Articles
Gas flows to U.S. LNG export plants down ahead of hurricane Delta
Cheniere Energy Inc and Cameron LNG reduced the amount of natural gas flowing to their LNG export plants in Louisiana on Thursday as Hurricane Delta approaches the Gulf Coast. Officials at both companies were not immediately available for comment but have said they were watching the storm and have procedures in place to keep plant workers and equipment safe.
Shape the refinery of the future through integration
The negative impact of fossil fuels on the environment has become widely accepted, and our global society has begun to focus on alternative fuels. The pollution of the local, regional and global environment has become a primary concern.
Global gas is facing a demand hit from the coronavirus pandemic and a structural oversupply in the LNG market
Global gas is facing a demand hit from the coronavirus pandemic and a structural oversupply in the LNG market following the startups of new LNG export projects in Australia and the U.S. At present, 2020 is looking to be a rough year for LNG projects seeking FIDs, particularly those projects with final decisions delayed from 2019—which was itself a record year for LNG FIDs.
China Eyes Continued Expansion of Smaller-Scale LNG
Smaller-scale liquefaction in China, the world’s second-largest LNG importer, has experienced growth in recent years as China’s government integrates more gas into the country’s energy matrix. With more than 75% of installed global capacity for smaller-scale LNG production and a market capacity anticipated to reach 20 MMtpy this year, China is expected to remain the global hotspot for smaller-scale LNG through at least the late 2020s.
Renewable Energy Group announces plans to expand the Geismar biodiesel plant to 340 million gallons per year
The Renewable Energy Group (REG) of Iowa recently announced that it is planning a significant capacity expansion at its existing renewable diesel refinery in Geismar, Louisiana. This expansion will fundamentally increase annual capacity with an additional 250 million gallons at the site by the end of 2023.
US brings 5 Bcf/d of pipeline capacity online and cuts major planned projects
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that an estimated 5 Bcf/d of new natural gas pipeline capacity came online in the first half of 2020 due to the completion of several major pipelines. While the US has seen an increase in pipeline takeaway capacity in 2020, around 8.7 Bcf/d of planned pipeline projects have been canceled.
Business Trends: EPC 2030: Five vital characteristics that will define the EPC firm of tomorrow
The state of the global engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) industry can accurately be described as “challenging.” Operating in an environment of volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous conditions, EPC firms are facing unsustainable levels of stress.
Executive Viewpoint: How to develop a successful asset management strategy during the coronavirus downturn
The coronavirus (COVID-19) has disrupted all sectors of the oil and gas industry, including asset management. Many plants around the world are operating in emergency mode or shutdown. No one knows how long this crisis will last, nor can anyone realistically predict the scope of the economic impact it will have. Therefore, it is crucial to minimize costs, while not compromising the effectiveness of industrial plants.
Global Project Data update for October 2020
Although the gas processing and LNG industries took a major hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, new project announcements within the sector have increased for two straight months
Editorial Comment: Processing a sustainable future
An emerging topic along the entire oil and gas value chain is the move toward sustainability. Each company has a somewhat different definition of what sustainability means to its operations.
Can ammonia be a future energy storage solution?
Ammonia is well known as a fertilizer. However, it is also a potential carbon-free fuel and an excellent solution for storage of renewable electricity, especially if the syngas needed for producing the ammonia is made by electrolysis
Brazilian developments in the biofuels market
Since the 1970s, Brazil has been a world reference in automotive biofuels, especially bioethanol produced from sugarcane. In 1973, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) forced a sharp rise in oil prices, triggering a massive slowdown in the country’s economic growth, which had been going through what was dubbed the “economic miracle,” with growth at an average of 12% of GDP. This study gives an overview of the biofuel sector in Brazil, along with the main business challenges and opportunities in this area.
Circular economy: Getting in the door of opportunity ahead of a vanishing polymer market
Significant change is coming to the hydrocarbons industry. Up to 43% of the global conventional polymer production expected by 2040 may disappear due to circular economy (CE) initiatives. In addition, due to the growth in wind turbines and solar panels, and in lightweight composite materials in cars and planes, advanced materials waste is just beginning.
Executive Viewpoint: Fuels and petrochemicals will continue to help humanity thrive
A 15-yr rise in U.S. exports of refined products continued in 2019 with the nation exporting more than ever, underscoring the importance of these products to fueling a growing world. In the latter half of the last decade, U.S. petrochemical production capacity increased—with more than $20 B invested in domestic petrochemical projects in the last 2 yr alone—and exports of petrochemicals and petrochemical feedstocks rose, as well.
Business Trends: Rethinking the refining and petrochemicals industries
Crude oil has been the fundamental element of transportation fuel for many decades. However, market factors are changing this dynamic, creating incentives for some organizations to consider oil-to-chemical complexes to maintain a competitive edge.
Executive Viewpoint: Sustainability: Initiatives, innovation and solutions to crucial challenges
Hydrocarbon Processing’s Editor-in-Chief/Associate Publisher, Lee Nichols, was pleased to speak with Jim Becker (JB), Vice President, Polymers and Sustainability for Chevron Phillips Chemical (CP Chem). The following Q&A provides insights on CP Chem’s sustainability initiatives, plastic waste bans around the world, advances in chemical recycling technologies and solutions to help mitigate plastic waste around the world.
Middle East: Saudi Arabia eyes major growth in petrochemicals market
Saudi Arabia aims to become a major player in the global petrochemicals market within the next several years, with plans to increase domestic and foreign production and expand its exports.
Petrochemicals: Growth, challenges, advancements and the technologies shaping an industry
Over the past decade, capital investments in new petrochemical capacity have skyrocketed. Hundreds of billions of dollars have been invested in capacity expansions, upgrades and grassroots facilities, and the industry is not done yet.
Engineering propylene: Value unlocking with the PDH process
Propylene is at the core of the petrochemical industry, with the synthesis of its numerous derivatives finding greater application in industries from textile to automobile, cosmetics and beyond. Propylene is also a foundation block/intermediate for numerous chemicals, from isopropanol to polypropylene (a widely used synthetic material) to gasoline octane enhancers.
Advances in the OCC process for propylene production
Driven by rising demand for polypropylene, cumene, acrylonitrile and other derivatives, increasing global demand is seen for propylene.
Business Trends: The downstream dilemma: Past, present and future of downstream energy
The oil industry’s interest in the downstream segment of the business has known ups and downs. This article reviews the past, present and projected future of the downstream sector and its companies.
Safe and sustainable alkylation: Performance and update on composite ionic liquid alkylation technology
Market and regulatory factors are pressuring refiners to adopt safe and sustainable processes for the production of clean-burning and environmentally friendly fuels.
U.S. modularization—Keep an eye toward the most economical approach
Modularization has been discussed extensively as a means to facilitate the construction of significant projects. Many benefits exist for modularization, including controlled construction and schedule improvement. Due to the controlled environment for module construction, quality is more easily achieved and weather is not an issue. In addition, construction in remote areas (where field labor is a concern) is minimized.
Industry Perspectives: Petrochemicals surge despite possible future roadblocks
Over the past several years, investments in petrochemicals capacity additions have skyrocketed. Hundreds of billions of dollars have and will be invested in additional petrochemicals units and complexes.
Adopting digital technologies to enhance operations
What is the future of refining and petrochemical operations? One trend that has been the focus of many articles, whitepapers and conference presentations is the digital transformation of the hydrocarbon processing industry.
Business Trends: Global LNG projects to compete with pipeline gas
Expanding LNG supply worldwide will continue to dominate the changing landscape of the natural gas industry and gas trade. By 2040, LNG is expected to account for more than 15% of global gas consumption, after overtaking interregional pipeline deliveries in the late 2020s.
Industry Perspectives: New petrochemical projects flat year-over-year
New petrochemical project announcements plateaued year-over-year (y-o-y), according to data from Hydrocarbon Processing’s Construction Boxscore Database.
Ultra-low-sulfur fuels: The evolution of clean fuels production
One of the most significant trends affecting the refining industry over the past 30 yr is the drive toward clean fuels production. A major aspect of “clean fuels” focuses on mitigating pollutants—carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, hydrocarbons and particulate matter—from vehicle exhaust.
Business Trends: Application of blockchain technology in the petrochemical industry
A JV between Equatorial Guinea’s Ministry of Mines and Hydrocarbons and Marathon Oil plans to build a modular refinery on Bioko Island. In late April, the JV signed a contract to VFuels to conduct a feasibility study for the 5,000-bpd facility. The project involves dismantling a methanol plant and converting it into a refinery. If built, the facility—part of Equatorial Guinea’s Year of Investment 2020 initiative—would provide refined products to satisfy increasing domestic demand.
Construction begins at massive polymer plant
A construction site in the Amur Region saw the sinking of the first test pile in the foundation of Amur Gas Chemical Complex, a facility set to become one of the world’s largest and most advanced basic polymer producers. The official ceremony was held online and was attended via video conference by Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, relevant Ministers, Vasily Orlov, Governor of the Amur Region, Dmitry Konov, Chairman of the Management Board at SIBUR Holding, and other representatives of government authorities, the Company and its partners.
