firebox
volume utilisation by placing heater coils
perpendicular to the heater axis, as shown in Figure 2.
This approach allows a nearly 90% increase in heater
capacity per unit plot area, making it a suitable
solution for today’s world scale grassroots projects or
expansions with limited plot space. Achieving the same
plant capacity with fewer heaters, along with their
associated piping and instrumentation, can save as
much as 10% in investment cost while reducing
maintenance and operations costs.
Propane dehydrogenation technology
advancements
PDH is already the leading route for on-purpose
propylene production, and several more world-scale
units are under construction. McDermott’s CATOFIN®
PDH technology features a large single-train capacity, a
highly active and selective catalyst system, and an
improved low pressure recovery section. The process
uses simple, fixed bed reactors operating in a staggered
sequence to provide for online reheating while
maintaining continuous production. Advances in the
reactor design and catalyst system have led to increased
throughput. Basic engineering design was recently
completed for a CATOFIN PDH unit that will produce
900 000 tpy of propylene. This will be the world’s
largest PDH unit, but even larger single-train capacities
are possible. Clariant supplies the CATOFIN catalyst and
heat generating material (HGM), which adds heat in a
targeted portion of the catalyst bed to optimise the
temperature profile and improve propylene selectivity
while maintaining high per-pass conversion. Combined
with improvements in the low pressure recovery section
to nearly eliminate propane and propylene losses, this
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 results in a commercially proven low propane propane to propylene, in many cases producers aim
feedstock consumption from start of run to end of run. to make both ethylene and propylene in varying
ratios. Today, process technology solutions exist to
Enhancing the product slate from a diversify the product slate for any available
single feedstock feedstock.
While an ethane cracker or PDH plant represents the Adding Lummus’ ethylene dimerisation (DIMER)
most simple, direct routes from ethane to ethylene or technology and olefins conversion technology (OCT)
to an ethane cracker (Figure 3) makes it possible to
achieve any desired propylene/ethylene ratio, up to
100% propylene product. The DIMER process
dimerises ethylene to produce butene-1. The OCT
process produces propylene via an isomerisation
reaction of butene-1 to butene-2 and metathesis
reaction of ethylene and butene-2. The process can
also utilise butenes contained in the low-value C4
stream from the cracker to yield additional propylene.
The DIMER-OCT combination provides a commercial
route to convert ethylene to propylene and, when
combined with ethane cracking technology, a means
to produce commercially viable quantities of polymer
Figure 4. A cracking heater module weighing nearly grade propylene from ethane feed. One of
3000 t is delivered to a site in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Lummus Technology’s licensees with an ethane
US. McDermott’s modularisation capabilities offer cracker and DIMER-OCT is producing more propylene
advantages in safety, schedule, labour, and cost. than ethylene, which signifies the flexibility of the
available process technology. The simplicity
of the processes results in a low incremental
Table 1. An ethane cracking heater can be added to a PDH total investment cost (TIC), ranging from 10%
unit to produce ethylene for copolymers to 20% of the ethane cracker TIC for the
PDH + ethane cracking heater flexibility to produce 50% to 100% propylene.
Feeds As an equilibrium reaction, metathesis
HD-5 propane 1.26 million tpy reactions of OCT can operate in reverse to
produce ethylene from propylene feed. This
Products
provides additional flexibility to cracker
Hydrogen 51 000 tpy operators to maximise the production of
Fuel gas 78 000 tpy ethylene by converting the propylene from
PG ethylene 105 000 tpy the cracker. The OCT process has been
PG propylene 1 million tpy designed to operate in either direction with
little or no downtime to switch modes,
C4 and heavier 26 000 tpy
allowing producers to respond rapidly to
changing market conditions.
Table 2. A diverse process technology portfolio provides CATOFIN PDH has the flexibility to
feed and product flexibility process propane feeds of a wide range of
Available feedstock Target products Process technologies qualities. For example, HD-5 propane can
Ethane Maximum ethane Ethane cracker comprise as little as 90% propane with up to
5% olefins and the balance is typically made
Ethylene, propane Ethane cracker + DIMER/
OCT up of ethane and butanes. Vertically
integrated propylene producers with
Maximum propylene Ethane cracker + DIMER/
OCT downstream polymer units can take
advantage of ethane in the feedstock to
Propane Ethylene, propylene PDH + ethane cracking
heater or propane cracker
produce polymer grade ethylene for use in
campaigns of high value copolymers. While
Maximum propylene Propane dehydrogenation
ethane passes through the reactor mostly
Naphtha Maximum ethylene Naphtha cracker + reverse unreacted and is typically used as fuel gas in
OCT
a standalone PDH unit, the ethane can be
Maximum propylene Naphtha cracker + DIMER/ recovered and cracked in a single ethane
OCT cracking heater to produce polymer grade
Heavy feeds Maximum ethylene Cracker with HOPS + reverse ethylene. The material balance of Table 1
OCT shows a PDH unit producing 1 million tpy of
Maximum propylene Cracker with HOPS + propylene from HD-5 propane. The addition
DIMER/OCT of an ethane cracking heater and appropriate

July 2019 20 HYDROCARBON

ENGINEERING
WWW.ZWICK-ARMATUREN.DE

TRI-SHARK
METAL SEATED CONTROL VALVE
ZERO LEAKAGE
as per API598
 recovery equipment allows for coproduction of
105 000 tpy of ethylene with no additional feed.
Feedstock flexibility: mixed feed
cracking and crude cracking
As global growth of refined products lags behind
petrochemicals growth, refiners are shifting toward
higher yields of petrochemicals at the expense of fuels.
Deep integration of refining and petrochemical
technologies is increasing the petrochemicals to fuels
ratio in many new or upgraded complexes. A mixed
feed cracker can be an effective route to convert a
variety of refinery streams into high-value
petrochemicals. Lummus Technology licenses such
mixed feed crackers, offering innovative and flexible
solutions to meet specific customer needs.
The trend toward higher petrochemicals yield has
increased the impetus to process low-value heavy oils to
produce high-value petrochemicals. Lummus Technology
developed the Heavy Oil Processing Scheme (HOPS) in
the 1980s to steam crack condensate feeds with high
end points. In HOPS, the feed is preheated in the
convection section of the steam cracker and stripped to
remove the heavy tail. Lummus designed four such units,
three of which were built and have been operating
successfully for many years. HOPS, combined with more
recent developments, can make heavy oils accessible
feedstocks for high petrochemical yields.
Your Specialist for
PRESSURE RELIEF
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A well-integrated refining and petrochemical
complex may achieve up to a 40% petrochemicals yield
from whole crude, but for some producers, this is not
enough. Recent developments have focused on
dramatically increasing petrochemical yields and
reducing CAPEX by rethinking the idea of a
conventional refinery and petrochemical plant as
separate pieces. Whole crude as feed to a steam
cracker represents the ultimate feed flexibility.
Flexibility equals profitability in a
changing market
Rising living standards and population growth will
continue to increase demand for ethylene, propylene
and their derivatives. As feedstock availability and
pricing inevitably fluctuates, petrochemical players
have a variety of process technology solutions to
increase the flexibility of both their feedstock and
product slate. With modern technologies it is possible
to produce almost any ratio of propylene to ethylene
using ethane, propane, naphtha or heavy oil feedstock,
as shown in Table 2.
As the demand growth for petrochemicals exceeds
that for fuels, refiners must position themselves for the
future by exploring alternate outlets for refined
products as petrochemical feedstock or by adopting
next generation technologies like direct crude
cracking.
T +49 2961 7405-0
T +1 704 716 7022
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3809 Beam Road Suite K | Charlotte, NC 28217, USA
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 Shane Harvey, Elliott Group, USA, discusses how ethylene producers
can meet future plant capacity needs and maintain economies of
scale without increasing cracked gas compressor size.

P
rofitable ethylene production involves
high-volume, low-cost operation with
uninterrupted production runs. Cracked gas
compressor (CGC) performance is critical to
achieving these goals. As global demand for plastic
products increases, ethylene plants continue to grow in
size as economies of scale are realised at larger capacities
(Figure 1). A 1.5 million tpy ethylene plant is common now,
and 2 million tpy equipment is already operating out in the
field. Customer requests for 2.5 million tpy and even
3 million tpy equipment are expected.
Beyond plant capacity, there has been a general trend
towards decreasing suction pressure at the CGC inlet.
Suction pressure improves selectivity, so in some cases
compressor volume flow is outpacing plant capacity
increases. As volume plays a direct role in compressor
frame size, continuing to scale the same compressors ever
larger to match capacity means compressor frames will
outpace plant capacity.
The scaling problem
The problem is if the industry continues to simply increase
plant capacities and CGC inlet volume flows, expecting to
increase compressor size to match, economies of scale will
disappear. Manufacturers cannot meet ever-increasing plant
capacities and volume flows by simply continuing to build
larger and larger machines (Figure 2). As compressors get
larger, not only do they get more expensive and challenging

HYDROCARBON 23 July 2019

ENGINEERING

Figure 1. Growth in plant capacity.
Figure 2. An Elliott 110M compressor during
manufacturing.
Figure 3. Growth in compressor frame size.
Figure 4. Radial to mixed-flow transition.
July 2019 24 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
to build and maintain, but so do their large steam turbine
drivers, as power must be increased with plant capacity.
Challenges of larger frames
Elliott’s 88M frame olefins compressor represents the
divide between a ‘large’ and an ‘extremely large’
compressor. Above the 88M frame, each increase in frame
size corresponds to a 35% increase in unit weight (Figure 3).
The cost per ft3/min. of flow no longer improves at these
large frame sizes. Diaphragms are larger, and rotors are
heavier and longer, increasing installation and maintenance
costs. The physical size of machinery cannot be infinitely
scaled. Along with meeting process demands, plant
management should consider the costs of safely and
reliably installing and maintaining these larger machines for
the decades to come, including the costs associated with
increased maintenance times, larger crane capacity
requirements, additional logistical concerns during a
turnaround, and reduced availability of repair facilities
capable of handling large components.
Three-part solution
Through multiple research and development projects and
product reviews, Elliott developed a three-part solution for
increasing compressor flow capacity without increasing the
frame size. Adopting higher flow coefficient stages is the
first part. The second part is increasing the size of the
compressor frame nozzles to accommodate higher flows
on smaller frames, while reducing the bearing spans. Third
is conducting a complete review of the stage line-up using
modern computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools to
reduce the existing stage spacing.
Compressor flow coefficient
Flow coefficient is a dimensionless characteristic used in
compressor design that represents the flow capacity of an
impeller.
There is a constant interplay between impeller
diameter and compressor speed. Traditionally, as flow
increases, the diameter increases, the speed decreases, and
the flow coefficient remains within the same range. Some
use Equation 1 to define flow, however, Equation 2 is an
alternative used by some industry suppliers, so care must
be taken when comparing data among vendors.
(1)
Φ = Flow coefficient
Q = Flow [ft3/min.]
N = RPM [1/min.]
d = Impeller dia. [ft]
(2)
Φ = Flow coefficient
Q = Inlet flow [m3/s]
D = Impeller dia. [m]
U = Tip speed [m/s]
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 In the radial stages traditionally associated with
centrifugal compressors, flow enters the impeller parallel
to the shaft and exits the impeller perpendicular to the
shaft. Gas accelerates radially, and the increased velocity
is recovered as pressure in the diffuser section of the
diaphragm. Often, compressor design incorporates
first-stage flow coefficients of 0.12 to 0.15 to keep overall
string efficiency high.
Well-designed mixed-flow stages, which represent the
transition from radial to axial compression, offer a 30%
increase in flow capacity within the same frame size at
similar string efficiency. Figure 4 illustrates the trend of
efficiency for radial staging as the flow coefficient
increases, and the ability of mixed flow to maintain
efficiency levels. Efficiency levels are maintained above
traditional radial stages, well beyond 0.25.
Using modern CFD tools, Elliott designed, built, and
validated through full-scale, single-stage testing, a new
series of state-of-the-art, second-generation mixed-flow
stages (Figure 5). These new, high-flow stages offer
excellent flow path sizing and aerodynamic throat control
using splitters. They are available in multiple frame sizes
for olefins and refinery applications.

Increased nozzle sizes

In parallel to the impeller development project,
additional nozzles were added to those already available
Figure 5. Second-generation mixed-flow impeller for existing frame sizes. This led to both an expansion of
installed on shaft. frame size capability and reduced bearing spans for the
existing nozzles as shown in Table 1.

Review of existing
Table 1. Increased nozzle sizes for existing frames
stages
In addition to enabling
Frame Previous Revised maximum Previous maximum Revised maximum larger flows with larger
maximum inlet inlet size discharge discharge size
compressor nozzles and
in. in. in. in. higher flow coefficients,
56 36 42 24 30 Elliott also reviewed
60 42 48 36 36 existing, well-proven
70 48 60 30 36 staging and flow path
elements. By applying a
78 54 66 36 42
new generation of
88 66 78 42 48 state-of-the-art CFD tools
103 72 90 54 60 and design methodologies,
110 84 102 54 66 the spacing of numerous
stages was reduced while
maintaining the high
performance level industry
Table 2. Comparison of existing plant with high-flow coefficient plant demands.
Casing First stage flow co Φ Bearing span (m) Rotor weight (kg) Unit weight (kg)
LP 88MD3-3 0.146 5.4 12 000 188 000 Case study
A case study was carried
78MD3-3 0.214 4.8 9000 145 000
out which compared an
Delta 46.50% -12% -25% -43 000 existing 1.5 million tpy CGC
-23% plant using typical 3D radial
MP 88M4I 0.0915 and 0.0431 4.4 11 500 168 000 staging against a selection
and
78M4I 0.1351 and 0.0593 4.2 8600 125 000 using the high-flow
HP coefficient strategies
Delta 48% and 35% -5% -25% -43 000
discussed earlier. Table 2
-26% illustrates the benefits.

July 2019 26 HYDROCARBON

ENGINEERING
Customer Demand:
Large, critical-duty centrifugal
compressors and steam turbines
for olefins production.

Challenge:
Select a global partner with the
proven expertise to meet complex,
high-capacity production requirements.

Result:
Processors choose Elliott to provide
critical-service compression solutions.

They turned to Elliott

for a long-term partnership and long-term service.
World-scale olefins processors turn to Elliott for compressors and steam turbines that deliver
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quality ensures customers a competitive advantage in world markets. Who will you turn to?

elliott-turbo.com
 The reference plant consists of a two-body CGC string
driven by an Elliott steam turbine. The low-pressure (LP)
section is a double-flow 88MD3-3 with three impellers on
each side. The medium- and high-pressure (MP and HP)
sections are handled by an 88M4I, with two impellers per
section. The compressor rated point is approximately
58 MW at 3600 RPM.
The hypothetical plant with a high-flow coefficient
selection has a double-flow 78MD3-3 compressor in
section 1, and sections 2 and 3 are in a 78M41 casing. The
compressor rated point is 58 MW at 4300 RPM. High-flow
coefficient staging is applied in the double-flow machine
only.
As is typical for large volume compressors, nozzle size
plays a major role in rotor length. As shown in Table 2,
application of the external volute discharge on the
double-flow compressor reduces the bearing span.
Reducing the bearing span shortens the string and
significantly reduces casing weight. While this case study
only looks at the impact on the compressors, the shorter
and faster string would be driven by a shorter, more
efficient turbine as well. While the inlet stages may be
less efficient, overall the entire string does not lose
efficiency. In plants with a fourth and even a fifth section
of CGC compression in a third body, overall string power
can be improved. The power improvement comes from
the third body being much better speed matched to the
now faster LP/MP casings. Increased speed also tends to
increase performance from the steam turbine drivers; as
such, steam rates may improve beyond just the
compressor power improvement, which may allow for
more flexibility on steam balance or opportunities for
overall energy savings.
Elliott is already building compressors using high-flow
coefficient staging, and this staging is not limited to
2 million tpy plus plants. These designs are being applied
to plants of all sizes to reduce plant cost and equipment
weight and footprint.
Conclusion
Equipment manufacturers need to work together with
stakeholders (owners, operators, process licensors, and
engineering, procurement, and construction contractors) to
meet ethylene plant challenges. All stakeholders need to
apply sound engineering to the design of their critical
rotating equipment. Far too often, outdated rules of thumb
and engineering guidelines get in the way of doing real
engineering to meet ethylene producers’ ever-increasing
expectations of improvement in performance, capacity,
cost, and safety. To meet customer demands for higher
flow compressors for large-scale ethylene plants, a number
of impellers and design improvements have been
developed that significantly increase the flow capabilities
of the existing compressor product range.
 Victor Alvarez, Bentley Systems, USA, outlines the value of advanced work
packaging on an upgrade project at the Anacortes refinery.

A
s part of its three-phase Clean Products
Upgrade Project (CPUP), Andeavor decided to
install a new isomerisation unit and naphtha
hydrotreating (NHT) reactor at the Anacortes
refinery in Washington, US (prior to the company’s
acquisition by Marathon Petroleum Corp. in
October 2018). * This typical refinery upgrade project
will reduce sulfur content and efficiently deliver clean
transportation fuels. For this brownfield capital
project, the decision was made to pilot the
implementation of a corporate-wide, advanced work
packaging (AWP) solution to create more efficient,
cost-effective execution strategies for its capital
projects.
The CPUP will expand the NHT reactor to process
46 000 bpd of naphtha and execute the installation of
a new isomerisation unit to increase the amount of
octane available in the refinery. The project will also
include installing underground pipes, earthworks, and
foundations, as well as nine modules fabricated
overseas and all interconnecting and tie-in
components.
Meeting standards to benefit the
company and local community
The refinery has been operating in Anacortes for about
63 years. The upgrade to the refinery is needed to
meet new Federal Tier 3 standards to reduce sulfur

HYDROCARBON 29 July 2019

ENGINEERING

Figure 1. Andeavor was acquired by Marathon Petroleum on
1 October 2018.
Figure 2. Bentley’s ConstructSim enabled progress
audits to help keep contractors focused on key
deliverables.
content and efficiently deliver cleaner transportation
fuels. The project team faced many challenges
traditionally encountered while attempting to execute
successful capital projects. The team members chose
this typical refinery upgrade project to pilot AWP
processes with a goal to reduce cost overruns, maintain
the schedule, and eliminate potential claims situations.
The use of AWP would benefit all involved, from the
organisation itself to its contractors, who are able to
utilise these strategies for their individual subcontracts.
If successful, the organisation would see greater
alignment and better working relationships on future
projects. This trial would also act as the development
July 2019 30 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
ground for the eventual rollout of AWP across all
projects.
Bentley and TeamBuilder Solutions (TBS) were
selected as subject matter experts to integrate AWP
processes into the project. TBS helped integrate the
AWP process, ensuring the application of best
practices and aligning construction execution
procedures and project execution plans throughout
the lifecycle of the project. Together with Bentley
and TBS, the refinery operator carefully measured
its return on investment and established best
practices for its project teams and contractors to
replicate this practice across other projects.
Ensuring data reliability and sharing
ConstructSim and Navigator were used, combined
with Bentley’s outcome-based processes according
to AWP best practices, to ensure data reliability for
project controls and transparency regarding
installation work packages. ConstructSim enabled
progress audits to help keep contractors focused
on key deliverables and maintain schedule
adherence to avoid progress over-reporting. The
application could include all field-direct work,
except scaffolding and minor support tasks, and
contractors could only invoice based on the report.
The team then verified all installation work
packages against the quality verification
documents, ensuring another layer of
interdependency between the installation work
packages and the quality turnover, and improving
clarity and transparency.
Another benefit was that the applications
helped the project team share information with
other team members. The team could take drawings
and create posters to display on the walls of the
three onsite trailers to provide updated information
to the owner’s team, the contractor, and other team
members and stakeholders. These poster updates
were placed side-by-side, with the previous week’s
version, to show the progress that had occurred.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) for the project
were published in a weekly report, and a copy of
the KPIs was printed and placed on the wall in each
trailer for easy reference. The five major KPIs
included percent packaged, percent published,
backlog, a three-week look-ahead readiness, and
installation work packages duration in the field.
Improving safety and creating best
practices
Overall, implementing AWP process enhancements
using ConstructSim resulted in improved safety,
measurement, communication, and productivity,
while reducing project costs.
Using the software to automatically create
installation work packages took only three hours
per package, compared to 10 hours per package
when done manually, saving more than 1000
resource planning hours. The time saved on
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Figure 3. More than 1000 hours were saved in the
construction planning process using ConstructSim.
planning also helped save on material handling and
crew mobilisation costs. The organisation could
recognise productivity gaps and develop trend
analysis of the performance of the contractors. The
use of automated installation work packages also
helped provide a broad range of data over an
extended period. Time-on-tools was specifically
customised to support the project and allow for
periodic review by multiple members of the owner
team. The project measured time-on-tools at 40%,
which is higher than the industry standard range of
34% to 37%.
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The applications also helped the team learn
lessons and realign their attitude toward AWP,
resulting in a significant contribution to best
practices. It demonstrated an intent to perform
continuous improvement over the next few years. This
drive is directly related to the success of the AWP
program and ConstructSim on this project. Bentley
will continue to provide training on AWP
fundamentals to all project personnel and has
provided training to selected contractors as part of
the CPUP project.
Achieving alignment across the
organisation
Bentley applications allowed the refinery operator to
achieve overall alignment of its project silos in a
construction execution-led strategy. The efficiencies
gained on the CPUP project will establish a common
platform to eliminate the training and retraining of
partners for future projects. This uniformity will help
streamline future work and ensure the continued
viability of an important local employer and
contributor to the community.
Note
*On 1 October 2018, Andeavor and Marathon Petroleum Corp.
closed their strategic combination, creating a large-scale,
geographically-diversified and highly-integrated refining,
marketing and midstream company. The combined company is
known as Marathon Petroleum Corp.
 Andreas Hennecke,
Pepperl+Fuchs, Germany,
highlights the range of
savings that can be made
when process plants
activate fieldbus diagnostic
capabilities during
modernisation work.
T
he extensive diagnostic capabilities that are offered
by fieldbus installations are left unused far too often.
However, they can easily be activated as part of
necessary modernisation work, ensuring complete
transparency of the fieldbus infrastructure and absolute
availability of the process plant.
Process plants around the world are subject to ageing and
must therefore be modernised at regular intervals. For example,
obsolete parts of the control system are replaced to meet
increased demands on technology. This work usually takes place
as part of a pre-scheduled shutdown. New technologies that
will future-proof the plant for years to come need to be
deployed within a tight, well-defined time frame. Naturally, the
focus is on costs, effort, and restarting the plant on schedule.
Modernising the control cabinet
A specific example from the oil and gas industry shows what an
individual case can look like. The operating personnel of a
refinery discovered that a large number of the installed fieldbus
power supplies had failed before the end of their expected
service lives. Since the supplies were designed redundantly from
the outset, the failures did not lead to any unscheduled
shutdowns, but they were a constant uncertainty and
constituted an ever-increasing cost factor. The reason behind
the premature failures was identified as the devices’ extremely
high power dissipation, which meant that the temperatures in
the control cabinet were consistently too high and the
electronics were subjected to excessive wear. The owners
therefore decided to replace the existing devices with a fieldbus
power supply that had significantly lower power dissipation.
In this particular case, the field devices were connected to
the control system via FOUNDATION Fieldbus H1, which is
widely used in the process industry. The fieldbus facilitates
digital data communication between the field level of the
refinery and the control system, and supplies the required
energy to the field devices. As a result, the power supply
modules in the control cabinets form the electrical backbone of
the field communication system and must be given special
attention when any work is being carried out. Key aspects that
should always be accounted for are optimal use of the cabinet
space, compatibility, installation complexity, and, of course, heat
dissipation. If cooling equipment had been required in the
HYDROCARBON 33 July 2019
ENGINEERING
 control cabinets, this would have led to substantially more effort
and costs plus increased complexity and servicing. Furthermore,
the heat that is generated inside the cabinet constitutes one
constraint on the number of segments the cabinet can supply.
When replacing the fieldbus power supplies, the team opted
for the FieldConnex® Power Hubs from Pepperl+Fuchs, due to their
extra-compact design and low power dissipation. The existing
wiring could be completely left in place for later reuse and custom
connectors of the distributed control system connect directly to
the power hub, removing the need for cable checkout. There was
no need for an active cooling system. Overall, modernising the
equipment accrued low installation costs during the already tight
timeframe of a scheduled plant shutdown and thus kept overall
cost low.
When planning a new plant today, it is crucial to keep the
wiring and testing cost as low as possible when installing modules.
The current best practice is to route the cables symmetrically in
the cabinet to separate control and field cables. This prevents
cross-talk between field cables and control system cables,
improving the reliability and quality of communication. This best
practice had already been implemented in the case of the plant
that was being modernised. ‘Reversed’ versions of the FieldConnex
Power Hubs provided compatible connectors – made for an
efficient and simply replacement process. To ensure that the
replacement would have the desired effect, some power supplies
were swapped for the company’s power hub models for test
purposes prior to the planned modernisation. Convincing test
Figure 1. Power supply with low power dissipation enables
high packing density and reduces installation cost.
Figure 2. EMI-optimised wiring in the cabinet with
separation between control and field cable.
July 2019 34 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
results led to the changeover taking place during a scheduled
downtime in February 2019.
Unlocking intelligence
In addition to the primary objectives mentioned above, a
significant increase in the efficiency of the plant was also achieved.
Here, as in many existing process plants where fieldbus technology
is used, the diagnostic capabilities of the fieldbus infrastructure
had not been used to their full potential. These functions can
make a significant contribution to quick and efficient
troubleshooting and predictive, more efficient plant upkeep. Even
the possibilities of previously purchased diagnostics functions,
such as the advanced diagnostic module (ADM), are often not fully
exploited. Plant modernisations are the perfect time to address
these shortcomings and to gain remote access to the often
already installed but inaccessible, integrated diagnostic functions.
Simply adding a few wires often enables access to a significant
speed-up of the previously time-consuming troubleshooting
process. If in the future a process value does not reach the control
room during operation, maintenance staff will be able to access
the ADM from the safety of the control room. The system
provides a clear indication whether the fault relates to fieldbus
communications or whether this can be ruled out as the source of
the issue. This allows the cause of the issue to be narrowed down
and thus corrected in the field much more quickly.
In addition, there are other important tools that help to not
only detect faults in ongoing processes, but to proactively prevent
them as well. For example, the diagnostic-enabled surge protector
for overvoltage protection and the FieldConnex leakage sensor.
The leakage sensor can be installed in either the instrument head,
a fieldbus junction box, or the control cabinet. It detects the
ingress of moisture and reports this issue to the control system
indicating the affected device via the ADM. The sensor can be
easily connected and put into operation without any
configuration. Optimal utilisation of fieldbus diagnostics, the ADM,
and other intelligent components ensures full transparency of the
fieldbus infrastructure and thus allows proactive plant upkeep for
total availability of the process plant.
Conclusion
Cabinet and field wiring remain in place. During a scheduled plant
shutdown, an upgrade to state-of-the-art fieldbus power supplies
is easily accomplished with compatible connectors, practically
eliminating manual cable checkout. A revamp project provides the
opportunity to implement remote access to the integrated
advanced diagnostic modules. Their integrated capabilities often
lie dormant after initial plant commissioning, limiting the full
potential through automated testing and analysis tools. This
information is required for pro-active fault finding during
operation, commissioning and even after simple or minor
instrument modifications. Digital communication infrastructure is
an asset that is transparently documented in its operational
performance.
Where a process value unexpectedly goes offline, service
teams can now quickly identify the fault as caused by the physical
layer or the instrument itself. This eliminates guess work and
unnecessary instrument exchange, enabling a pro-active approach
to plant upkeep. As a result, the number and duration of required
trips to the field will be lower, resulting in reduced OPEX whilst
improving plant performance.
 Jodi Johnson, Emerson Automation Solutions, USA, considers
the value-adding benefits of the Industrial Internet of Things.

O
il and gas companies are only just beginning to
embrace Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
technologies as profit margins have tightened.
The financial gains of cost reduction and saved
time are enticing the industry as it moves to compete in a
commoditised world. Furthermore, the IIoT promises to
create a richer, more comprehensive service experience for
end users.
Historically, companies have faced challenges, largely
attributed to the ‘paper and pencil’ approach, that many
companies still take to maintain assets and collect data.
Due to the current state of plants globally, there is billions
of dollars worth of improvement potential and increasing
competition is driving change towards digital
transformation.
Quick wins
Manually chasing a paper trail to pull relevant information
together in order to make decisions has always been
challenging. Maintenance history may be lacking as it is not
typically centralised, which creates a lack of understanding
of a plant’s current condition and even the location of assets.

Figure 1. Understanding where assets are located and

how they are functioning is important in managing
the budget and optimising plant productivity.

HYDROCARBON 35 July 2019

ENGINEERING
 Locating the service history of installed assets naturally
results in a greater awareness of equipment’s behaviour,
revealing opportunities for upgrades and changes that may
improve processes.
The lack of asset tracking can result in a lack of
awareness regarding the full extent of installed equipment,
such as type, manufacturer, and application. This lack of
data will in turn affect plant efficiency, planning of
maintenance events and budgets. Understanding where
assets are located and how they are functioning is
important for managing plant budgets and optimising
productivity.
Over the last three decades, digital technologies have
steadily been introduced to industrial plants around the
world. These technologies were adopted for immediate
value, offering an easier automated setup process. The
potential for these technologies, however, is much greater
than impacting that one point in the lifecycle of assets. For
example, digital positioners for control valves have
transformed plant operations since the 1980s. As plant
communication has matured, condition inspections have
moved from an activity that had to be performed in the
field, to one that is done in the comfort and safety of an
office. This transformation is an example of how the
continued innovation of secure data communication
technologies can provide better insight into the health and
performance of equipment. Today, it is possible for
end users to have equipment experts regularly review
device data anywhere in the world, ensuring that the plant
will have the best possible maintenance strategy regardless
of the type of equipment.
Less haste, more speed
Leveraging the capabilities of IIoT can reduce
troubleshooting time from days to minutes, which leaves
more time to spend on other operational aspects of the
business. IIoT allows the integration of sensing,
communications and analytics capabilities, in turn allowing
for new approaches to plant maintenance that really
change the game.
By tagging equipment with digital nameplates (RFID) and
using mobile apps to perform all aspects of service,
Figure 2. Leveraging the capabilities of IIoT can
reduce troubleshooting time from days to minutes.
July 2019 36 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
operators can move from the paper-chasing approach to an
entirely informed digitised service approach. RFID
technology allows for easy location of assets and basic
device data. Once an RFID tag is attached, it can be scanned
and read into an application to track construction changes
and visual health in real time. The output of this data
collection can create a worklist based on those findings to
prioritise service needs, creating a flow of operating and
asset information across an organisation. The addition of
remote equipment monitoring can reduce downtime to
support the discovery of issues and helps customers to be
proactive when an issue arises. Taking this information one
level deeper, mobile apps can be used to document work
performed and service history, along with recommendations
for future work and total spend on a per-asset basis.
Further cost-savings and lower maintenance can be
achieved by having user-specific visualisations and tools to
improve workforce. Having access to service and walkdown
histories enables improved decision support, by helping
prioritise assets that truly need to be worked on. According
to management consultants Bain & Co., this level of
visibility can help oil and gas companies improve
production by 6 – 8%.1 Additionally, the shift to data
generation via the cloud allows for expansion of the
amount of possible transactions that can occur. This
collection of data and tools represents a seamless, digitised
service process.
Data is crucial for the success of this industry and is not
a new concept for end users. Small improvements in
efficiency can make a notable economic difference. The
promise of IIoT applications lies not with managing existing
assets, supply chains, or customer relationships, but rather
in creating new value in information. Big Data analysis and
remote visibility are both key to increasing efficiency and
accuracy.
Although digitalisation has fuelled the widespread
availability of new-generation data analysis tools, such as
sensors and other automated cues, a focus on IIoT
connectivity is key to creating a well-built platform,
enabling teams to gain information in minutes rather than
days without being onsite. With IIoT integration,
performance information can be captured in real-time and
the right automation of data communications systems,
enabling companies to gather information from assets
anywhere and make informed decisions.
The next step in IIoT connectivity for end users is
applying a digital ecosystem. The digital ecosystem
connects technologies with data from existing systems and
securely feeds it to in-house or outsourced application
experts, enabling predictive analytical capabilities. With
this heightened level of plant digitisation, end users can
make critical decisions faster and before a failure event
happens, helping them avoid downtime and unfavourable
plant performance. Digital ecosystems offer a flexible path
that takes advantage of existing and new IIoT tools within
the plant for better performance and profitability. For
those operators just beginning or working towards
digitisation, the IIoT sets them on a path towards a
complete digital transformation that will produce
measurable outcomes for decades to come.
Is it all about profit? ecosystems are available to take their data and operations
By taking advantage of today’s automation systems’ to the next level. Starting with digital records of installed
advances, operators are able to create more profitable assets and device performance, and eventually moving into
operations while also making significant strides in plant remote monitoring with sensors to automate data
safety. According to Oxford Economics, industry-wide collection, the power of IIoT can be brought to any plant,
adoption of IIoT could increase the global GDP by as much anywhere.
as 0.8%, or US$816 billion in the next decade.2 However, the
social impact of data harvesting and monitoring in real time References
1. PADMANABHAN, V., 'Big Data Analytics in Oil and Gas,' https://
implicates fewer accidents because it keeps plant
www.bain.com/insights/big-data-analytics-in-oil-and-gas
personnel away from harmful situations and allows them to 2. SLAUGHTER, A., BEAN, G., and MITTAL, A., 'Connected barrels:
manage and maintain operations from a remote, safe Transforming oil and gas strategies with the Internet of
Things,' https://www2.deloitte.com/insights/us/en/focus/
location. It also allows experts within the plant or internet-of-things/iot-in-oil-and-gas-industry.html#endnote-
outsourced to receive data in a timely manner so that it sup-10
prevents safety incidents from
happening in the first place.
By positioning and employing
modernisation in the right way,
operators will see that these
projects offer the operational
benefits and return on capital
they are looking for, and they
will more readily approve the
project. They are also more likely
to view the project team as
company leaders who help the
enterprise cost-effectively meet
market needs.
In short, data collection and
management is not only a
necessary operations component
that allows for more profits: it is
a critical asset that, if managed
properly through digital tools
and the IIoT, can have a
significant impact on safety,
plant personnel, and a company’s
ability to compete in a highly
competitive market with
reliability and certainty.

Conclusion
Digitally gathering information is
the first step towards new types
of Operational CertaintyTM that
simply are not possible with the A LEGACY OF EXPERTISE.
paper and pencil approach. The
partnering of IIoT connected
devices is already delivering
A C O M M I T M E N T T O I N N O VA T I O N .
insights that are proven to
optimise production, ensure S T EAM F O R C E H C : T H I S C H A N G E S E V E RY T H I N G
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July 2019 38 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
Tony Downes, Honeywell Performance Materials and Technologies, USA,
looks at how modern approaches to process safety management can reduce
risk, lower costs, and even predict failures.
I
n industries such as refining and petrochemicals,
process safety management is crucial for ensuring that
plant assets are protected and personnel are provided
with a safe work environment. However, current
practices in this area can be inconsistent and ineffective.
In addition, multiple sites run by the same organisation
often take different safety approaches – some better
than others.
Today’s technologies enable hydrocarbon processing
companies to collect hazard review data into a single
enterprise-wide system, allowing them to compare
intended vs actual safety performance, and in doing so
reduce man-hours, drive consistency, ensure process
compliance, save money on functional safety engineering,
and make better risk-based business decisions.
Managed safety
Process safety is a mandatory investment in today’s global
market. Even in places where there are no specific
regulations, there is no escape from the laws of
probability. Of course, there are competing priorities.
Industrial organisations are under pressure to reduce
engineering man-hours, drive operational consistency and
ensure process compliance – all whilst keeping plant
safety at the highest possible level.
Organisational roles that are integral to the process
safety lifecycle include:
„ Management.
„ Process safety engineers.
„ Functional safety engineers.
„ Instrument and controls.
„ Automation, operations and maintenance.
Everyone has to be pulling in the same direction to
get the best results.
In a managed safety approach, the emphasis is on
developing interrelated processes for addressing safety
hazards and risks throughout all levels and functions of
the organisation. Safety becomes part of everyone’s job.
Meeting today’s challenges
In order to prevent incidents from happening, it is
necessary to put in place several protective measures.
These steps either prevent the incident from happening at
all, or mitigate the likely effects, so that even if it does
occur, the severity is lessened. Plants can do this by having
protection schemes in the form of independent layers, as
stipulated by the IEC 61511/ISA 84.00.01 standards. If the
first layer is breached, there is a second layer to protect,
and if that is breached and the potential consequences are
severe enough, then there may be a third layer and so on.
Industrial facilities seeking to optimise their safety
performance start by conducting a Layers of Protection
Analysis (LOPA), which builds on the information
developed during a qualitative hazard evaluation, such as
Process Hazard Analysis (PHA). The primary purpose of
LOPA is to determine if there are sufficient layers of
protection against the consequences of an accident
scenario, i.e. can the risk be tolerated?
At a typical process industry site, a LOPA would look at
layers of integrity for the entire operation. The procedure
may ask the team to estimate the severity, likelihood and
thus risk of the hazard scenario. Today, the team would
generally rely on ‘average’ numbers from sources like
Offshore and Onshore Reliability Data (OREDA), the Center
for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) and others. It would be
preferable to have the numbers from one’s own site,
especially as the data surrounding how well a system is
performing is already being collected in historians.
In the past, historians were only looked into after a
process upset of some kind; and often the signs of an
impending problem were there to see. Looking at the
historian data from a well-instrumented heat exchanger
back in the 1990s, it was diagnosed that a tube must have
leaked non-condensable ethylene into the steam side.
However, it was not feasible to look all the time, but
today’s analytics tools look for issues like:
„ Is the safety instrumented system (SIS) prevention
layer ready?
HYDROCARBON 39 July 2019
ENGINEERING

Figure 1. Data model enabling ‘loop-backs’.
„ Is the SIS prevention layer degraded in any way?
„ How did this layer perform during the last demand
(real or spurious)?
„ What are the Risk Reduction Factor (RRF) and
Probability of Failure on Demand (PFD) averages over
the past year or so?
„ How steady is the Basic Process Control System
(BPCS) layer?
„ Are any critical control loops degraded?
„ What is the real initiating event frequency?
For any plant, the ideal operating state is when
production processes follow control strategies designed,
built and checked during the Hazard and Operability
(HAZOP) stage for safe operations.
Enhanced techniques for safety
Recent events have propelled major process industry
companies to work towards an evergreen functional
safety management plan, including monitoring the
performance of protection layers. Fortunately,
technologies such as cloud data storage and advanced
analytics are making it easier and less expensive to do.
Plants can utilise a new approach to managing
process safety information, which connects design
assumptions to real-time operating data and proactively
removes risk. Work has been done to synchronise
process hazard analysis, LOPA, Safety Integrity Level (SIL)
calculations and verification, and safety requirement
specifications. This strategy relies on modern data
analytics and computerised systems to optimise safety
functions that have been handled manually for years.
Various safety technologies can work together to
integrate critical steps in the process safety lifecycle.
The result is enterprise-wide risk identification and
reduction capabilities designed to leverage the
experience gained from so-called ‘near miss’ events to
help avoid accidents.
Improved tools for process safety management
provide:
„ Single enterprise solutions for safety.
„ Compliance with IEC 61511/ISA 84 and other
applicable standards.
July 2019 40 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
„ Seamless transfer of safety-related data.
„ Single points of data entry.
„ Reduced engineering man-hours.
„ Revision controls to support stage/gated process.
„ Real-time risk/barrier displays and warnings using
data historians and advanced analytics.
„ Greater overall consistency.
„ Improved barrier health.
How the new approach works
Today’s integrated solutions for process safety fully
automate the safety lifecycle, helping to reduce errors,
lower costs, continuously monitor operations for
hazardous conditions, and provide safety alerts in a
timely fashion. They are designed to enable plant
operators to accurately identify bad actors using
real-time risk management.
The latest process safety methodologies are
innovative in the way they enable plant
owners/operators to compare what should happen with
process safety to what actually does happen (Figure 1).
Enterprise tools enable safety personnel at all levels
of the organisation to monitor process conditions by
comparing actual performance from the plant historian
with pre-defined hazard conditions from the risk
analysis, and take immediate action to minimise risk.
These tools also facilitate analyses such as PHA, LOPA,
Safety Requirements Specification (SRS), and SIL
calculations and classifications without excessive
engineering costs.
In addition, solutions are available to use
cloud-based data capture and analytics, together with
off-site resources, to analyse the performance of Safety
Instrumented Functions (SIF) against expected or
assumed behaviours for trip events. This capability also
helps industrial organisations understand the range of
trips in similar process units across sites.
Process industry facilities can now take advantage of
an approach that tightly connects advanced analytic
tools with process hazard analysis, LOPA, reliability
calculations, safety requirements specifications, dynamic
cause and effects, and functional test procedures to
focus on key areas of safety performance. The goal is to
detect clues of potential problems so as to stop
accidents before they occur.
With the traditional approach to process safety,
companies started off with a HAZOP study or PHA to
identify the hazards to their plant processes using
paper forms. Most companies moved beyond
spreadsheets a few years ago to software intended to
make the HAZOP meetings go faster. This information
was handed off to functional safety engineers to
perform reliability calculations on the layers of
protection. The next step involved creation of the SRS,
which was provided to the SIS programmer. The plant
subsequently conducted functional reliability tests on
all equipment assets.
The current best practice for process safety involves
the use of robust software solutions providing
synchronised data movement between the steps in the
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Figure 2. Connected plant technology is providing
greater insight, on the move.
lifecycle to save time and allow templates and copying
in case of very similar systems – though the team still
has to review for differences. Making all the ‘what
should happen’ information available in a database
means you can now use that to configure the analytics
tools to do automated tracking, recording and validation
on the condition of the SIS and final elements. The
software takes into account events from all operations
(planned and unplanned) to track and automatically
validate them vs the expected behaviour. This solution
allows users to easily analyse SIL-related key
performance indicators (KPIs) to track failed operations,
demand rate on SIFs, failure rate on final elements, and
test intervals.
The latest process safety technique also involves the
use of advanced analytic engines to look for gaps
between plant design and historian data, and thus help
make operations safer, reduce spurious trip rates, and
minimise engineering costs. This approach connects all
independent, sequential safety engineering activities
within a single data system. Information from historians
as well as from the computerised maintenance
management systems (CMMS) is collected and supplied
to an event-processing engine, which looks at
time-stamped event journal data and analogue historian
data for field devices and other equipment.
The data system continuously executes performance,
health, efficiency and safety-related calculations, and
compares the results of current actual operation to an
expected performance model. Predicted or detected
deviations from these models are used to generate
notifications to facilitate investigation and intervention
to minimise the cost and frequency of an event. It is
applying the ‘digital twin’ concept to process safety.
For example, a large oil company can use an
advanced analytics engine to compare the expected rate
of spurious trips with the actual frequency of shutdowns
to reduce operating expenses and achieve the desired
(low) trip rate. It can determine the most likely
opportunities for improvement, capture overrides and
bypasses in effect across units and sites, capture proven
in-use data for SIF elements, and ultimately identify
worst actors for improvement in any of these areas.
July 2019 42 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
Benefits to operating companies
Thanks to the recent technology development, operating
companies in the hydrocarbon sector can do more with
data via a connected, intelligent approach to process safety
management. They gain the means to improve monitoring
of operational risks and streamline work to enhance
functional safety by:
„ Integrating process hazards and risk analysis.
„ Realising the benefits of drawing PHA and LOPA
processes closer together.
„ Eliminating the difficulty of keeping many separate
documents in sync for years to come.
„ Simplifying preparation of SRS and SIL calculation
documents.
„ Avoiding the need to retype tag numbers from a PHA
or LOPA report.
„ Improving methods for passing outputs to the SIF
implementation team.
Operating companies can also utilise advanced tools to
optimise SIF programming and commissioning, to:
„ Simplify the work of the functional safety and
instrumentation construction staff.
„ Employ solutions to ensure systems get built and
tested, and that safeguards accomplish the intended
risk reduction.
„ Utilise tools supporting late-binding to expedite work
at the critical project phase.
Lastly, continued progress in the area of process safety
management enables plants to take steps to ensure reliable
operations and maintenance whilst:
„ Complying with best practices like IEC 61511 requiring
robust testing as well as investigation of trips to ensure
safeguards stay in place and work properly every time.
„ Ensuring data can demonstrate that the site is in
compliance with risk management requirements, or
indicate when there is an issue.
„ Providing reliability information as an input to the next
revalidation cycle of the PHA.
The ability to leverage a digitised process safety
lifecycle during capital project execution has the
potential to drive significant efficiency and cost
improvements. This includes a reduction in time and
effort due to the typical copy factor between plant
equipment and SIFs, and savings in functional safety
engineering services. In addition, data generated in the
design phase can be used in operations to validate
assumptions and make risk-based business decisions.
Conclusion
Recent technology advancements are enabling
hydrocarbon processing operations to centralise and
synchronise disparate process safety data to eliminate
errors and inconsistencies, and thereby create a complete
real-time view of safety risk for all levels of their
organisation. Plants now have the tools to accurately
predict safety hazards and take appropriate action to
avert problems before they occur.
Dr. Bert Knegtering, ESSAIES, the Netherlands, and Tino Vande Cappelle,
TinoVC, UAE, overview safety risk assessment procedures currently in place
in the downstream industry and put forward a solution to current oversights.

I
n order to understand the ‘missing step’ in risk
assessment for process safety, it is important to realise
the different viewpoints, perceptions and
interpretations of diverse hazards and risks. To give an
example, the following plant workers need to be
considered:
The maintenance engineer (ME)
Every time the ME needs to execute maintenance, repair
or testing activities, he/she will have to go into the plant
and execute work in the hazardous area. Assuming that
the ME is aware of the present potential hazards, it will be
the personal concern of the ME that he/she is not going
to be the victim of a hazardous event. The conclusion
could be that the only focus is on just one person. The
highest hazardous event consequence considered in this
case is one casualty.
The process operator (PO)
The PO is basically present in the control room. Usually,
the control room is located at a safe distance from the
process plant, clearly outside the hazardous area. The task
of the operator is to keep the process under control and
optimise/maximise production. This means that the PO
has in fact two main responsibilities. Firstly, he/she is
responsible for preventing an out-of-control process,

HYDROCARBON 43 July 2019

ENGINEERING

Figure 1. Overlapping risks.
Figure 2. Example of a layers of protection model for
leakages and spills (L&S).
such as when a plant or production unit has a trip, which
would result in production loss with high cost involved.
On the other hand, the PO has the responsibility to
control the process in order to ensure an out-of-control
situation does not result in a fire, explosion, etc. This
would not only involve a production loss, but also
damage to the installation and – most importantly –
injuries or even deaths to those present is the hazardous
area.
The health, safety and environment
manager (HSEM)
The role and responsibility of the HSEM is not limited to
process safety. In fact, quite often it appears that the HSEM
is more focused on personal safety issues such as slips, falls
and trips, resulting in personal injury of one particular
person rather than having a focus on process risks. The
explanation is that relatively small incidents where a
person is injured happen relatively often compared to the
rare occurrence of a huge process-related accident. The
consequence of an accident resulting in production loss
and/or damage to the production unit, appears to not
always be the HSEM’s primary concern. In fact, quite often
the responsibilities of process safety and personal safety
are assigned to different departments.
Plant manager (PM)
The PM is responsible for the production or process plant
as a whole. Thereby, everything from minor incidents with
personal injuries to major accidents with multiple
casualties, environmental pollution, production loss,
July 2019 44 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
damage to installations, impact
on communities and company
image are all part of the PM’s
concern. Thus, the PM has to
make a distinction between an
accident where one death occurs
vs incidents which involve
multiple fatalities.
Overall, different people in
the organisation have different
responsibilities and will
consequently have different views, perceptions and
interpretations concerning various potential hazards and
risks. The present question is how to combine and merge
them all together?
The missing step – merging risks
In the left image of Figure 1, the blue area represents a
plant and the yellow ovals represent three individual risks
and their hazardous areas, which can also be considered
as the risk contours. Depending on the hazard and risk
analysis, the risk could be acceptable or too high.
The typical characteristic hazard and risk
methodologies, still practiced by many companies, is to
treat each risk autonomously. The starting point is placed
on a specific potential hazard, which is going to be
protected against a set of risk reduction measures (layers
of protection analysis [LOPA][Figure 2]). The subsequent
specified and implemented safety instrumented system
(SIS) will execute a particular safety instrumented
function (SIF). This SIF will need to achieve a certain level
of risk reduction, which is expressed in a particular safety
integrity level (SIL).
The middle image of Figure 1 illustrates a situation
where the hazardous areas of the three analysed risks
appear to be overlapping. This is particularly important to
the ME as he/she could be confronted with a workplace
situation where the overall risk is the accumulation of
Risk 1, 2 and 3. The ultimate question is where this overall
risk is still acceptable? The right image in Figure 1 shows the
orange areas where two risks are overlapping and the red
area where three risks are overlapping. ‘Orange’ could be
tolerable but ‘red’ would not be acceptable. The essential
characteristic of today’s hazard and risk assessment
methodologies would resolve this problem by splitting the
hazards and subsequently assessing them autonomously
and independently from the other present hazards.
Figure 3 illustrates the process of executing the hazard
and operational study (HAZOP). The arrows on the left
depict the risk analysis, risk evaluation, SIF definition and
SIL requirement needed in order to reduce the risk,
demonstrated by the arrows in the middle. The arrows on
the right side represent the often missing step, where the
individual risks are merged in order to determine if a
situation has or will occur due to the overlapping of risk
areas. The decision on whether a workplace (any area
inside the plant where people might be present) is safe
needs to be based on the overall risk level. Legislation,
inspection agencies from the authorities and insurance
companies are all primarily focused on this overall risk.
What we do
Engineering design services
‡ Thermal design and rating
‡ Pre-engineering / Tender phase
Setting plans & Shopping list
‡ Detailed engineering phase
Mechanical design calculations
Fabrication drawings package
‡ 3D-Modeling design
‡ Pipe Stress engineering
‡ Studies & Consulting services
What we use
the latest internatonal
codes and standards
‡ ASME VIII Div. 1 & 2
‡ Eurocodes / EN 13445
‡ AD-2000 Regelwerk
‡ CODAP Div. 1 & 2
‡ BS codes / PD 5500
‡ AS-1210 S1 & S2
‡ ASME B31.3 Process Piping
‡ GOST 34233 Standards
‡ RToD / Stoomwezen
‡ TEMA & API Standards
‡ PED 2014/8/EU Regulations
Finite Element Analysis
Hitard uses CFD, FEA and
Fatigue life analysis when local
stresses need to be calculated in
complex structures or equipment
with cyclic loading (pressure,
temperature, vibration) cases.
Hitard Engineering Netherlands
Karel Doormanstraat 75
3012 GD Rotterdam
P.O. Box 1700
3000 BS Rotterdam, Netherlands
Phone: +31(0)10 4330 331
for equipment such as
‡ Shell and tube heat exchangers ‡ Reactors
‡Double pipe heat exchangers ‡ Separators
‡ Plate heat exchangers ‡ Air coolers
‡ Helixchangers ‡ Filters and Strainers
‡ Waste Heat Boilers ‡ Tanks & Silos
‡Pressure Vessels & Drums ‡ Skids & Modules
‡ Columns & Towers ‡ Piping
‡ Steam Surface Condensers ‡ Structural
‡ Spherical Pressure Vessels
the latest software for CAD tools for fabrication
design calculations drawings and 3D-modeling
‡ HTRI Xchanger Suite ‡ AutoCAD
‡ Compress ‡ Inventor
‡ PVElite / CodeCalc ‡ SolidWorks
‡ OhmTech VVD software ‡ Pro/Engineer / PTC Creo
‡ AutoPIPE Vessel / Microprotol ‡ CADWorks
‡ FEPipe / NozzlePRO ‡ OneSpace Designer Drafting
‡ Finglow software
‡ CAESEAR II
‡ VES / RToD software
‡ Dlubal software
‡ Hitard in-house software
For FEA we use:
‡ Midas NFX Structural
‡ Midas NFX Advanced CFD
‡ Pro-Mechanica / Creo
‡ MSC software
‡ PRG software
FEPipe / NozzlePro
Hitard Engineering Serbia
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 The ‘overall risk
matrix’
In 2017, the inspection
authorities in
the Netherlands
investigated 15% of all
Dutch companies who
need to comply with the
Seveso III Directive (15% of
approximately
500 companies). More
than 80% of these
companies appeared to
Figure 3. The missing step of merging/accumulating risks. have defined a corporate
risk matrix. Figure 4 shows
the result of the average of
all these risk matrices. At the end of
the day, it is the responsibility of
the hazard and risk assessment team
to verify whether all identified risks
together will meet the criteria of
the corporate risk matrix.

Conclusion
The HAZOP methodology is a
proven way to systematically
unravel and identify all kinds of
Figure 4. Overall risk matrix regarding personal safety. potential hazards. Risk assessments,
LOPA, SIF definition and SIL
requirement determination are the consecutive steps
to reduce the risk resulting from each specific
identified hazard. The third necessary step concerns
the convergence of ‘overlapping’ risks. On a corporate

Moving Energy Forward

level, overall risk matrices are in most companies. The
often missing third step still has to be made and
requires a specific methodology to be developed and
followed.
As a final example: Refinery A has approximately
400 SIFs implemented and Refinery B (comparable
size) has approximately 900 SIFs. One conclusion
Ideal solutions for upstream, midstream and downstream could be that Refinery B requires more SIFs as it has
more related risks to be reduced, making it ‘less safe’
As an expert manufacturer of downhole and surface than Refinery A. However, if one was to compare Car A
pumps, we produce oilfield pump systems according to the equipped with seatbelts (which are mandatory by law)
highest quality standards. The viscosity of your crude oil or and Car B equipped with seatbelts (again mandatory),
its percentage of gas or sand makes no difference to the as well as airbags, an anti-lock braking system (ABS),
NETZSCH progressing cavity pumps. etc. (which are not mandatory), it would be easy to
conclude that Car B is safer than Car A as it has more
protection measures implemented. The same
argument should be applied to the refinery example.
S!
VISIT U The more SIFs implemented, the more protection
o r e E urope
Offsh measures to prevent potential hazards from
deen
in Aber 019 happening, overall making Refinery B the safer working
06.09.2
03.09. – h 1.R.53
P a v il lo n, Bo t
o environment.
German An IEC 61511 functional safe assessment (FSA)
involves an independent assessment by an
experienced specialist to determine whether
functional safety is achieved and whether a
production facility – e.g. a refinery – is operating
safely and reliably.

www.netzsch.com
 Paul Lyon and Maria Chwal, Vympel GmbH, Germany, with
Gleb Derevyagin and Sergey Seleznev, LLC SPA Vympel, Russia,
compare the water dew point and the hydrocarbon condensation
temperature in measuring the quality of natural gas.
A
s natural gas infrastructure continues to expand and as more
and more entities become involved with the extraction,
processing and delivery of natural gas, quality control becomes
increasingly critical. Historically, natural gas tended to be
supplied from a single source, so once the specific characteristics of that
gas were known, relatively few continuous quality control measurements
were deemed necessary. But now, as the interconnectivity of the world’s
natural gas infrastructure is advanced, and more gas is delivered as LNG via
ship, the gas mixture in the pipeline can change significantly from one day
to the next. It is largely for this reason that continuous automated quality
control measurements have become the norm. But what exactly do we
mean by quality control when it comes to natural gas?
Quality control technology
One aspect of quality control is to measure various aspects of the gas. Natural
gas quality is measured in terms of calorific value and Wobbe index, moisture
content and hydrocarbon condensation temperature (HCT), as well as several
other parameters. Part of the challenge to good quality control is the fact that
natural gas is different things at different points in the
delivery chain and, in all cases, it is a complex gaseous
media comprising multiple components. Some aspects of
the gas quality are inherent in each of these components,
so modern quality control practices require appropriate
monitoring – often if only to ensure that a given
component is present in no more than trace amounts.
A number of technologies have been developed
to accurately evaluate different aspects and
components of the gas. Of these, the two
measurements that are often the most essential are
the water dew point (WDP) and the HCT. Perhaps
because the HCT has traditionally been referred to
as the hydrocarbon ‘dew point’, there is often
confusion regarding the differences and similarities
of these measurements. In some cases, apparently
because natural gas is mostly hydrocarbons, the
misconception has arisen that the
HYDROCARBON 47 July 2019
ENGINEERING

Figure 1. The Bureau of Mines Dew Point Tester (1938) was
the first device that made possible accurate repeatable
measurement of the water dew point in hydrocarbon gases.
It was subsequently used to monitor other condensates as
well.
Figure 2. The Hygrovision-mini is a modern manual
hygrometer that operates on the same principles as the
Bureau of Mines Tester, but incorporates modern electronics
and optics to enhance performance.
July 2019 48 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
‘hydrocarbon dew point’ is just the name for the WDP in a
hydrocarbon gas; this is most definitely not so.
Water dew point
To better understand the difference between the WDP and
the HCT, it is important to examine each measurement in
turn, beginning with the WDP.
One of the first quality-related measurements involved
determining the water content of natural gas. The presence
of excess moisture in the gas leads to a number of adverse
situations. Not only does moisture reduce the actual energy
in the gas for a given volume, it can also lead to the
formation of clathrate hydrates (also known as gas clathrates,
gas hydrates, clathrates, etc). These are ‘slushy’ ice-like solids
formed of water and methane. These hydrates can create
blockages that restrict or completely clog pipelines.
In addition to clathrates, excess water can combine with
CO2 to form the aggressive compound carbonic acid, which
can cause corrosive damage to pipes and equipment. Water
can likewise interact with excess hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to
form an acidic compound; and of course water can cause
ordinary rust. So for all these reasons and more, steps are
taken to remove water from the gas at an early stage in
processing.
There are several effective means of removing moisture
from natural gas. One of the most common methods is
glycol dehydration. Another method is cryogenic drying, and
a third possibility is to remove water from the gas by
molecular sieve. But regardless of the dehydration method, it
is essential to make control measurements of the dried gas
to ensure that the drying equipment is functioning properly
and the remaining water vapour is only present at or below
acceptable levels. Exactly what constitutes this acceptable
level is defined by regulations, guidelines, and contracts.
A device for measuring water content is known as a
hygrometer. Over the years, a number of methods and
technologies have been developed to make this
measurement, but the first successful method to achieve the
necessary level of accuracy, reliability and repeatability was
the ‘Bureau of Mines Tester’, a chilled-mirror device that
measures the WDP (Figure 1). At any given pressure, the WDP
temperature corresponds to the amount of water vapour
present. Using a chilled-mirror instrument, the dew point can
be measured directly. This earliest chilled-mirror device,
developed in the late 1930s, was operated manually and
required the use of a refrigerant gas to chill the mirror while
the operator observed the surface of a stainless steel mirror
that was exposed to a sample of natural gas flowing across it.
A thermometer was embedded in the mirror in such a way as
to give accurate information about the mirror temperature.
The operator used this to identify the temperature when
water began to condense as the mirror was cooled. It was
also possible to observe when the water began to evaporate
as the mirror slowly warmed to the ambient temperature
after the refrigerant gas was removed.
This device required skill and practice to use well, but it
did provide good results that were acceptable at the time.
A dew point is a physical property of the gas, so
measuring it directly with a chilled mirror is a first-principle
measurement, which is considered to be of the highest
metrological value. As a result, a chilled mirror analyser still
provides the best dew point measurement.
Knowing the dew point makes it possible to determine the
humidity in terms of parts per million (ppm),
milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3), pounds per million
standard cubic feet (lbs/million ft3) or any other units desired or
deemed appropriate. Moreover, once the dew point is known
for one pressure it is possible to find the dew point at a
different pressure, as this is a simple calculation.
Since those first manual devices were developed, there
have been significant advances in both automatic and manual
incarnations of chilled-mirror technology (Figure 2). While the
underlying principles of operation have never changed,
specifically a temperature-controllable mirror, a light source to
reveal condensation, and a means of observing this
condensation – either visually or with some type of photo
sensor – one major improvement was introduced with the
development of automated devices: controlled heating of the
mirror (Figure 3). In modern chilled-mirror devices, both
manual and portable, the mirror is heated as well as cooled by
means of a thermoelectric battery, a so-called ‘Peltier’
element. During heating and cooling, the temperature is Figure 3. A schematic view of the essential
monitored electrically and temperature changes are components of an automatic chilled mirror
controlled by a microprocessor. The ability to heat the mirror hygrometer.
as well as cool it made two important advances in
functionality possible.
In the first place, the ability to heat the mirror resulted in
the complete elimination of all condensates between each
measurement cycle. This is achieved by heating the mirror to
over 40˚C and maintaining that temperature long enough to
ensure that all condensates have evaporated. In this way, each
measurement starts with a clean mirror.
And secondly, by heating the mirror in the same controlled
manner as it is cooled, accurate measurement of the
evaporation temperature can be directly compared to
measurement of the condensation temperature. In other words,
the rate of mirror temperature change is the same going up and
going down. The reason that this is a relevant improvement
becomes clear when it is understood that the dew point is not
merely the water condensation temperature, but is in fact the
equilibrium temperature at which water is both condensing and
evaporating at equal rates. In a chilled-mirror device, the
condensation temperature observed will be slightly below the
dew point as the mirror must be cooler than the dew point for Figure 4. Water condensation on the surface of the
chilled mirror of a manual hygrometer (photographed
observable condensation to form (Figure 4). To compensate for
through the microscope of a Hygrovision dew point
this, the evaporation temperature is also measured. In this case, analyser).
the temperature must be slightly above the dew point for
evaporation to be observable. By finding the mean temperature
between the condensation and evaporation temperatures, an In the absence of a measured evaporation temperature, it is
accurate dew point can be established based on direct not possible to establish by direct measurement how near the
measurements. observed condensation temperature is relative to the actual
This is the procedure described in both the ASTM D1142-95 dew point. Devices that do not measure the evaporation
‘Standard Test Method for Water Vapor Content of Gaseous temperature are required to introduce an assumed correction
Fuels by Measurement of Dew-Point Temperature’ and the value to compensate for the difference between the actual dew
ISO 6327 ‘Gas analysis – Determination of the water dew point point and the measured condensation temperature. But this
of natural gas – Cooled surface condensation hygrometers’.1,2 value is not based on any continuous direct measurement
There is even reference to “observation of the temperature at information. These devices are not in conformance with the
which the [water condensation] deposit appears and disappears, requirements of the relevant standards.
as indicated by a thermometer” in the original paper describing Although other technologies for measuring the moisture
the Bureau of Mines apparatus.3 content in natural gas have been developed, they do have

HYDROCARBON 49 July 2019

ENGINEERING

Figure 5. Hydrocarbon condensation on the surface
of the chilled mirror of a manual hygrometer
(photographed through the microscope of a
Hygrovision dew point analyser).
drawbacks, and actual chilled-mirror instruments are still
considered to be the most accurate devices, providing reliable
and repeatable measurements.
Liquid-state hydrocarbons
Like water, hydrocarbons can also condense into a liquid state
under the right temperature and pressure conditions. As is the
case with water, liquid state hydrocarbons in the pipeline can
cause a number of problems. In particular, when these liquids
are carried along in the gas flow, they form bullet-like slugs that
are extremely damaging to equipment such as gas-fired turbines
and compressors.
Unprocessed natural gas often has a number of heavier
hydrocarbons that condense at relatively high temperatures and
require removal before the gas can be fed into the distribution
grid. Fortunately, once removed, these components can be sold
for their own value. As is the case with moisture removal, it is
necessary to ensure that the processing equipment is working
efficiently and effectively removing all of the components
necessary to ensure that the gas quality reaches the appropriate
standard. The HCT is a reliable indicator of how well the heavier
hydrocarbons have been removed and chilled-mirror devices are
also used for this measurement. In fact, chilled-mirror is the only
available technology that can measure this temperature directly.
Similar to the WDP measurement, the surface of a mirror is
cooled until hydrocarbon condensates form. Unlike water,
however, hydrocarbons do not form little droplets when they
condense. Instead, they form a flat reflective film when they
condense onto a chilled surface (Figure 5). Additionally,
hydrocarbons are not a single component but many different
components. Though in many respects similar, in terms of
condensation temperature, each hydrocarbon behaves and
interacts differently. As a result, the way that the hydrocarbon
matrix in a given natural gas behaves cannot be predicted. This
adds to the accuracy issue when calculating this value based on
a chromatographic analysis, and it is simply not possible to
calculate the HCT from one pressure to another, unlike the
WDP.
July 2019 50 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
Because of the negative impacts associated with liquid
hydrocarbons in the pipeline, it is advisable to know the
temperature that the gas must remain above in order to
prevent potential hydrocarbon liquids (PHCLs) from
precipitating out of the gaseous phase. But this presents
another problem. Whereas the WDP simply increases as the
pressure rises, the HCT only increases to a certain pressure.
Above this pressure the HCT actually goes down again. Since it
is not possible to recalculate the HCT from one pressure to
another, it is important to consider measuring this temperature
at the pressure that corresponds to the highest HCT. This
pressure is known as the cricondentherm. For example, if the
operating pressure is 70 bar and the HCT is measured at this
pressure, it would not be possible to anticipate what the
temperature would be downstream of a pressure reduction
facility, where the gas pressure is reduced at say 30 bar. The
HCT will almost certainly be higher at 30 bar than at 70 bar,
but by how much is not knowable without directly measuring
it. Each hydrocarbon gas or gas mixture has a unique
cricondentherm.
The CONG Prima online and Hygrovision portable series of
instruments manufactured by the Vympel company enable both
the WDP and HCT to be measured using one measurement cell
in a single instrument
Conclusion
Quality control is a crucial aspect of maintaining the modern
natural gas infrastructure and supply. A major requirement of
that quality control is the installation of instrumentation to
monitor specific characteristics and components of the gas.
Two of the most crucial continuous measurements are for the
WDP and the HCT.
Measurement of the WDP and HCT, despite some
similarities, are fundamentally different. Both measurements are
critical to maintaining a healthy natural gas infrastructure and
delivering high quality natural gas. But, whereas finding the WDP
gives clear information about one specific component of the
gas, measuring the HCT provides information about the gas
matrix as a whole.
Finding the WDP provides information about how much
water vapour is present in the gas, and at what temperature that
water vapour will begin to condense into liquid. Finding the HCT
provides information about the temperature, at the measured
pressure, at which hydrocarbon liquids will begin to form and
about the presence, or not, of heavier hydrocarbons
unaccounted for in the most common type of gas
chromatograph analysis.
Each of these measurements requires technology fine-tuned
to the requirements of the component(s) being monitored. It is
an interesting coincidence that chilled-mirror technology is
appropriate for both measurements, and it is noteworthy that
there are devices that can accurately and reliably measure both
values with one instrument.
References
1. ASTM International, Standard D 1142-95, ‘Standard Test Method for
Water Vapor Content of Gaseous Fuels by Measurement of Dew-Point
Temperature’, (2000).
2. International Organization for Standardization, ISO 6327, ‘Gas analysis
– Determination of the water dew point of natural gas – Cooled surface
condensation hygrometers’, (1981).
3. United States Department of the Interior R.I. 3399, (May 1938).
Bob Irving, Ametek STC Business Unit, USA, evaluates the benefits of
capacitance level and interface measurements in desalter applications.

P
etroleum refineries have thousands of level and
interface measurements. One of the most
important measurement applications is in the
desalter, a process unit that removes the salt
dissolved in the water within the crude oil.
Desalting is normally one of the first processes in crude
oil refining. If the salts are not removed from the crude,
several problems can occur in the refining process including
the formation of corrosive hydrochloric acid. The benefits
of removing salt include increased crude throughput, less
plugging and scaling of the heat exchangers, and less
corrosion throughout the process.
All crude oil goes through a desalter before any
processing begins. If the desalter does not work properly,
the refinery will be short on feedstock and may have to cut
back operations or even shut down.
These units can run continuously without shutdowns
for a few years, hence why long-term reliability is essential.

Proven systems
Capacitance/RF admittance-based continuous interface
systems are widely used by many refineries in the US,
Europe, and other parts of the world. These systems are
highly accurate, robust, and perfectly suited to desalter
applications for both total level and interface.

General descriptions of desalters

A desalter is a heated pressure vessel with high voltage
grids. The unit separates the crude oil from impurities

HYDROCARBON 51 July 2019

ENGINEERING
 Figure 1. Measurement points on a typical desalter.
Figure 2. Water cut insertion probe.
such as water and sediment (salt, sand and dirt). The
‘cleaned’ crude goes into the refinery for further processing,
the water is treated and recycled, while the sediment goes
to waste disposal. If the clean crude contains too much
water, it slows downstream processing, as any salt will
cause corrosion, and any sediment will foul the catalyst,
which is used in catalytic crackers and other processing
units. Conversely, if the water contains too much oil,
additional treatment costs are incurred.
Desalters use a transformer to generate a high voltage
electrostatic field, typically 20 000 V, for the grid. This field
(combined with heat, pressure, and chemical additives) forces
July 2019 52 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
the water and sediment to coalesce into larger drops,
becoming heavier and falling to the bottom of the vessel.
Desalters typically operate at 300 – 400 psi (20 – 26 bar)
and 150 – 200˚C (300 – 400˚F). The processed crude oil
leaving the desalter is usually limited to a maximum of 0.5%
water, and the discharged water to 100 ppm of oil.
Prior to feeding the crude oil into a desalter, it is ‘washed’,
which means it is mixed with fresh water to dissolve the
salts. This crude oil feed is partially or completely emulsified.
As the washed crude enters the desalter it starts to separate
into phases, oil on top, water underneath, and emulsion
(sometimes called the ‘rag’ layer) in the middle. The sediment
collects on the bottom of the vessel.
Measurement challenges
The overall challenge of the desalter is to separate water
from crude, to knock out sediment, to minimise the number
of chemical additives, and to maximise throughput of
‘dry-clean’ crude oil. This must be done without discharging
any oil in the wastewater. To accomplish this, operators
must understand the process. They need to balance the use
of chemicals (both quantities and types) with product
residence time (throughput and velocity), thickness of the
emulsion layer, and water content of the output oil.
Specific measurement challenges are as follows:
Build-up
The feedstock to the desalter may be heavy, medium, or
light crude oil, and may contain varying quantities of wax
and sulfides. Heavy oils and wax may coat everything
installed in the vessel, which can affect the measuring
instruments. However, high-quality capacitive level
instruments are not affected by this build-up.
Density
Variations in the crude, plus the contaminants in both crude
and water, will cause wide density variations in both the oil
and water phases.
Emulsion
The emulsion layer is a bound mixture of oil and water that is
between the water and ‘dry’ crude oil. This emulsion can vary
from a couple of inches to several feet thick, depending on
the characteristics of the crude oil and how the desalter is operated and controlled.
Emulsions containing medium or heavy crude oils and high percentages of wax and
sulfur can be very difficult to break up. Emulsion control is a major consideration in
desalter operation. For maximum production, the top of the emulsion layer should
be kept as high as possible without overloading the grids. Capacitance/RF
admittance technology offers a major advantage in this application, because it
measures the actual electrical interface. Keeping this interface close to the grids
helps coalesce the water and solids more quickly and completely.

Sediment
This accumulates at the bottom of the vessel in excess of what is removed with the
water. Desalters are regularly ‘blown down’ through a series of openings to remove
the sediment, sometimes with the help of built-in water jets. However, the
sediment is not always fully removed and excess sediment build-up will change the
flow rate and reduce the desalter efficiency. If sediment backs up into the
measuring range, the desalter may require an early shutdown for cleaning. If the
desalter has an internal stilling well extending below the grids (required for internal ALL-ROUND MONITORING OF
displacers), sediment tends to build up inside the stilling well at a faster rate. THE OPERATIONAL LOCATIONS
High water
The electrostatic grid must be protected from an overload. Grids are designed to
provide high voltage, not current (hence the term electrostatic). Oily water
(present in the emulsion layer) will create a high current in the grids, causing the
transformer to overload and trip the circuit breakers. Drexelbrook’s Grid Guard is
designed to protect against this happening.

Sensor location Go beyond your limits with us!

The continuous interface sensor must be installed at a representative location.
This location is not always obvious as it depends on the type of crude, flow rates, We ensure maximum safety,
and how the desalter is operated. The ideal sensor location is where the samples reliability & effectiveness
are withdrawn. Sample taps are located on the discharge side of the desalter. in your projects.
Operators draw samples from these taps to determine the location of and
percentage of water in the different liquid phases in the desalter. NOTHING REMAINS UNSEEN –
Low oil ANYWHERE AND ANYTIME!
If the oil level gets too low it will mix and be discharged with wastewater.
However, there are products available, such as Drexelbrook’s water dump guard,
which help protect against this.

Continuous interface measurement

The most important desalter operation requirement is to control the interface
between the oily water in the emulsion layer and the wet crude oil. Capacitance/RF
admittance instruments have an edge in making this measurement, particularly in
heavy and high wax crudes. With manpower in short supply, most desalters are
operated semi- or fully-automated with instrumentation.
For maximum production, the emulsion layer should be maintained as close as
safely practical to the grids. Keeping the emulsion close to the grids increases the
coalescence, thereby keeping the emulsion thinner. If this is done, less emulsion
breaking chemicals are required to maintain an ideal emulsion thickness.
Operators are expected to minimise the quantities of these chemicals, since they LED Lights for better sight
are one of the few variable costs in this operation.
There are a series of sample cocks down the side of a desalter, with pipes that HD micro-videocam inside
may extend up to 5 ft inside the vessel. Operators draw samples to tell them Three free positionable Video
what is happening inside the desalter.
The interface is best controlled with a continuous transmitter. Some users Cameras for site control
prefer one (or more) horizontally mounted point interface controls. A transmitter Data backup on USB stick
gives the operator a much better picture of what is happening in the vessel. In
addition, it allows the operator the flexibility to raise or lower the interface a few
inches when conditions change. The heavier the oil and the thicker the emulsion, Edelhoff Technologies GmbH
the greater the advantages of a continuous transmitter. Iserlohn, NRW · Germany
Edelhoff Technologies USA LLC
Houston, Texas · USA
www.edelhoff-technologies.com
 Important considerations
The sensing element should be installed in the vessel at
the location where the greatest separation has taken
place. The sensing element should not be installed in an
external chamber (also called bridle, side arm, or float
cage). Performance is rarely satisfactory in an external
chamber as this interface does not accurately represent
the in-vessel interface at the representative location. The
interface in an external chamber is determined by the
head applied to the lower fill leg and cannot be used to
control the emulsion-oil interface.
These chambers can also fill with sediment. This is
important to remember as refineries always want sensors
that can be isolated when used in on-stream continuous
processing vessels. However, it must be stressed that the
sensing element should be inside the vessel to make a
reliable desalter interface measurement.
If you are trying to replace an internal displacer, the
desalter will have an existing internal stilling well. The
stilling well must be removed or at least cut off below the
grids. As with external chambers, the interface in an
internal stilling well may not be representative of the
actual vessel interface; excess sediment will accumulate
inside.
Obviously, the selection of a highly reliable sensing
element is critical when installed directly in the vessel.
Capacitance/RF admittance sensors have proven reliable
in thousands of installations throughout the world.
Cut monitor
The purpose of the desalter is to furnish dry, salt-free
crude oil to the refinery. Oil containing too much water
cannot be processed efficiently by the refinery. Water
content should be continuously measured in-line to
ensure it is on-specification.
An ideal combination and quantity of
emulsion-breaking chemicals exists for a specific crude oil
and set of processing conditions. With this combination
and quantity, the chemical cost is reduced and throughput
is maximised.
Operators tend to use excess chemicals to ‘be safe’. A
fair quantity of excess chemicals will increase costs but
not affect the result, but if this excess is too large, the
emulsion will bind and cause desalter malfunction. When
the emulsion binds, the process stops. They either have to
increase temperature and pressure and/or pump out the
crude into another vessel. From there, they mix it with
untreated crude and feed it back through the desalter to
get the process restarted.
Most desalter chemical additions are delivered by
metering pumps with the feed rate manually set.
Chemical control is considered an art. However,
automatically controlling this chemical addition is
becoming more the norm. Automatic chemical control
requires an on-line percentage water measurement of the
clean crude.
A cut monitor monitors the percentage of water in
crude oil. It may be used as an indicator for operator
information. For automatic control, the output of the cut
monitor is tied to a chemical metering pump. As the
July 2019 54 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
water percentage increases in the cleaned crude oil, the
chemical feed rate increases. When the water percentage
drops, the feed rate decreases.
Experienced operators may be reluctant to use
automatic chemical control, but doing so can reduce the
cost of chemicals as much as 50% or more. This
instrument is also called a basic sediment and water
(BS&W) monitor. Capacitive based cut monitors are an
excellent instrument for this measurement.
Guarding the grid
If a conductive fluid (water or oily water in the emulsion)
touches the grids, circuit breakers will trip and the grids
will shut down. To prevent this from happening, a
modified cut monitor may be mounted horizontally just
under the grids. Typically, it is recommended that this
type of instrument is used with 0 to 10% range. The
instrument output will start to increase when wet oil in
the emulsion is present to warn operators of a potential
desalter shutdown. Output will increase up to a maximum
when water or oily water in the emulsion reaches the
sensor. Unlike the standard cut monitor, this is not a
precise measurement, but a concentric shield is
recommended to isolate the probe from the high voltage
grids. A ground rod may be required above the sensing
element, depending on the cut monitor sensor location,
to prevent the electrostatic field from affecting the signal.
Interface control
Some refineries prefer to use continuous systems to
control this interface. When the process is very stable and
a minimum of emulsion is present, this works out well.
When it is not stable, continuous systems allow the
operator to see what is happening to the interface,
allowing for better control. Capacitance/RF admittance
type instruments may be used for this measurement. These
instruments are removable and integrally mounted.
Water dump guard
Water with sediment is periodically or continuously drawn
off the bottom. If the water discharge valve sticks open
(usually due to sediment building up on the valve seat), oil
can be discharged to waste. It is desirable to have a low oil
alarm in the desalter to signal if oil gets too low. As an
option, a capacitance/RF admittance transmitter low oil
alarm can be used for proportional control of the water
discharge valve/low oil alarm.
With very heavy oils, there can be a roll over where the
oil becomes the bottom layer of the interface. This
happens when the oil is heavier than the water. This is
called an inverted interface. A water dump guard will also
alarm in case this roll-over occurs.
Summary
The desalter process in crude oil refining is a critical
application that requires reliable and accurate level and
interface control. Capacitance/RF admittance technology
products have been used for decades in these processes
with a field-proven history of providing reliable long-term
performance.
 D R E X E L B R O O K ’ S U N I V E R S A L I V C U T M O N I T O R
© 2019 by AMETEK Inc. All rights reserved.

$OVRRσHUHGLQDQGVSRROSLHFHSUREHV
RσHUHGLQDQGVSRROSLHFHS

Water-cut measurement so
accurate, no other monitor
makes the cut.
Reliable performance. Easy installation.

First, we bent the rules to enter the oil stream

through the elbow. Then we designed a sampling
probe that extends well into the line, averaging all
readings along its length for superior accuracy—
down to 0.03% water.
The probe senses changes in capacitance. The
relationship between capacitance and water cut,
known as BS&W (basic sediment and water)
is computed by the unit’s electronics. And be-
cause the Universal IV features RF admittance
technology, it ignores buildup and its rugged
sensor won’t wear out.
Pre-calibrated to your light or heavy oil needs, it
meets worldwide approvals (FM, FMc, ATEX and
IECEx) and works in pressures to 1,500 PSI and
temperatures to 450°F. Why not sample our
new Universal IV cut monitor for yourself? Visit
www.drexelbrook.com to download our white
paper or call 215-674-1234.

Now with
a 3-Year
Warranty
July 2019 56 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
Nigel Hilton, Dorf Ketal, USA, explains
why it is difficult to predict a desalter’s
ability to handle a change in crude slate
and offers a new solution to combat
the problem.

O
perating flexibility to process opportunity crudes is
fundamental to refinery competitiveness. One of
the risks of processing opportunity crudes is
increased risk of overhead corrosion in the crude
column. This can occur if the change in crude slate results in
an increase in the salt or amine content of the desalted crude.
In this situation, the short-term financial benefit of
reducing cost of crude has to be compared to the delayed and
less certain cost of increased overhead corrosion, including
the possible risk of an unplanned outage or safety problem.
The analysis begins by trying to predict if the desalter is
capable of handling the new crude slate without any
deterioration in performance. If there is a risk to a
deterioration in performance, the next step is to assess what
can be done to improve performance and reduce risk.
Predicting desalter readiness to handle a change in crude
slate is difficult to do. This article explains why this is the case
and offers new tools to help the refiner answer this question
more efficiently and accurately. These new tools also have the
potential to increase the ability of the existing equipment to
handle more difficult desalting challenges and protect the
overhead system from increased risk of corrosion.
Comparing short-term gain with potential long-term risk is
a difficult risk management challenge. Refiners who are better
prepared to improve desalter readiness to capture short-term
gains without risking long-term damage from corrosion will be
more competitive over the longer term.

The largest threat

The single largest threat to obtaining an accurate prediction of
desalter readiness is the potential for rag layer formation. Rag
is a complex mixture of water, oil, and solids forming a stable
oil/water emulsion (Figure 1). Rag in a desalter is analogous to
fouling of a heat transfer surface or column tray, it slows the
process. It is also analogous to other risks of fouling in that
once rag gets into the system, it is difficult to get it out.
Engineers use fouling factor to predict the impact of
fouling on heat transfer and monitor pressure drop to assess
the impact of column fouling. However, there is no
comparable metric for quantifying the impact of rag in the
desalter. Accumulating material in the desalter will have a
significant impact on the ability of the oil to rise and the water
and solids to sink in the desalter. It would be great to avoid rag
entirely, but zero tolerance for the risk of rag is not
economically viable. The opportunity to save in the
acquisition cost of crude is too significant.

How is rag formed?

Rag contains solids, oil, and water. A key driver of rag is the
presence of inorganics such as sand, silt, clay, and corrosion

HYDROCARBON 57 July 2019

ENGINEERING
 byproducts in the crude. Smaller inorganic particles are more
of a problem than larger particles. Oil coating of the
inorganic particles reduces the specific gravity of the particle
such that they can float on water and settle in oil,
accumulating at the oil-water interface of the desalter.
Precipitated organics from incompatible blending also
contribute to rag formation.
Total solids in the crude are measured as filterable solids,
reported as lbs per thousand bbl. The quantity of filterable
solids in different crudes is highly variable; levels of solids as
low as 50 lbs per thousand bbl can cause rag. Therefore,
given the average weight of 1000 bbl of crude is about
300 000 lbs, this means a concentration as low as 160 ppm
of solids in the crude can cause rag. Many crudes have
significantly higher solids content and proportionately more
potential to form rag.
Figure 1. Sample of rag from desalter.
Figure 2. Oil-water emulsion without rag.
July 2019 58 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
When taking a sample of crude containing solids and
conducting a laboratory scale desalting test to measure the
rate of oil-water separation, the quantity of solids
accumulating at the surface is typically imperceptible to the
eye. The test may show the rate of emulsion breaking is
acceptable, while the risk of rag formation can be hidden.
Rag accumulation is localised at the oil-water surface; it is
not typically a phenomenon observable in the bulk fluids.
The stability of the rag emulsion and the rate of
accumulation of rag at the oil-water surface are highly
variable. Stability refers to the time required for the rag
emulsion to separate into oil and water with solids in either
the water or oil phase. The rate of accumulation of rag at the
oil-water interface is like any material balance, i.e. rate of
accumulation of rag equals rate of rag formation minus rate
at which the rag emulsion is resolving.
If the opportunity crude has other contaminants that
are slowing the rate of the emulsion breaking process of
the bulk liquid, these other contaminants can also increase
the rate of accumulation of rag. For example, high total
acid number (TAN) crudes are more difficult to desalt
because they may contain calcium naphthenate (or other
naphthenates such as sodium) with surfactant properties
that can create difficult to break emulsions. Sometimes
crude oil producers add surfactants to the oil. Amines in
the crude or wash water can raise desalter pH and slow the
emulsion breaking process.
Figure 2 shows a microscopic view of an oil-water
emulsion at the interface without rag. Oil is the continuous
phase of the emulsion and water droplets are dispersed in
the oil.
Figure 3 shows the presence of clay, iron-sulfide, titanium,
and salt in the emulsion. These particles interfere with the
ability of the finely dispersed water droplets to coalesce.
Depending on the amount and thickness of the accumulated
rag, the interference of the rag on emulsion breaking can be
seen in tryline samples. Tryline samples are samples of liquid
in the desalter taken over the height of the desalter.
Figure 4 gives four examples of desalter tryline samples.
Figure 4a is an example of a desalter free of rag. There is a
sharp break between the oil and water phase. Figure 4d is an
example of a desalter that has lost control of the rag. Rag
has accumulated to the point where oil and rag are exiting
with the brine.
Methods for controlling rag
Other than limiting crude selection, improving the speed of
emulsion breaking by changing emulsion breaker is the
easiest option for reducing rag. If this option is not sufficient,
adjunct chemistry should be considered. Adjuncts are
additives to supplement the emulsion breaker such as acid,
reverse emulsion breaker, and solids wetting agent.
Acid addition reduces the desalter pH and can increase
the speed of emulsion breaking if desalter pH is above 7.5.
Acid can also react with metals in the rag to disperse the
metals. Acid is not commonly used because of the:
„ Safety risk.
„ Downstream risk of overhead corrosion from carryover
of acid.
„ Cost of trialling the acid.
„ High chemical consumption. Ammonia and amine removal using
„ Lack of consistency in results. reactive adjunct
Reactive adjuncts can reduce concentrations of ammonia and
A reverse emulsion breaker tries to reduce the oil content in amines in the desalted crude. This can be important to the
the water phase of a desalter. The term ‘reverse’ refers to the corrosion engineer as they can react with chlorides to form
fact that this chemical works on water as the continuous phase. corrosive salts. A refinery processing a blend of opportunity
A solids wetting agent is a chemical that works to water wet the crude was experiencing high pH in the desalter and
solids, allowing them to release and break the rag, ultimately
settling in the water phase and exiting with the brine.
A fourth class of adjunct is called ‘reactive adjunct’.
Reactive adjuncts are chemicals that react with contaminants
in the desalter in ways other than an acid-base reaction.
Dorf Ketal has developed a non-acid adjunct that works
synergistically with emulsion breakers to increase the speed of
emulsion breaking. Since rag is a slow to resolve emulsion,
faster emulsion breaking resolves rag faster. The reactive
adjunct chemical also reacts with amines to form water
soluble imines, reducing the pH impact of tramp amines and
the impact of pH on rate of emulsion breaking. It also reacts
with hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to form a non-volatile H2S adduct,
quenching the release of H2S gas and the upward force this
can create in the desalter. Finally, the chemistry reacts with
inorganic components in rag, dispersing the forming
components and helping it resolve. The combination of these
mechanisms generated by the reactive adjunct dramatically
improves rag management. The reactive adjunct is non-acid,
this makes it safer and easier to trial.
Figure 3. SEM EDAX analysis of rag layer.
Predicting the impact of
crude slate changes on risk
of corrosion
Returning to the corrosion engineer’s
fundamental question on the risk of
corrosion with opportunity crudes, operators Brine Tryline 1 Tryline 2 Tryline 3 at interface Tryline 4, oil phase
should ask desalting experts if the crude
being considered has rag precursors and if Figure 4a.
the supplier has experience desalting the
opportunity crude. The historical records for
the desalter should be reviewed, with focus
on salt removal, oil content in brine, and Brine Tryline 1 Tryline 2 Tryline 3 at Tryline 4, oil
interface phase
tryline pictures. If the salt removal has been
excellent and the trylines consistently look
similar to Figure 4a and 4b, the desalter has Figure 4b.
some excess capacity that may allow
operating with higher levels of rag precursors.
If rag is a concern with the opportunity
Brine Tryline 1 Tryline 2 Tryline 3 at Tryline 4, oil
crude and the trylines appear the same as interface phase
Figure 4c and 4d, it is prudent to improve
desalter readiness before bringing the
Figure 4c.
opportunity crude into the refinery.

Improving desalter
readiness with reactive Brine Tryline 1 Tryline 2 Tryline 3 at Tryline 4, oil
adjunct interface phase

Figure 5 shows a picture of brine from a

desalter before use of reactive adjunct and Figure 4d.
24 hours later. This improvement is the
result of reactive adjunct resolving the rag Figure 4. Examples of tryline samples from desalter with varying
layer in the desalter, allowing the oil to float accumulations of rag.
up, cleaning up the brine.

HYDROCARBON 59 July 2019

ENGINEERING

Figure 5. Impact of reactive adjunct on brine quality.
wash water (8+) and the crude was contaminated with tramp
amines. Not wanting to deal with acid, the refinery agreed to a
reactive adjunct trial. This trial held the dosage of emulsion
breaker constant and varied the dosage of reactive adjunct to
optimise the cost performance of converting the amines and
ammonia to the imine form. The refinery experienced a
significant reduction in wash water pH (<7) and the brine
Consulting
Simulation services
www.sate-italy.com Modelling & diagnostic
Santa Croce 664/a - 30135 Venezia - Italy software for process
brought into Real Time models of large systems
info@sate-italy.com - ph. +39 041 2757634 plants and machines
Table 1. Reduction in salt point using reactive
adjunct
Ammonia/amine salt of Reduction in salt point (˚C)
NH3 10
MEA 20
MDEA 9
DMEA 10
pH (7 – 7.5). Table 1 shows the impact on reduction of salt
point after 21 days of trial.
Conclusion
Protecting against risk of overhead corrosion can conflict with
the need to process opportunity crudes and increase refinery
competitiveness. To manage these conflicting priorities, the
corrosion engineer needs to work with the desalting experts to
understand desalter readiness for opportunity crudes. The
single biggest threat to obtaining an accurate projection on
desalter readiness is the potential for rag formation. Rag is a
foulant that slows the desalting process, is difficult to quantify,
and difficult to remove. Assessment of the potential for rag
formation begins with determination of rag precursors in the
opportunity crude and the experience of the emulsion breaker
(EB) supplier with the opportunity crude. However, laboratory
testing cannot simulate the cycling effect of rag formation,
meaning field trials are required to more definitively assess the
ability to control rag and the desalter readiness for the
opportunity crude under consideration. A new chemistry called
reactive adjunct is giving refiners another option for controlling
rag, which has been proven in the field and is easy to trial.
TGSIM™
RT Gas turbine simulator
20 year experience in dynamic simulations
 Bill Gretta,
Concord Environmental,
USA, outlines a novel
ammonia injection grid
design which lowers
ammonia usage and heat
recovery steam generator
tube fouling.

A
typical petroleum refinery uses a
combination of high, medium, and
low-pressure steam to operate an assortment
of equipment, from steam turbine-driven
generators and pumps to heat tracing for oil viscosity
control. Crude oil refining processes also consume
large amounts of steam, such as reboilers, distillation
columns, steam stripper, vacuum jets, and many
process heating applications. For a typical refinery,
steam is produced from standard steam boilers fired
by natural gas, refinery gas, fuel oil, or even residual
oil.
Many refineries use cogeneration of steam and
electric power as a means to improve the overall
process efficiency of the refinery and to reduce net air
emissions. There are many site-specific equipment
configuration options possible. For example, a typical
cogeneration plant includes one or more combustion

HYDROCARBON 61 July 2019

ENGINEERING
 turbine(s), each exhausting into a heat recovery steam
generator (HRSG) that produces steam at multiple
pressure levels. The steam may then be used in a
steam turbine to produce electricity for refinery use
or may be sold to the local grid operator. Some
refineries have selected a non-condensing steam
turbine to produce large quantities of lower pressure
steam used in refining processes. Other cogeneration
plants prioritise steam production for the refinery
with only the excess used to generate electricity.
Many refineries use refinery gas, sometimes mixed
with natural gas, to fuel the combustion turbines,
thereby further reducing the refinery’s environmental
footprint.
Refineries that have adopted cogeneration must
also use state-of-the-art emissions reduction
equipment placed within their HRSGs, such as a
selective catalytic reduction (SCR) for NOX reduction
and perhaps an oxidation catalyst to reduce the
Figure 1. The 480 MW plant consists of a two-in-one
natural gas-powered combined cycle plant that bids
the electric ouput into the California Independent
System Operator (CAISO) market.
Figure 2. Both of the HRSGs have experienced rapidly
increasing pressure drop in the LP evaporator/IP
economiser/HP economiser section (Module 5) cause
by ABS fouling since the plant was commissioned in
2000.
July 2019 62 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
release of carbon monoxide into the atmosphere.
These devices often cause unexpected maintenance
issues. For example, some HRSG designs have
experienced fouling due to unexpectedly high
ammonia concentration in certain regions of the
HRSG that subsequently cause ammonium bisulfate
(ABS) fouling of finned boiler tubes. This is
particularly the case when firing certain liquid fuels
such as residual oils and fuel oils. Fouled boiler tubes
cause an increase in gas-side pressure drop that result
in reduced combustion turbine power production and
efficiency loss. Loss of combustion turbine
performance also reduces HRSG steam production. If
a cogeneration plant has steadily lost performance
due to tube fouling, and cleaning of the boiler tubes
surfaces has produced only temporary results, this
could be a result of ABS fouling.
One plant operator struggled for several years
with ABS tube fouling before deciding on a
permanent solution. The plant, located in Nevada, US,
is configured as a two-in-one combined cycle plant,
consisting of two combustion turbine generators
(CTGs), two heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs),
one Westinghouse steam turbine generator and
associated auxiliary systems and equipment (Figure 1).
The CTGs and HRSGs are in a single train
configuration and the exhaust gases from each HRSG
passes through the exhaust flue to individual 100 ft
exhaust stacks. Each of the 165 MW Westinghouse
(now Siemens Energy) 501FC+ single-shaft CTGs are
configured with dry low-NOX combustors. Each HRSG
is equipped with SCR and oxidation catalyst systems
to manage air emissions. The steam turbine generator
has a nominal output of 170 MW and is cooled by an
air-cooled condenser. The full load continuous rating
of the natural gas-powered combined cycle plant is
480 MW with natural gas duct burning and at a
maximum ambient air temperature of 120˚F and 15%
relative humidity.
Tackling tube fouling
Since plant start-up in 2000, the HRSG’s had
experienced high gas pressure drop in the LP
evaporator/IP economiser/HP economiser section
(Module 5 on Figure 2), the next to last tube bundle
before the exhaust gas leaves the HRSG through the
stack. The majority of fouling was occurring on the LP
evaporator side of the module. The cause of the high
pressure drop was due to ABS buildup within the tube
bundle caused by high local ammonia concentrations
that pass through the SCR in those areas (slip).
Ammonia, as a 28% aqueous solution, is injected at a
rate of 150 lb/hr at plant design operating conditions.
The HRSGs were cleaned annually utilising costly
ice blasting, but the pressure drop quickly increased
after cleaning, from 2.1 in. of water column (w.c.)
pressure drop in clean condition to often greater than
6.8 in. w.c. Figure 2 illustrates typical data taken from
the plant distributed control system (DCS) when
Module 5 was experiencing high gas pressure drop
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Figure 3. The highly finned tubes in Module 5
experienced ABS fouling due to high local ammonia
concentrations in the SCR. The fouled tubes disrupt
heat transfer in the tubes and an increase in HRSG
pressure drop. Both reduce the efficiency of plant
operation.
Figure 4. The CFD results confirmed the poor
ammonia distribution measured in the field. It showed
that the AIG design itself was creating the poor
distribution with high concentrations along the sides
of the catalyst bed. The area shown in red illustrates
high ammonia concentration.
Figure 5. The new AIG lances and baffles are
illustrated. Note the original structural penetration
were unchanged although the AIG was moved 3 ft
upstream.
July 2019 64 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
due to fouling. Figure 3 is a photograph of typical
ABS fouling found in Module 5 of both HRSGs.
With these ongoing issues, the utility contracted
with Concord Environmental to tune the ammonia
injection grid (AIG) to improve the ammonia
distribution across the SCR in order to eliminate the
ABS problem. However, AIG tuning alone failed to
improve the ammonia distribution. Physical changes
in the HRSG were necessary to reduce ABS fouling
downstream of the SCR.
A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation
of the entire HRSG was developed to determine the
cause of the poor ammonia distribution. The
company was also tasked with developing and
implementing the necessary design changes once the
root cause of the fouling was determined.
CFD identifies problems
Detailed contour plots of exhaust gas temperature,
pressure, velocity, and ammonia distribution were
developed throughout the entire HRSG, including the
AIG grid. The model found that although the velocity
distribution is quite uniform at both the CO and SCR
catalyst inlets, the ammonia distribution is very poor
at over 70% RMS, well beyond the goal of 10% RMS,
at the inlet to the SCR catalyst. Due to the large
areas of recirculation caused by the CO catalyst
support structure at the bottom, ammonia quickly
gathered near the bottom and along the sides where
the flue expands, thus creating areas of recirculation.
These two regions cause the ammonia to be ‘pulled’
in and stay concentrated near the bottom and
vertical walls before being propagated downstream
into the SCR catalyst. These problems were further
exacerbated by too few injection holes in the AIG
and the lack of mixing of the ammonia and the flue
gas (Figure 4).
CFD modelling confirmed that ammonia was
concentrating heavily along the side walls as well as
the top and bottom corners of the reactor. However,
the CFD model revealed that the AIG design itself
was creating the poor distribution with high
concentrations along the sides of the catalyst bed.
The original AIG design was located 4 ft downstream
of CO catalyst, in an expanding section of the flue
towards the SCR catalyst. The solution was to move
the new AIG 3 ft upstream so that the revised AIG
centreline was 1 ft downstream of the CO catalyst
(the grey module immediately upstream of the AIG in
Figure 2) in a uniformly spaced arrangement. CFD
modelling also showed that adding mixing baffles to
the upstream side of the newly located AIG greatly
improved local mixing. The lance penetrations
through the HRSG casing remain unchanged, thus
causing a jog in the AIG lances in the upstream
direction inside the gas flue. This eliminated the
need to modify any external piping (Figure 5).
Mixing of ammonia downstream of an AIG is
highly dependent on the local turbulence level in the
gas, thus the holes in the new grid are spaced over
the entire 33 ft length of the grid and all of the holes
point directly downstream, unlike in the original
design. The turbulence level downstream of the
fine-pitch CO catalyst is very low so it impeded local
gas mixing.
In addition, there was also a large wall at the base
of the CO catalyst bed which created a large
recirculation zone along the floor. The CFD model was
used to design plates that were added around the
perimeter of the CO catalyst to direct the flow
directly into the AIG and avoid gas from concentrating
along the sides, top, and bottom of the flue into those
recirculation zones.
With the addition of AIG mixing baffles and CO
catalyst ducting baffles, gas flow from the CO catalyst
now flows uniformly into the AIG injection area. When
compared to the baseline AIG pressure drop, the new
design added only 0.2 in. w.c. However, the final CFD
design reduced the ammonia velocity distribution to
5.8% RMS, well below the design goal of no more than
10% RMS (Figure 6).
already reduced the costs to clean the ABS formed on
the Module 5 tubes.
Conclusion
The cost of updating HRSGs for the purpose of
reducing ABS fouling is an investment in the efficient
and environmentally acceptable operation of a
cogeneration or combined cycle plant for years to
come. Unplanned outages play havoc with the plant’s
availability. The purchase of expensive replacement
power from the grid operator, as well as absorbing the
cost of firing up steam boilers to keep the refinery
running at peak capacity, cannot be ignored. As this
plant owner found, pursuing a permanent solution will
pay dividends for many years to come.

Accelerated construction
Concord Environmental was awarded the design,
supply and installation contract for removing the old
AIG and installing the new upgrades after the CFD
modelling report was completed and the results
presented to the utility in early October 2017.
However, the utility had earlier scheduled a plant
outage for 1 – 14 November 2017, so there was less
than a month available to design and fabricate the new
AIG and baffles, select and mobilise the contractor at
the job site, and complete installation.
The company selected a non-union contractor
based on its experience and ability to meet the
project’s compressed schedule. The new AIG tubes and
baffles were quickly fabricated and shipped on
27 October, in order to arrive by 30 October. By that
time, the contractor had mobilised onsite and had
completed the demolition and removal of the old AIG.
Construction crews worked two 12 hr shifts in order to
complete the AIG upgrades on both HRSGs on
schedule. Installation of the new AIG and baffles was
completed on 13 November, one day ahead of
schedule.
Figure 6. Baseline and final design comparison of
Operating data after start-up ammonia distribution across the vertical face of the
SCR catalyst are illustrated. The area shown in red
After the outage was completed, initial start-up data
illustrates regions with ammonia bypass and the
showed significant reduction in ammonia flow, which darker colours show regions with poor ammonia
translates into reduced localised ammonia mixing. The top figure is the vertical cross-section of
concentrations (Table 1). the flue shown in the plan view of Figure 4.
To date, ammonia usage has decreased
15 – 25%, depending on load. The pressure
drop in Module 5 has held steady for the Table 1. Reduction of ammonia flow due to AIG replacement and
past six months based on station baffle additions
instrument readings. The result has been a Parameter Unit 1 Unit 2
reduction in plant operating cost through Ammonia flow before retrofit (lb/hr) 161.2 164.9
the reduction of ammonia usage, avoiding
Ammonia flow after retrofit (lb/hr) 140.1 147.6
the operating efficiency loss experienced
with ABS fouling of Module 5, and has Reduction (lb/hr) 21.1 17.3

HYDROCARBON 65 July 2019

ENGINEERING
July 2019 66 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
Mark W. Abbott, ValvTechnologies,
USA, focuses on methods of keeping
gasification reactor filters clear,
allowing syngas to be efficiently
separated from char.
T
he process of refining crude oil has transformed
the lives of countless people and cultures over
the last 100 years. As various length
hydrocarbon chains are extracted in a
distillation tower and bound for a myriad of uses, the
remainder of the crude oil ultimately settles into a state
called coke. Striving to recover every last ounce of
energy from the hydrocarbons, the coke is processed in
coking and delayed coking units which provide both
solids and gases for downstream industrial applications.
The residual solids from the coking process are still
highly energy-rich, but difficult to refine into usable
product. To squeeze more energy and product from the
coking residuals, the gasification process was born.
Gasification reacts the coke residuals in a controlled
environment to break down the polymers. After
gasification is performed, the outflow from the gasifier
contains both char and syngas. While the char has little
monetary value, the syngas can be sold commercially for
use within the plant or other applications, including
power generation and chemical production.
Several different methods exist to separate char (the
soot-like byproduct from the combustion in the
gasification reactor) from syngas, but a common method
is to use a filter to collect the char as the syngas flows
through. The char is returned to the char reactor and the
syngas can then flow downstream to its destined use.
Typical filters are mesh-type to capture any particle
beyond a certain size. These filters, however, suffer from
the issue of the char building up a cake (a build-up of char
on the filter opposing flow) on the upstream side of the
filter, reducing the flow. To remove the cake, one method
HYDROCARBON 67 July 2019
ENGINEERING
 is to use a pulse of syngas against the flow of the unit,
into the filter, to cause the char cake on the underside of
the filter to break up and then fall back into the reactor,
as shown in Figure 1. This method allows the built-up char
to be removed autonomously during unit operation and
does not create any additional outflow to be handled.
Solution
ValvTechnologies designed and manufactured a pulsejet
valve to control the flow of syngas needed to disrupt
the formation of the char cake. The valve satisfies the
service conditions for operation of eight months or
more, depending on its actual cycle time.
Development
The valve was designed to meet harsh end user service
requirements. A subset of the total requirements is
shown in Table 1.
The requirement on cycle time for a 3 in. line is
based on the need to provide a pulse of gas that is both
fast enough to bridge the gap to the filter and
voluminous enough to impact the filters with enough
force to break the cake off the outside of the filter. The
parameters of each pulse of syngas have been calibrated
by an independent organisation such that the pieces of
cake are both large enough to fall back into the reactor,
but also small enough to break away easily. The ball
valve is the preferred geometry for this application
because of the round, straight through port, delivering
the best flow profile with the lowest back pressure. In
application, the gas flows upward through the filters,
allowing gravity to carry the broken cake away from the
filter naturally, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. A pulse of syngas breaking up char cake on
the filter.
Figure 2. ValvTechnologies’ pulsejet valve design.
Table 1. Pulsejet valve requirements
Nominal valve size
Pressure class
Cycle time
Dwell time between cycles
Mean time between repair
Approximate number of cycles
Product
The valve used to create the burst of syngas is based on
a trunnion valve design with stems both above and
below the ball. Combined with the trunnion blocks, the
position of the ball is secured within the body, and the
rotation of the stems is held tightly to the centreline
with bushings in place to minimise metal-to-metal
contact and galling as shown in Figure 2.
Due to the required cycle time, the motion of a
traditional quarter-turn ball valve is unable to properly
control the flow of gas, because the valve stops in the
fully open position as it must change direction to go
from opening to closing. To overcome this, the valve
uses a special actuator which allows the ball to rotate
180°, not stopping in the fully-open position. In rotating
the ball through 180°, the actuator places the
downstream side of the ball against the upstream seat
and the upstream side of the ball against the
downstream seat, requiring a ball lapped completely
around to both upstream and downstream seats.
Rotating a 3 in. ball 180° in 0.75 sec. will exceed the
pressure velocity (PV) limit for many materials, which
results in galling. The PV limit is commonly used in
bearings and defines the highest combination of load
(pressure) and speed (velocity) under which the material
will successfully operate. ValvTechnologies selected a
material which combines the toughness to
serve as a seat but also a strong enough set of
material properties to remain below the PV
3 in. limit and avoid galling at the speeds and under
1500 the loads that the valve experiences when it
~0.75 sec. cycles.
90 sec. In order to develop and confirm the
performance of the valve, a multi-year long
8 months
development program was undertaken. Initially,
250 000 the product was being developed for several

July 2019 68 HYDROCARBON

ENGINEERING
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 industrial customers. Once the initial revision had been
installed and was shown to perform at a level below
expectations, ValvTechnologies partnered with a
company engaged in the energy and petrochemical
industries to develop the product revision. Laboratory
testing was performed and ideas from both organisations
were combined to create the product solution.
One of the requirements that the pulsejet must
meet is compliance to ISO 15848. Fugitive emissions
requirements are quickly becoming one of the most
crucial topics in the valve industry. With increasing
regulation, safety and environmental concerns, and the
need for operational efficiency, it is easy to
understand why these requirements exist. Even for a
standard valve, achieving a fugitive emissions’
certificate per ISO 15848 is not a simple task. In the
case of the pulsejet valve, which cycles much faster
and more frequently than a standard valve, the task is
even more daunting.
During testing, as shown in Figure 3, it was identified
that the seals initially selected would not meet the
ISO 15848 requirements. As new seals were needed, the
proprietary EcoPack® stem sealing solution was
developed. The seal met ISO 15848-1 type testing
requirements and was additionally tested in the
strenuous conditions of actual operation.
A major milestone in the development of the
revision of the product was the addition of the lower
stem. This moved the valve from a pseudo trunnion into
Figure 3. Pulsejet valve testing in high-pressure
bunker.
July 2019 70 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
a true trunnion design, providing additional support for
the ball during rigorous cycling. The product also
benefited from the addition of dowel pins added
between the trunnion blocks and the body and end cap
to reduce the relative motion between these parts to
nearly zero. The pinned components now hold the ball
in a fixed cage, with the trunnion blocks above and
below and the body and end cap on their respective
sides. The stems can pass through the trunnion blocks
to rotate the ball as shown in Figure 2. The seat was
improved to have a larger contact area with the ball and
a longer body, which helped to stabilise the seat in the
seat pocket. Bushings were added on both the upper
and lower stems and a lower bonnet was added as well,
allowing the lower stem to be installed from the
underside of the valve.
Application
In application, the pulsejet valve cycles approximately
every 90 sec. Over an eight-month target life, this is
roughly 250 000 cycles. The laboratory was configured
to test two pulsejet valves simultaneously, at 450°F and
under a closed valve differential pressure of 1160 psi. In
total, 10 valve seat materials were tested, with millions
of cycles across several rebuilds of each valve.
Laboratory tests were performed at a faster cycle rate
than in application, to help expedite the results to find
the solution. Typical laboratory cycle time varied over
time, but averaged around 6 – 9 sec. per cycle. The
leakage across each seat was tested daily and tracked
with leakage beyond 100 l/min. at 1160 psi deemed
unacceptable for a sustained period of time. Early tests
only completed 25 000 or 30 000 cycles, where later
materials were achieving closer to 100 000 cycles. The
final winner was able to achieve over 210 000 cycles.
The success of the material was immediately identified,
and the design was put into production to get it to the
customer as quickly as possible.
The first-generation equipment installed on site
was pulled from the facility, as the facility was still in
the process of being commissioned, modified and
rebuilt at locations nearby. The updated valves were
inspected, approved and then placed back in line at
the refinery. To date, the valves have clocked over
50 000 cycles without notable issue and continue
their path to an equivalent eight-month performance.
The customer represents the largest petrochemical
refinery in the world, capable of processing nearly
1.4 million bpd of oil. This processing takes an
immense amount of energy. The customer saw the
opportunity to increase profit margins by using their
own petcoke feedstock waste to produce syngas,
which is recycled back into power generation for use
around the plant. The syngas production will
eventually remove the need for the customer to
import LNG and allows them to use the nearly
6.5 million t of petcoke residual from their own coker
units. This process is made possible in part by the
efficient and reliable cycling of ValvTechnologies’
pulsejet valve.
 Hydrocarbon Engineering presents an overview of some
of the recent developments and technologies in pumps,
valves and seals for the downstream oil and gas industry.

AUMA RIESTER GMBH & CO. KG
AUMA is a world leader in the supply of electric valve
actuators to the global oil, gas and petrochemical
industries. AUMA valve automation solutions perform
reliably in a large number of challenging oil and gas storage,
transport and processing applications worldwide.
Building on experience spanning more than 50 years,
AUMA today manufactures 180 000 actuators a year,
tailoring each device to meet the specific needs of each
installation. With 2600 employees and a worldwide sales
and service network, AUMA is a true global player. The
company’s engineers provide comprehensive support and
on-site consultancy services around the world.
Automation of all valve types
Thanks to a comprehensive product range including
high-performance multi-turn, part-turn, linear and lever
actuators and gearboxes, AUMA offers automation solutions
for any type of valve, from small choke valves for wellhead
automation to huge coker valves weighing up to 60 t.
Automation support ranges from simple opening and closing
to complex control duties with finely tuned setpoint control.
For safety-critical applications, AUMA solutions include fail
safe functionality, fireproof coating, advanced
communication and diagnostics, and SIL 3 certification.
Certified technology
Complying with the highest international standards, AUMA
actuators are designed for utmost reliability and long
working lives, even under harsh process conditions –
limiting maintenance to an absolute minimum.
Offering IP68 protection and advanced C5-M/C5-I
corrosion protection as standard, the actuators withstand
the most hostile environments, including offshore.
AUMA’s explosion-proof actuators are renowned for
hazardous applications; these provide extensive vendor list
approvals and international explosion protection
certification.
Innovative solutions
At the interface between the valve and the control system,
AUMA actuators help improve plant performance and
availability. Intelligent actuator controls provide extensive
diagnostic and asset management functions.

HYDROCARBON 71 July 2019

ENGINEERING
 Seamless integration into control systems is facilitated by
an extensive range of communication interfaces, from
parallel to fieldbus, supporting, for example, Profibus DP,
Modbus RTU, HART, and WirelessHART.
AUMA offers innovative approaches for a range of
specialised oil and gas applications including multiport
BAKER HUGHES, A GE COMPANY
(BHGE)
Heavy duty refinery and petrochemical applications require
heavy duty solutions, the scenarios where original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs) are technically challenged in terms of
materials, pressure, flow rate, installation and integration to
achieve excellent operations.
For 50 years, BHGE has designed and manufactured a wide
range of API610/ISO13709 compliant centrifugal pumps for
hydrocarbon processes. More than 20 000 pumps have been
installed worldwide and the fertilizer references are included
among the most valuable. The technology injected into this
product allows the company to cover all the main services in
DDHF Pump Skid.
BAL SEAL ENGINEERING INC.
Bal Seal Engineering Inc. is a global provider of
custom-engineered sealing, connecting, conducting, and
EMI/RFI shielding solutions. For over 60 years, the company has
been helping some of the biggest names in energy achieve
breakthroughs through improved product performance and
reliability. Whether in early development or product
improvement stages, Bal Seal Engineering combines its core
products with application engineering, precision manufacturing,
and material science expertise to produce solutions that deliver.
Within pumps and valves, the Bal Seal® spring-energised
seal ensures longer life, more even wear, and more predictable
performance. It replaces costly mechanical seals, and simplifies
maintenance. The seal is precision-machined from PTFE and
other premium polymers, and its features can be customised
for optimal rotary, reciprocating, or static service. Additional
components, such as locking rings and backup elements, can be
integrated for improved performance and protection against
leakage.
Depending on its jacket material, geometry, service type,
and other factors, the Bal Seal can be designed to seal in
July 2019 72 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
valves, lift plug valves, choke valves and delayed cokers.
Recent innovations include SAVEx variable-speed
actuators which adjust their motor speed during the valve
travel, resulting in high positioning accuracy while
minimising mechanical stresses on valves, actuators and
pipelines.
the plant, spanning from the ammonia to the urea including the
auxiliary services such as cooling water, boiler feed and reverse
pumps (HPRT) designed to recover energy from existing streams.
The BHGE BB5 DDHF is a multistage centrifugal pump with
double casing and barrel-type, back-to-back arrangement. The
design is based on the double casing BB5 pump design and
complies with API 610. This pump is specifically designed to
handle fluids with low specific gravity, delivering excellent
performance in extreme environments where pressures may
reach 500 bar and temperatures of 450˚C. The internal volute
casing and a back-to-back impeller configuration allow a
simplified maintenance and a high pump reliability. Thanks to its
specific features, the BHGE BB5 DDHF pump is typically selected
for ammonia charge, carbamate, CO2 recovery services and for
boiler feed high pressure applications.
Working close to downstream operators, BHGE can tailor
the complete system based on OPEX investment and
operability requirements. During installation and commissioning,
the company also provides full on-site support to ensure
flawless execution and timely completion, while the pump can
be connected to its OEM advanced monitoring and diagnostic
system, which is able to improve efficiency and avoid unplanned
downtime.
Leveraging on R&D studies, site feedbacks, data analysis
expertise and centrifugal compressors experience, BHGE’s
engineers are committed to enhance equipment performances,
provide a wide selection of metallic and non-metallic corrosion
resistance materials, and offer a tailored machinery selection for
a full response to customer needs.
pressures up to 100 000 psi, and it can perform at surface
speeds of up to 3000 ft/min. It can withstand temperatures
ranging from -320˚F to 600˚F, making it ideal for applications
as varied as downhole tools and CNG/LNG loading
equipment. Seal jacket materials are available to meet unique
media, temperature, pressure, speed, and frictional
requirements.
For nearly a decade, the Bal Seal spring-energised LKS® seal
has been improving the uptime and efficiency of progressive
cavity pumps. Manufacturers of these pumps, which rely on the
LKS seal to protect critical bearings and motors from damage
and contamination, have realised up to 150% more service life,
and have reported major improvements in maintenance
predictability, as well as reduced warranty claims. The seal,
which consists of a filled PTFE seal jacket, a canted coil spring
energiser, a metal locking ring, and a built-in anti-extrusion
element, creates a tough, reliable barrier between the inner
workings of the pumps and the harsh mud, sand, oil, H2S, and
water that they encounter in daily use.
More recently, designers have discovered the benefits of
using the custom-engineered Bal Seal spring-energised seal to
improve the performance and service life of cryogenic valves. effectiveness makes it ideal for use in the extremely demanding
The seal’s ability to withstand thermal cycling without conditions of CNG/LNG processing, liquefaction, loading, and
demonstrating significant shrinkage and loss of sealing transport.

CONVAL This would prevent the facility from having to cut out plugged
Conval is a leading manufacturer of high-performance severe valves in the future. After this successful trial, the plant installed
service valves for petrochemical industries around the world. 20 Clampseal throttling valves on various boiler blowdown lines
The company moved into its new 72 000 ft2 advanced on three steam generators. These throttling valves only need to
manufacturing centre in Enfield, Connecticut, US, during the be inspected and serviced every two years as part of the plant’s
summer of 2018. Conval invents new products and accessories routine preventive maintenance programme. This saves the plant
to meet demanding and perplexing customer needs. Products a considerable amount of lost production time, service time and
include Clampseal globe, throttling, gate, bellows, cryogenic, money; amounting to an estimated US$700 000 – 800 000/yr.
fire-safe, blow down, three-way and
urea service valves; Camseal
metal-seated, zero-leakage ball valves;
Whisperjets, strainers and automated
valve packages.
In one application, a steam
assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) oil
recovery plant in Canada was
experiencing frequent plugging of its
choke valves installed on the steam
separator blowdown line due to the
presence of precipitates in the line.
Over time, the valve’s internals
became increasingly worn, lowering
the quality of steam reaching the
injection well pad, which negatively
affected production. In some cases,
Prepare for Hazardous Releases
the existing valves needed to be
replaced every two to eight weeks. Trinity Consultants has extensive experience conducting modeling assessments that
Each time a valve needed to be can help you evaluate and mitigate toxic air emissions, fire, and explosion impacts
replaced, it first had to be cut out of from accidental hazardous releases.
the line. This time-consuming and
costly work could only be performed
during a plant shutdown. > In-depth understanding of source term calculation methods and numerous
An operation shift supervisor impact analysis models
recommended Conval to the plant > Extensive knowledge and expertise with U.S. and international
reliability engineer as a possible regulatory requirements
solution. Conval and its Canadian
representative, Armour Valve, > Decades of unmatched experience assisting clients with hundreds of oil and
analysed the conditions and proposed gas-related projects
a Clampseal throttling valve for the
application. This valve was
> Powerful modeling software tools such as BREEZE Incident Analyst used
for emergency response planning, facility design, and safety improvement
recommended due to its modular
design, which allows for valve
components to be easily removed Talk to an expert today to see how we can help – +1 (972) 661-8100.
and for the valve to be serviced as
needed without cutting it out of line.
In-line serviceability would provide
the plant with significant cost savings
by reducing downtime, labour and
maintenance expense.
At first, Clampseal throttling
valves were installed on a trial basis.
The facility’s engineering personnel
noted that the valves did not plug as
often as the valves they replaced; if
they did plug, they could be rodded.

trinityconsultants.com | +1 (972) 661- 8100

North America | Europe | Middle
HYDROCARBON East
73 July | Asia
2019
ENGINEERING
 CP PUMPEN AG
The Swiss pump manufacturer, CP Pumpen AG produces
zero-leakage magnetic drive pumps for handling difficult media.
Since 1948, the company has specialised in developing and
manufacturing premium quality pumps and providing services
for international customers with the most rigorous
requirements. Through a network of representatives in more
than 40 countries, CP Pumpen offers first-class advice and
ensures efficient customer service around the world.
The company’s sealless magnetic drive pumps (MKP) can
meet the stringent requirements of chemical processing and a
multitude of other industries. With their special design using an
inverted drive configuration, the pumps do not require a plain
bearing carrier. The pumped fluid provides optimum lubrication
and cooling of the single, centrally located impeller bearing
assembly, also allowing solids-laden and low-boiling liquids to
be pumped. Depending on the pumped medium, they can
handle fluids containing solids in concentrations up to 30% with
a particle size up to 1 mm. The pump impeller rotates stably
about a stationary axis on the gyroscopic principle, maintaining
ELLIOTT GROUP’S CRYODYNAMIC
PRODUCTS
Elliott Group’s Cryodynamic Products business is a leader for
submerged motor cryogenic pumps and expanders in liquefied
gas and aggressive fluid applications. Under the Cryodynamics®
brand, Cryodynamic Products provides onshore and offshore
solutions for liquefaction, storage and regasification for liquefied
gas carriers, FSRU, FLNG, FSU, LNG bunkering, and LNG fuelling
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July 2019 74 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
a perfect hydraulic balance. This minimises bearing loads,
increasing the reliability of pump operation. If needed, CP’s MKP
pumps come with a heating-jacket. The single heating chamber
system ensures excellent heat distribution and constant liquid
temperature.
CP’s PFA-lined sealless magnetic drive pump (MKPL) contains
a one-piece, vacuum-resistant, non-metallic containment shell.
The pump casing has a thick, heavy-duty, corrosion and
permeation resistant PFA lining positively, mechanically locked
into the metal armour, ensuring vacuum resistance. This armour
absorbs all mechanical stresses that can result from system
pressure. Made of pure sintered silicon carbide (SSiC) in a robust
design engineered for ceramics, the bearing assembly provides
maximum reliability of pump operation. Plain and thrust
bearings are secured with polygonal form-fit, self-centring
anti-rotation devices. Even at high temperatures, the PFA-lined
metal plain bearing carrier maintains a constant clearance
between the impeller and casing. Featuring a metal core for
increased mechanical strength, their PFA impellers are firmly
secured to prevent loosening in case of reverse pump rotation.
applications, as well as storage and transport solutions for
liquefied gases, petrochemicals and hazardous fluids such as
ammonia, liquid nitrogen, and liquid hydrogen.
With thousands of pump installations worldwide,
Cryodynamic Products delivers continuous advances in
equipment design and technology to customers around the
world. Design features ensure safe operation in oxygen-free
cryogenic fluids, removing the potential for ignition or leaks.
Rotating components are contained within casings and
submerged within a secondary tank or vessel, providing further
protection from potential hazards. A patented thrust equalising
mechanism (TEM®) eliminates axial loads on the antifriction
bearings. High-solidity helical inducers maximise pumpdown
suction performance, virtually eliminating dead stock.
Cryodynamics expanders incorporate the same advanced
design and safety features, and offer added benefits to the
liquefaction process including power recovery, reduced boil-off
gas, increased production, and greater efficiency. These
combined benefits contribute to higher profitability and a rapid
return on investment. Cryodynamic Products developed the
first submerged cryogenic expander in 1997 (OLNG), the first
two-phase expander in 2001 (Krio, Poland), the first two-phase
tandem installation in 2008 (Krio, Poland), the largest kW
installation to date (Skikda LNG), and the first floating
application (Shell Prelude) in 2011.
In addition to its full line of cryogenic pumps and
expanders, Cryodynamic Products offers complete global
service packages including installation, maintenance, repairs,
emergency response, parts management, service engineering,
training, and customised research.

GEA GROUP technology point of view, since they are equally suitable for all
GEA is an international technology group focusing on process process conditions while being robust and reliable. Additionally,
solutions and components for sophisticated production the benefit of optimised and efficient vacuum systems becomes
processes in various end-user markets. It supplies world-class particularly clear when comparing the effects of investment
precision engineering the industry needs to develop new and operating costs.
products, control costs and protect the environment. GEA’s
portfolio includes a wide range of unit operations for
mechanical and thermal separation, drying, as well as vacuum
generation, compression, refrigeration and exhaust gas cleaning.
GEA is a single-source supplier – from R&D-scale and
standalone equipment to fully integrated production lines,
continuous manufacturing systems and service.
For the oil and gas industry, GEA offers high-performance
equipment and customised solutions for a wide range of
specialised upstream, midstream and downstream applications:
process cooling; tank/storage cooling and mixing; chiller
systems; compressor packages; natural gas processing via screw,
reciprocating, centrifugal and jet compressors; centrifugal
separators; emission control systems; ejectors and ejector
vacuum pumps (see image).
From new product and feasibility trials to scale-up studies,
training programmes and process support, GEA provides access
to a full range of test facilities and expert teams.

Ejector vacuum pumps

GEA’s ejector vacuum pumps are a primary type of vacuum
pump used by the petrochemicals and chemicals industries.
They demonstrate high application versatility, energy efficiency
and safe operation, and can achieve suction pressures down to
0.01 mbar and suction flows of 10 m3/hr to 2 million m3/hr.
The basic process of petrol processing is distillation,
operated as atmospheric distillation and often in the second
step as vacuum distillation. There are many different
high-performance machines for vacuum production, including
steam jet pumps as well as mechanically operated compressors. GEA ejector vacuum system.
Vacuum systems with steam jet pumps are preferred from a

LEWA GMBH application requirements. The configuration of the individual

The Ecoflow series pumps from LEWA GmbH deliver an
innovative, universal solution for almost every type of
industrial metering task. They are ideal for precisely and
safely metering a wide range of fluids – even hazardous,
toxic, abrasive, viscous, and critical media. Thanks to a
modular system, pumps in the Ecoflow family can be
equipped in various drive sizes and with different pump
heads. They can be optimally adapted to the relevant
pumps is precisely oriented toward the special features of
the application. The Ecoflow is available in eight different
sizes with a hydraulic output range of 0.1 kW up to 20 kW.
Depending on the pump head and size, flow rates of up to
19 m3/hr with a maximum discharge pressure of 1200 bar are
possible. The pumps can be designed with a single-drive unit
or multiplex drive unit and individual sizes can be easily
combined. For special applications, customised adaptations

HYDROCARBON 75 July 2019

ENGINEERING
 are also possible. For example, wetted materials and process
valves can be adapted specifically to the pumped fluid as
required. And for extreme temperatures, it is possible to
implement a heating or cooling jacket.
Larger drive unit types with outputs between 6 kW and
20 kW are mainly used for chemicals and petrochemicals
and in refineries, since the hermetically tight pumps are
NIKKISO ACD
Nikkiso ACD has been a global leader in the design and
manufacturing of cryogenic pumps and turbomachinery for
over 50 years.
The company specialises in centrifugal and reciprocating
pumps for the clean energy, industrial gas and oil well service
industries, as well as turbines for air separation.
Nikkiso ACD specialises in machinery designed to operate
at cryogenic temperatures as low as -420°F, the boiling point
of liquid hydrogen. Its diverse product lines include a variety
of cryogenic centrifugal and reciprocating pumps for L/CNG
applications, high pressure cylinder/storage filling systems,
trailer off loading, bulk transfer, bunkering applications and
storage tank filling.
REMBE
Rembe is mostly associated with Rembe GmbH Safety and
Control – the specialists for pressure relief and explosion
safety worldwide. The company offers customers
cross-industry safety concepts for systems and equipment.
All products are manufactured in Germany and meet the
demands of national and international regulations.
Pressure relief for columns, steam crackers
and flare stacks
Pressure relief is a key issue for any pressure or vacuum
process within the oil and gas industry. Inadequate pressure
relief, no matter whether it is a protection against
overpressure or vacuum, will lead to extensive damages on
the system itself and the surrounding area. The results are
long downtimes, significant monetary losses and in the worst
case, employees can be injured or killed. Rupture discs,
Different types of rupture discs.
July 2019 76 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
suitable for the medium- and high-pressure processes those
industries use. Alongside the process industry, the oil and gas
sector is an application area where pumps can be installed to
convey condensates or in injection systems for chemicals,
for example. Thanks to their rugged design and resulting long
service life, Ecoflow pumps are ideally suited for these harsh
and challenging application conditions.
With offices and service centres on four continents and in
12 countries, ACD provides a global presence while able to
respond locally. Through this international network, the
company offers advice on product selection, technical
support and trouble shooting, pump installation, overhaul and
field repair. Its in-house pump training programmes provide
customers training in product operation and current
technologies to ensure pumps are operating at high efficiency.
ACD is ISO 9001-2008 certified; ensuring that every
component produced meets the highest standards of quality
in the industry. The company provides highly engineered
solutions to challenging problems in cryogenic equipment
design and operation, and develops innovative solutions to
meet tomorrow’s needs.
whether as a stand-alone solution or in combination with
safety valves, are an essential part of pressure relief systems
in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries.
Columns
Fractional distillation is used to separate the various
components of crude oil. The crude oil is heated using high
pressure steam so that the various components transfer to
vapour phase. The vapour enters the fractional distillation
column filled with trays or plates. As the vapour passes
through the column it rises, cooling at each level. Each
substance condenses when it reaches its boiling point and
the trays collect the various liquid fractions.
Rupture discs are commonly used as overpressure
protection on fractional distillation columns.
Steam crackers
High temperature steam (above 800°C), controlled by heat
exchangers, is also used to heat ethane, butane and naphtha
and break it into ethylene, benzene and propylene used in
the chemical industry. The steam cracker and the
surrounding equipment are protected against over pressure
by the use of rupture discs.
Flare stacks
As an accurate and reliable solution, rupture discs can be
used as primary relief, secondary relief, or in combination
with a traditional safety valve for optimal protection. If the
pressure in the gas recovery system of a flare stack rises, the
rupture disc as primary relief will burst, re-establishing the
path to the flare which is ignited to burn the waste gas.
In some applications, the rupture disc can be installed in
parallel to the safety relief valve to provide a direct path to
the flare in case the mechanical valve should fail to open.
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 ROTORK
Rotork is a leading provider of products and solutions for
industrial valve actuation and flow control markets.
With 60 years of experience, customers around the world
trust Rotork’s innovative, high quality and reliable solutions in
industries including oil and gas, power, water and industrial
markets.
Since the launch of its A Range actuator back in 1964, Rotork
has continuously offered products suitable for any industrial
application. The company’s flagship IQ3 intelligent electric valve
actuator has built on the original product’s mechanical durability
and added technological improvements to offer enhanced
control functionality and intelligence. The double-sealed,
multi-turn IQ3 and part-turn IQT3 actuators now feature an
advanced datalogger which stores detailed information on status
conditions including torque profiles, temperature and vibration
logs, and service alarms. This data can be viewed locally or
downloaded to a PC using a Rotork Bluetooth® Setting Tool to
assist with asset management and predictive maintenance.
The IQ3 is widely used in the oil and gas industry. Zhejiang
Petroleum & Chemical Co. Ltd, which refines oil and
manufactures chemical products, ordered more than 2500 IQ3
SULZER
Sulzer’s core strengths are flow control and applicators,
specialising in pumping solutions and services for rotating
equipment, as well as separation, mixing and application
technology.
Sulzer offers the latest designs as well as developments in
asset management and pump optimisation software. One of
the latest additions to the product lineup is the heavy-duty
axial flow Ensival Moret CAHR pump range, which is ideal for
applications involving highly corrosive liquids and slurries. The
OCV range, the latest evolution of the proven API 610 type
VS4 pumps, offers reliable performance in demanding
applications.
Moving from individual pumps to larger pumping
installations, it is important to monitor overall performance as
well as data from specific assets. Sulzer’s BLUE BOXTM is a
flexible and secure software solution that uses existing
operational data combined with Sulzer’s expertise in pump
design to analyse pump operation and optimise it in terms of
performance, efficiency and reliability. Energy efficiency is one
UNION TECH
Since the mid-1980s, Union Tech has been a leading
manufacturer of severe-service metal-seated ball valves
(MSBV), rising-stem ball valves (RSBV), and valve components.
The company’s valves are installed worldwide in critical
applications across the entire petroleum supply chain.
Union Tech’s methodologies and capabilities enable the
rapid development of bespoke sealing and isolation solutions
that are fit for purpose. Examples of the company’s
customised solutions include the following:
„ For a methanol-to-olefins (MTO) project, Union Tech
engineered and manufactured a package of Z4 rising-stem
ball valves and pneumatic actuators from 1.5 in. up
to 10 in. for the molecular sieve application.
July 2019 78 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
actuators to control ball, gate and butterfly valves at a new
refinery on the Chinese island of Zhoushan. The company, which
also provides oil storage and transportation services, said the
reliability and stability of the IQ3 were key in its decision to
purchase the actuators.
As well as electric actuators, Rotork’s extensive product
range also includes fluid power actuators. These include the GP,
CP and RC200/RCI200 ranges of scotch yoke pneumatic
actuators, GH scotch yoke and RH rack and pinion hydraulic
actuators, the GO range of gas-over-oil actuators and SI range of
electro-hydraulic actuators. Many of these are built for critical
high-speed failsafe or emergency shutdown duties on
applications in harsh locations.
Gearboxes, instruments and control networks, including
Rotork’s own PakscanTM network bus system and the new Rotork
Master Station, are also manufactured by the company.
Alongside this extensive product range, Rotork prides itself
on reliable and efficient customer site service. Through Rotork
Site Services, customers can access field support for on-site
repairs, upgrades and commissioning, and planned shutdown
support delivered by a team of fully trained and experienced
service engineers.
of the most important factors in today’s operations. The single
greatest operating cost for the oil and gas industry is energy,
closely followed by repair and maintenance costs. Introducing
modern data analysis technology leveraging the Internet of
Things (IoT) is seen as an effective step to minimising these
costs and improving performance.
Sulzer’s BLUE BOX offers the ability to make well-informed
decisions at exactly the right time. By monitoring and
analysing pump assets more closely and in next-to-real-time, it
is possible to identify early warning signals and deploy
preventive maintenance resources to resolve the situation and
greatly reduce any downtime.
Sulzer is a worldwide provider of high-quality,
technology-based maintenance solutions for rotating
equipment including turbines, compressors, pumps, motors,
and generators dedicated to increasing customers’ life-cycle
cost effectiveness. The company is a service specialist that is
renowned for its technology-based solutions, fast execution,
and its expertise in complex maintenance projects. Sulzer has
a network of over 100 service sites around the world.
„ For a HF acid plant, Union Tech customised and
manufactured Z2 metal-seated, severe-service floating ball
valves capable of isolating HF acid media under extreme
service conditions utilising exotic nickel-chromium alloys.
„ For a butane isomerisation plant, the company designed
and produced a package of actuated, metal-seated Z4
rising-stem ball valves for the molecular sieve units.
„ For a refinery, Union Tech customised and produced
metal-seated Z4 rising stem ball valves with high
performance hard-facing coatings, capable of abrasion
and corrosion resistance associated with coker fines.
„ For multiple enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operators in
heavy oil fields, Union Tech developed and fabricated a
Z2 metal-seated, severe-service floating ball valve, capable
 of enhanced bi-directional shut-off. Hundreds of these
customised Z2’s have been installed with absolutely zero
leaks since July 2016.
Union Tech’s current offering, the Z-Series product line,
consists of both MSVB and RSBV.
The MSBV products include the Z1 Unibody Power Valve
(engineered for high pressure steam severe-service
environments), the Z2 Two-Piece Isolation Valve (engineered
for severe-service environments for use in customised and
critical applications, including chemical/petrochemical,
refining, power, and mining processes) and the Z3 Power Valve
System (a modified Z1 valve and a pair of end connections
enabling inline replaceability). The RSBV products include the
Z4 Rising Stem Ball Valve (engineered for high performance
applications requiring frequent cycling with positive shutoff).

VALVTECHNOLOGIES before further processing can continue such as removal of

With a complete range of high-performance valves,
ValvTechnologies is a leading manufacturer of zero-leakage,
custom-engineered isolation valve solutions. Founded in
1987, ValvTechnologies has established an excellent
reputation for quality and has maintained a culture of
innovation by continuously expanding its production and
technology capabilities in the severe service market.
For many years, a major refinery in Kazakhstan had
standardised on a rising stem ball valve for their molecular
sieve applications. Their molecular sieve dehydration units
were being utilised in the field to remove H2O from the
produced gas. The field has very high concentrations of wet
H2S (17 – 20%) which is considered acid gas as it is very
corrosive (sulfuric acid) as well as lethal in concentrations as
low as 500 ppm. The H2S must be removed from the gas
the sulfur, CO2 and mercury. Valves leading into and out of
molecular sieve drums cycle frequently and experience
extremely severe conditions, such as:
„ High-temperature thermal cycles: 140˚F – 518˚F, four
times per day.
„ High-cycling up to four times per day (severe thermal
expansion).
„ High H2S sour gas due to the wet 20%.
„ Zeolites residuals: abrasive service.
The customer’s molecular sieve valves were lasting
between one and 90 days’ service before each would leak
to the atmosphere, causing an environmental hazard,
endangering the safety of personnel and ultimately
shutting down the production unit. The customer’s lost

HIGH-PERFORMANCE
LOW-EMISSION Reduce fugitive emissions with
ValvTechnologies’ NexTech®

VALVE SOLUTIONS pulsejet valve with EcoPack™

fugitive emissions packing.

This fast-acting, high-cycle valve

provides for longer intervals
of plant operation between
maintenance schedules, safer
operation due to less exposure
of plant personnel to valves
requiring packing adjustment,
longer valve seal life & reduced
emissions to comply with EPA
fugitive emissions requirements.

ValvTechnologies is the leader in

the fast-acting, high-cycle, fugitive
emissions valves. This technology
is unmatched in the industry.

ValvTechnologies, Inc.
Houston, Texas
HYDROCARBON +1 713 860 0400
79 July 2019
ENGINEERED PRODUCTS FOR SEVERE SERVICE APPLICATIONS™ ENGINEERING
www.valv.com | info@valv.com
 production was estimated to cost them between
US$15 – 25 million/d.
After significant product evaluation, the plant selected
ValvTechnologies to replace the failing valves with
ZWICK
Zwick is a leading manufacturer of metal-seated triple offset
butterfly valves known as series TRI-CON, check valves called
TRI-CHECK, and the TRI-BLOCK series, Zwick’s Double Block
and Bleed Design.
The company has 40 years of experience in design and
production of state-of-the-art valves. The triple offset
butterfly valves are specially designed for critical services
where they are used as shut off and control valves. The
in-house design enables the company to offer customised
solutions for individual applications in industries including oil
and gas, chemical, petrochemical, energy, offshore and steel.
TRI-SHARK control valves provide the latest in control
valve innovation, technology and valve acoustics. The control
valves exhibit significant improvements in performance,
simplicity, and economy. TRI-SHARK control valves have
excellent throttling characteristics and provide aerodynamic
noise attenuation, as well as liquid cavitation reductions. They
are suitable for a wide range of services from cryogenic
temperatures up to 850˚F, including liquids, gases and steam.
Page Number | Advertiser
AD INDEX
74 | ABC
55 | AMETEK Drexelbrook
32 | Atlas Copco Gas and Process
63 | AUMA
OBC | Axens
IFC | Callidus Technologies
13 | Chart Industries
02 | Cryostar
53 | Edelhoff Technologies
OFC & 27 | Elliott Group
77 | Gastech 2019
45 | Hitard Engineering
IBC | Hydrocarbon Engineering: Catalysts 2019
19 | John Zink Hamworthy Combustion
15 | Merichem Company
July 2019 80 HYDROCARBON
ENGINEERING
zero-leakage V Series valves. The customer has now
standardised ValvTechnologies’ valves in all of its molecular
sieve units and extended their partnership for future
project’s needs.
As the butterfly vane turns within the throttling trim
cartridge, the flow is first controlled via the characterised
clearance between the disc edge and the solid, tapered
portion of the cartridge; then through the multiple,
optimised slots; and finally through the additional open area
of the valve.
In 2017, Zwick realised a major project at a petrochemical
complex in Potter Township, located near Pittsburgh, US,
which comprised of an ethylene cracker and polyethylene
derivatives. The complex will use low cost ethane from local
shale gas producers to turn out 1.6 billion tpy of polyethylene.
Therefore, usable control valves must be able to handle the
given capacity and offer good control quality.
The TRI-SHARK valve reduced cavitation and sound level.
Due to the bundling of cavitation bubbles in the centre of the
stream, the implosion of the bubbles could not damage the
material on the inside of the pipe behind the valve.
Furthermore, it ensures an excellent tightness and, by using
the cartridge, the actuation torques were reduced
significantly.
46 | Netzsch
04 | Neuman & Esser Group
69 | Palladian Publications
22 | Rembe® GmbH Safety + Control
09 | Saint-Gobain
60 | S.A.T.E.
07 | Shell Catalysts & Technologies
31 | SUEZ
41 | Sulzer
28 | T.A. Cook
73 | Trinity Consultants
79 | ValvTechnologies, Inc.
25 | W. R. Grace & Co.
37 | Zeeco
21 | Zwick Armaturen GmbH
INTERNATIONAL ONLINE CATALYST TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE

29th October 2019

With participation from:

hydrocarbonengineering.com/catalysts
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