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Date Published:
30 June 2016

Volume 4, Issue 4


Where two become one

Feature
When petroleum products are traded, volumes have to be converted into weight, and vice versa. It is vital for this calculation to be performed correctly, because even the smallest inaccuracy will affect key processes in the supply chain of oil and gas companies – from the safety of the loading and warehousing operations through to the... [read more]

MRO procurement made simple

Feature
For most manufacturers, procurement strategies for direct spend items – such as raw materials and items forming part of the finished product – are carefully planned and scheduled to ensure value for money, high levels of availability, and optimal inventory holding. With indirect items such as maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO)... [read more]

Preventive maintenance through particle analysis

Feature
Lubricating oil systems rely on clean operating fluids, and are subject to failures due to contamination. Particles in lubricating oil systems might lead to system failures or machine downtime. The sources for such contaminations are various, as particles can enter the system either from outside or can originate from the system itself. Contaminants may enter the system... [read more]

Tackling complex geometries

Feature
In April 2015, a Norwegian floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel requested a solution to rebuild, strengthen, and protect corroded pipes. A series of pipes on board the North Sea FPSO were displaying signs of corrosion between both the pipe and support, in some areas registering thin wall defects with up to 35% wall loss. Not only... [read more]

Intergrating leak detection and custody transfer for pipeline monitoring

Feature
The importance of pipeline integrity is growing in the oil and gas industry. New regions of oil and gas production and growing demand are driving the construction of new pipelines and reversals of existing pipelines. Older pipeline systems are still in operation and often running at capacity. 41% of US oil pipelines were built in the 1950s and 1960s. A... [read more]

Sizing for diaphragm actuated control valves

Feature
There are many options and several conditions that need to be considered when purchasing the right valve for a job. The more information from the field, the better the choice will be. The ultimate goal is to have the best valve for the job required at the most economical price. While it is not rocket science to do this, there is some fundamental information that needs... [read more]

Supplying Filanovsky

Feature
The Filanovskogo (Filanovsky) oil field, 50km offshore in the Northern Caspian Sea, was discovered in 2005. With reserves of 153.1 million tonnes of oil and 32.2 billion m3 of gas, the field is expected to reach maximum oil production at a level of 12 million tonnes by 2017 with maximum gas production expected to exceed 26 billion m3 by 2028. The... [read more]

Through heat and ice

Feature
It's a fact! Electric and pneumatic actuators, positioners, and process controllers play a key role in modern process automation. They deliver reliable, hardworking, and truly effective solutions. Take for example butterfly valves. Butterfly valves have expanded operators' capabilities tremendously, providing one of the most effective solutions... [read more]

Safety first

Feature
The global liquefied natural gas (LNG) landscape has evolved dramatically over the last decade. Industry dynamics have been driven by new gas discoveries on the supply side, while shifting demographics and emerging economies have impacted demand. As a result, the number and size of new liquefaction facilities, both planned and currently under... [read more]

Long live the globe

Feature
Globe valves, which are used for regulating flow in pipelines, consist of a movable disk-type element and a stationary ring seat in a generally spherical body. They are named for their body shape with the two halves of the body separated by an internal baffle. As cast components, globe valves can be produced in virtually any shape required. In addition,... [read more]

It's the little differences

Feature
Mining companies and many other industries are learning that pumping high solid content slurries provide enormous savings. Often when moving high solid content slurries, the pump of choice may be a centrifugal pump. They can pump at 30-35% solids quite comfortably, but when solids content increases to 50-60%, centrifugal wear part consumption typically becomes... [read more]

Centrifugal pumps in a nutshell

Feature
One of the challenges faced by the offshore oil and gas industry is cleaning water contaminated with oil produced by the drilling operations so that it can be disposed of in accordance with environmental regulations. This is achieved on a platform or a floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel using a separation package. The... [read more]

Conveying wave technology

Feature
Peristaltic pumps are used for a broad range of fluid handling applications. They are simple, low-cost, and flexible. As soon as requirements are more challenging, such as when media compatibility or runtime become important, diaphragm pumps are often the system designer´s primary choice. With this type of pump, the parts in contact with media in the streamed... [read more]

A historic partnership

Feature
In 1748, Francois Boch and his three sons decided to open a pottery company in the small French village of Audun le Tiche, near the country's northeastern border. To illustrate just how long ago that really was, Boch's company celebrated its 40th anniversary the year before the French Revolution began in 1789. In other words, the odds of a company... [read more]

Unlocking energy savings potential

Feature
In many process engineering applications, pump systems form the backbone of production and greatly impact the economic efficiency of the entire system. Pumps consume a large amount of the electrical energy used in industry. Depending on the scope if analysis, the potential savings on energy in current industrial systems range between 30 and 40%. In... [read more]

Momentum continues to grow for Tank Storage Asia

Feature
The best and brightest of the Asian tank storage scene will crowd to The Marina Bay Sands in Singapore on 27-28 September. Let our preview help you decide who to see and where to go.

Magnesium oxide in tertiary oil recovery

Feature
The presence of sufficient heat is key in the extraction of crude oil when other natural or applied recovery methods are not available. During the primary recovery stage, reservoir drive – the force that transmits oil to the surface – comes from a number of natural mechanisms. These include natural water displacing oil downward into the well,... [read more]

A design challenge

Feature
Heat tracing systems, also called satellite systems play an essential role in the correct functioning of industrial installations. Technical solutions that guarantee safe working of the installation should be linked to the economical side of the problem. Because of the ever-increasing price of energy expenditure, it is necessary to maximise the... [read more]