April 2024

The April issue of Hydrocarbon Engineering begins with a regional report discussing the state of the refining and petrochemical sector in the MENA region. Features in this issue include emissions reduction, petrochemicals and plastics recycling, cybersecurity and process optimisation. The issue also features the annual sulfur review.

This month's front cover is brought to you by Halliburton.

Evaluating risks and diversifying economies
Gord Cope, Contributing Editor, discusses the state of the refining and petrochemical sector in the MENA region and reveals how countries are looking to tap into the green fuels sector.

2024: the year the world wakes up to methane emissions?
Mark Naples, Umicore Coating Services, considers how the threat of methane emissions can finally be conquered in the oil and gas industry.

SAF: viability, scale and economic advantage
Paul Ticehurst, Johnson Matthey, UK, discusses the importance of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for decarbonisation, the technology that supports large-scale production of this fuel, and the economic benefits it could present.

A new value for plastic waste
Antonio Batistini, Enrico De Dominicis, Massimo Di Amato, Barbara Morico, Emma Palo, and Paola Sclafani, MAIRE, Italy, explore how depolymerisation technology can support the creation of new circular value chains in the plastics sector.

A new circular plastic ecosystem
Kae S. Wong, Fabrice Cuoq, Giri Anupam, Omid Emamjomeh and Christoph J. Dittrich, SABIC Global Technologies B.V., alongside Rasha H. Daadoush and Vishvedeep Bhatt, Aramco, highlight how adsorption is an effective way to stabilise and remove chlorides in plastic derived oil (PDO) to protect downstream assets.

Guidelines for optimising C5/C6 isomerisation units
Fatemah Jameel Fraidoun, Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), presents a case study in which the Mina Al Ahmadi refinery optimised its isomerisation unit in order to reduce the isomerate Reid vapour pressure and maintain high research octane number.

Diagnostic technologies for process optimisation
Jaspreet Nijjar, Tracerco, UK, explores the benefits offered by specialist scanning and radiotracer technologies in optimising processes.

Smarter, safer working
Mark Breese, Yokogawa RAP, considers the importance of digital control of work (CoW) systems in promoting more intelligent operations and an improved safety culture in the downstream industry.

Simplifying safety in a complex world
Eric Sallee, OsecoElfab, explores how advances in rupture disc technology can help refineries and chemical processing facilities minimise overpressure risks and reduce emissions.

Surface engineering process and applications
Sunil Musali, MOGAS Surface Engineering, USA, discusses the use cases for thermal spraying and laser cladding in surface engineering.

Navigating cybersecurity challenges
Paul Evans, Nozomi Networks, discusses the challenges faced by the downstream oil and gas industry as it embraces digitisation.

A specialised approach to assessing cybersecurity risks
Mary Sebastin and Saltanat Mashirova, Honeywell OT Cybersecurity, explain why cyber-physical risk assessments are essential in protecting petrochemical and oil and gas facilities from cybersecurity threats.

Cyber-enemies at the gate
Avoiding the cybersecurity problem is no longer a viable strategy, but putting protections in place is more straightforward than it seems. Alexandre Peixoto, Emerson, explains.

Sulfur review
Hydrocarbon Engineering presents a selection of the most advanced sulfur technolgies and services that are currently available to the downstream sector.

April 2024

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