Gulfpub HP 201103

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MARCH 2011
HPIMPACT SPECIALREPORT BONUSREPORT
CORROSION CONTROL
Methods show how
to detect and
control corrosion
US pipeline safety bill
Global midstream
M&A update
PLANT SAFETY
New technologies,
standards and systems
reduce plant risks
MARCH 2011 VOL. 90 NO. 3
SPECIAL REPORT: CORROSION CONTROL

29
Updates on improving refractory lining service life
Tips help maintenance and operations care and maintain refractory products
in high-temperature operations
M. Maity
39
Flare stack structure revamp: A case history
An innovative approach was used to repair an older flare structure
online without an extensive shutdown
S. Singh
43
Avoid brittle fracture in pressure vessels
Key points identify effects from auto-refrigeration on steel vessels
F. Khazrai, H. B. Haghighi and H. Kordabadi
49
Improving pH control mitigates corrosion in crude units
Equipment and pipe failures can be avoided through
better desalting practices and inhibitor injections
D. L. N. Cypriano, J. A. C. Ponciano, A. T. Vilas Boas, P. D. Murray and M. R. Nasser
Cover This is an Elliott 60M
centrifugal compressor rotor in
Elliotts high-speed balance facility,
Jeannette, Pennsylvania. The rotor is
coated with Elliott Pos-e-Coat Plus,
a premium protective and functional
coating that provides superior
anti-fouling and corrosion resistance
for components in hydrocarbon
gas-processing applications.
HPIMPACT
17 Pipeline safety bill
introduced in US
Senate
17 2010 midstream
M&A activity hits
$49 billion
19 Association says
CFATS should be
made permanent
20 US demand for
activated carbon
growing
COLUMNS
9 HPIN RELIABILITY
Oil mist and electric
motor windings
11 HPIN EUROPE
China enters and
Russia deepens its
influence in European
refining
13 HPINTEGRATION
STRATEGIES
Terminal automation:
More challenging
than it looks
15 HPIN ASSOCIATIONS
Maintenance,
securing the cloud
and a pep talk
94 HPIN WATER
MANAGEMENT
Passivation in cooling
water circuits
TURNAROUND AND MAINTENANCE 2011SUPPLEMENT

55
Turnaround and Maintenance 2010
Guide on how to successfully execute turnarounds and proper facility maintenance
BONUS REPORT: WATER MANAGEMENT

75
Process safety: Blind spots and red flags
Improving safety for organizations involve more than technological solutions;
understanding processes and plant interactions are a must
T. Shephard

78
Consider new design criteria equipment modules
Construction offers cost-effective protection of critical systems
D. Cole and D. Austin

83
Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standard turns four:
Whats next?
An in-depth look at the standard
R. Loughin
INSTRUMENTATION

85
Avoid these top-10 instrumentation headaches
Visual engineering program solves designer and engineer issues across the industry
D. Gibson
ENGINEERING CASE HISTORIES

89
Case 61: Pressure loss in a reactor
Much information is available from a simple analysis
T. Sofronas
DEPARTMENTS
7 HPIN BRIEF 21 HPIN CONSTRUCTION
26 HPI CONSTRUCTION BOXSCORE UPDATE
90 HPI MARKETPLACE 93 ADVERTISER INDEX
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Process Editor Tricia Crossey
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4

I

MARCH 2011 HydrocarbonProcessing.com
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HYDROCARBON PROCESSING MARCH 2011

I

7

BP is looking to sell two of its US
refineries. The company has officially
put a for sale sign in front of its
refineries in Texas City, Texas, and
Carson, California. BP is also seeking
a buyer (perhaps the same one) for its
associated integrated marketing busi-
nesses in southern California, Arizona,
and Nevada. BP plans to complete the
sales by the end of 2012, and this
liquidation of assets would cut in half
BPs US refining capacity.
BP plans to focus future down-
stream investment in the US on further
improving and upgrading its other
refining and marketing networks
in the country, based around the
Whiting, Indiana, and Cherry Point,
Washington, refineries and its 50%
interest in the Toledo, Ohio, refinery.
So in essence, the company is less
interested in the sun-baked climates
of the American Southwest and more
compatible with a Midwestern vibe.
According to BP, these refineries have
greater flexibility to refine a range of
crude oils including heavy grades, and,
on average, are more diesel-capable
than BPs current portfolio.
The Carson refinery, south of Los
Angeles, is at the heart of an inte-
grated fuels value chain stretching
across southern California, Arizona
and Nevada. The refinery, which has
265,000 bpd capacity and supplies
around 25% of Los Angeles gasoline
demand, became part of BP through
the 2000 acquisition of ARCO.
The Texas City refinery became
part of BP with the 1998 merger with
Amoco. It is a large, highly complex
refinery with 475,000 bpd refining
capacitythe third biggest refinery
in the US, with gasoline manufactur-
ing capability equivalent to approxi-
mately 3% of US production.
During the last few years, over $1
billion has been invested in moderniz-
ing and improving the Texas City plant.
Much of that investment was driven by
the requirements of federal regulators
after the March 2005 fire and explo-
sion at the refinery killed 15 workers
and injured more than 170 others.
Investigation of the accident revealed
BP was to blame for subpar mainte-
nance and safety procedures. HP
BT@HydrocarbonProcessing.com
BILLY THINNES, NEWS EDITOR
HPIN BRIEF
Honeywell has formed a new business focused on providing
advanced open software services to the process industries. Honeywell is seeking to
achieve this goal by integrating the open connectivity and broad platform capability of
its Matrikon acquisition with its applications and solutions business. Honeywell plans to
use an outcome-based consulting approach to offer solutions for supply chain, produc-
tion execution and operational excellence in areas such as energy efficiency, compliance,
performance improvement and asset effectiveness. The new business will also address
industrial and cyber security, advanced process control and optimization, process design
simulation and operator training simulation.
GE has completed a new expanded licensing agreement that will
allow the company to continue offering high-efficiency reverse osmosis (HERO) systems
to help more of its industrial customers increase water-usage efficiency and reuse capacity.
The new pact is with Debasish Mukhopadhyay, HEROs process developer and patent
holder. According to GE, the HERO offers higher recovery of feed water, higher produc-
tion rates, higher product water quality levels and reduced scaling and fouling when com-
pared to conventional RO systems. Under the agreement, GE will hold specific rights
to market and manufacture solutions that utilize the HERO technology in key industry
segments and applications including hydrocarbon processing and chemical processing.
The Dow Chemical Co. will close two vinyl chloride monomer
(VCM) production units in 2011. Dow will shut down a production unit in Oyster
Creek, Texas, in the first quarter of 2011. The closure of a second VCM unit, located in
Plaquemine, Louisiana, was announced in 2009. The Louisiana plant will cease opera-
tions in the third quarter of 2011.
This is a continuation of the decisive actions taken by Dow to right-size our core
chemicals manufacturing footprint and shift our basic feedstocks toward performance
derivative businesses, said Carlo Guarino, global business director for Dow Chlor-Vinyl.
SPECTRO Analytical Instruments GmbH has formed a strategic
marketing alliance with SII NanoTechnology, Inc., to market SPECTROs inductively-
coupled plasma optical emission (ICP-OES) and mass spectrometers (ICP-MS) in Japan.
The alliance covers all SPECTRO ICP-OES and ICP-MS instruments. SPECTRO will
continue to support its existing Japanese customers through a subsidiary formed in 2008.
Sunoco said that it will move forward with the planned
separation of SunCoke Energy after reaching an agreement with ArcelorMittal that
resolves the lawsuit concerning coke pricing for Sunocos Jewell facility in Vansant,
Virginia. The settlement agreement includes a renegotiation of the Jewell coke contract,
including the elimination of the Jewell coal cost multiplier and an increase in fees. The
pricing of Jewell coal will be based upon the third-party coal price at SunCokes Haverhill
facility. Also of note: Sunoco will pay no compensatory damages.
Based upon the guidance assumptions that the company previously provided, the
impact of this settlement for 2012 is estimated to reduce earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation and amortization by approximately $60 million.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) called on the US
Department of State to approve the Keystone pipeline project as soon as possible as a
matter of critical national interest. The pipeline, which would be built by TransCanada
Corp., would be part of a pipeline system bringing oil from Albertas oil sands region in
Canada to US refineries. Canadas oil reserves are second only to Saudi Arabia, and the US
imports more oil from Canada than from all Persian Gulf countries. More than 342,000
new US jobs are likely to be created between 2011 and 2015 because of Canadian oil
sands development, according to a study by the Canadian Energy Research Institute. HP
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HEINZ P. BLOCH, RELIABILITY/EQUIPMENT EDITOR
HPIN RELIABILITY
HB@HydrocarbonProcessing.com

I

9
We often get questions relating to oil
mist and how it affects electric motor wind-
ings. For a quick answer, contact us at Gulf
Publishing via e-mail. Well steer you in the
right direction by explaining that oil mist
will not harm modern motors. But if you
must minimize oil mist intrusion into elec-
tric motors, we recommend you insist on
having the vendor prove IP66 compliance.
IP is the universally recognized Ingress Pro-
tection Code; its discussed in Reference 1.
At least one fully compliant sealing product
is available; it was introduced in 2003 and
has since been an unqualified success.
History. There are other historical facts
relating to oil-mist lubricated motors. In
the mid-1970s, oil mist had demonstrated
its outstanding suitability for lubricating
and preserving electric motor bearings. By
that time, petrochemical plants on the US
Gulf Coast, Caribbean and South America
had converted in excess of one thousand
electric motors to dry-sump oil-mist lubri-
cation. In 1986, there were more than
4,000 electric motors on oil mist lube in
the US Gulf Coast area alone. As of this
writing (in 2011), there are an estimated
26,000 electric motors that run on pure
oil mist with outstanding success. Many of
these are in the Middle East.
However, universal acceptance did not
come overnight. Conversely, it seemed
logical to extend oil-mist feeder lines from
centrifugal pump bearing housings to the
adjacent electric motor bearings. On the
other hand, concern was voiced that lube
oil would enter the motor and cause dam-
age to winding insulation, or cause over-
heating until winding failure occurred. Ini-
tial efforts were, therefore, directed toward
developing lip seals or other barriers con-
fining the oil mist to only the bearing areas.
Those efforts date back to about 1975.
Issues. When, in the late 1970s, failures
of old-style Vee-ring seals (Fig. 1) were
experienced in operating motors, oil mist
did enter, and it coated the windings with
coalesced oil. The potential explosion haz-
ard was again investigated on this occasion
and confirmation obtained that the oil/
air mixture of a plant-wide oil mist system
remains substantially below the sustainable
burning point. Experiments had shown the
concentration of oil mist in the main sup-
ply manifolds ranging from .005 to as little
as .001 of the concentrations generally con-
sidered flammable. The fire or explosion
hazard of oil-mist-lubricated motors is thus
no different from that of NEMA-II motors.
No signs of overheating were found, and
winding-resistance readings conformed
fully to the initial, as-installed values.
New windings. With the introduction
of epoxy motor-winding materials several
decades ago, it was shown that these wind-
ing coatings will not deteriorate in an oil-
mist atmosphere. This has been conclu-
sively proven in tests by users and motor
manufacturers. Among them were Reliance
Electric (Cleveland), Continental Electric
(Newark), and an oil refinery in the Carib-
bean where windings coated with epoxy
varnish were placed in beakers filled with
various types of mineral oils and synthetic
lubricants. Next, these windings were
oven-aged at 170C (338F) for several
weeks, and then cooled and inspected
no problems.
Decades ago, experimentation with
motor winding and cable terminations in
conduit boxes showed that a Teflon-based
wrap should be used in the conduit box
for best results. Other materials, including
silicone tape, seemed to exhibit a tendency
to swell or become gummy when exposed
to oil mist. It was then decided to provide
sealant between the motor frame and con-
duit box to reduce (an open system) mist
emissions at the conduit enclosure. Mist
supply and condensed oil-drain ports were
made accessible without the need for covers
and guards. A simple pipe nipple or similar
extension was considered just fine in the
1980s. Today, environmentally friendly
closed circuit oil-mist systems would be
used in industry, but oil mist is still the best
way to lubricate. HP
LITERATURE CITED
1
Bloch, H. P. and A. Budris, Pump Users
Handbook: Life Extension, 3rd Edition, The
Fairmont Press, Inc., Lilburn, Georgia, 2010,
pp. 477-478
Oil mist and electric motor windings
The author is Hydrocarbon Processings Reliability/
Equipment Editor. The author of 18 textbooks and
over 490 papers or articles, he advises process plants
worldwide on reliability improvement and mainte-
nance cost-reduction opportunities. For more details,
see his Practical Lubrication for Industrial Facilities,
ISBN 0-88173-579-5.
A worn Vee-ring removed from an
electric motor.
FIG. 1
Oil mist vent
Oil mist in
Overow drain
A successful oil-mist-lubricated
motor bearing dating to the mid
1970s.
FIG. 2
High pressure. Extreme temperatures. Volatile products. Its all part of the job in
hydrocarbon processing. But so is the goal of maximizing safety integrity. We make
the process more secure with our innovative valves and controls, which is why the
industry relies on us to keep their workers safe and their plants running smoothly.
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Risk has
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TIM LLOYD WRIGHT, EUROPEAN EDITOR
HPIN EUROPE
tim.wright@gulfpub.com

I

11

Like for the local couple that went long-distance ice skating here
on the Swedish west coast recently, there are disconcerting rumblings
of change underfoot in the European refining industry. This couple
saw a wave rolling toward them one morning as they skated half a
mile from the mainland. It was from a large tugboat, whose portly
progress created a slow wash that slipped under the soft salt ice and
continued toward them. In its wake, they were stranded on a small
iceberg. Much to their chagrin, they began a slow drift out to sea.
In reality. The wave that is breaking up and reforming Europes
refining operations is also the result of a passing behemoth. I
described in my December 2010 column that the international
oil companies (IOCs) are, in many cases, raking in their chips
and leaving the table. And there is a sense of unease among the
large customers of this industry as they wake up to a new creed
of traderor banker-supplier. But since I wrote, the tectonic of
these changes are becoming clearer, and they are on a grander scale.
The oil rich are joining skills-rich. The cash rich are merging their
interests with wealthy western inland markets. And the IOCs and
the national oil companies (NOCs) are getting together.
Russian deal. Through a landmark $16 billion share swap at
the start of the year, Kremlin-controlled Rosneft is now the single
largest shareholder in BP. Thwarted, it may feel, in the Gulf of
Mexico, the deal gives BP a route to explore for oil on the massive
Russian Arctic continental shelf in an area comparable in size and
potential, say the companies, to the North Sea. Its said to be the
first major equity-linked partnership between an international and
a national oil company, giving the Russian company a 5% stake
in BP in return for 9.5% of its shares.
Since BP remains a substantial force in refining, and is said
to be the largest supplier of the US military, the tie-up has had
US Congress members questioning its security implications. But
heres what Rosneft Chairman Igor Sechin, who is also deputy
prime minister, had to say about the purpose of the deal. Rosneft
is working on a new strategy aimed at transforming the company
into an international energy holding. . . BP has gained a great
amount of experience, including the Gulf of Mexico incident,
he told Russian television station, RT. Mr. Sechin is on record as
saying that his dream is to sell finished products, not crude oil: In
10, 15, 20 years, I would really like for Russian crude to be refined
on Russian refining assets or those with Russian ownership, he
told the Wall Street Journal in 2009.
Its not just crude that the Russians export to the West. Fuel
oils from straight-run Russian sites are also an upgrading staple of
Northwest European refiners. Russias Lukoil is expanding inter-
nationally through acquisitions, as well. It is now firmly in the key
ARA oil hub at Vlissingen, in The Netherlands, where in 2009, it
bought 45% of the Total TNR refinery. The company also took a
49% stake in the 320,000 bpd (320 Mbpd) ISAB refinery in the
Mediterranean on the strategically located island of Sicily.
Mr. Sechin is at pains to distinguish the Russian oil indus-
try, privatized and listed, from the majority of the OPECbased
NOCs (Rosneft is publicly listed but state-controlled). State-
owned China National Petroleum Company would say the same
of PetroChina, its listed affiliate and the worlds most valuable
company. It tops the Financial Times Global 500 list.
Chinas deal. After much speculation in the Scottish press,
PetroChina has now joined a partnership with the operator of
the 400 Mbpd Ineos (formerly BP) refinery at Grangemouth in
Scotland. The deal also involves the 220 Mbpd Lavra refinery
at Marseille on the Mediterranean coast, from where it supplies
French, Swiss and Southern German markets.
At a signing ceremony in London presided over by Nick Clegg,
the British deputy prime minister, and Li Ke Qiang, the Chinese
vice premier, PetroChinas UK general manager echoed to an
extent the sentiment of Igor Sechin. The framework agreement
to work toward forming trading and refining related joint ventures
with INEOS is consistent with PetroChinas strategy of building
a broader business platform in Europe and of becoming a leading
international energy company, he said.
Changing field. A research desk friend and I were discussing
the current changes: The buyers are long crude, he pointed
out. He sees coincidence on an epic scale, rather than some grand
designthe NOCs picking up opportunities as the IOCs seek to
get more value out of what they particularly can do well. Focusing
upstream, he said, at least gave the IOCs a chance to differentiate
themselves. With the possible exception of Exxon, refineries are
built by a handful of companiesUOP, KBR, the Japanese
and they buy catalysts from BASF, UOP, Albemarle, Axens and
Haldor Topse. Its hard to differentiate yourself by processing
another barrel of oil. Better, he suggested, for the IOCs to be
operating in an environment where good seismic or better drilling
can make a substantial difference.
In the context of these deals, the rise of the Vitols and Morgan
Stanleys as products suppliers is put into perspective. The arrival of
PetroChina may even cause a small skirmish. Morgan has, in recent
years, marketed products from INEOS refineries. As for the ice
skaters, they may have been half a mile from land; but fortunately,
they were just a mobile-phone call from rescue by helicopter. HP
The author is HPs European Editor and also a specialist in European distillate
markets. He has been active as a reporter and conference chair in the European
downstream industry since 1997, before which he was a feature writer and reporter
for the UK broadsheet press and BBC radio. Mr. Wright lives in Sweden and is the
founder of a local climate and sustainability initiative.
China enters and Russia deepens
its influence in European refining
We dont have a department
dedicated to quality. We have
a company dedicated to it.

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Simulated computer modeling, dimensional testing, and electron scanning
of raw materials you name it, well go to any lengths to ensure that if its
from Swagelok, its top quality. Because Quality isnt just one of our values.
Its our attitude. Its the focus of every associate, affecting everything from
our services to our products. And by using the same disciplines, practices,
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We know that quality isnt just a well-made product, its customers served
beyond what they were expecting. To see what that attitude can do for you,
visit swagelok.com/quality.
HPINTEGRATION STRATEGIES

I

13
PMiller@Arcweb.com
PAUL MILLER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Due to increasing market, competitive, regulatory and social
pressures, terminal automation is more important today than ever
before. Nevertheless, many smaller petroleum-product terminals
continue to operate with a relatively low level of automation, and
many larger terminals operate with outdated, poorly supported
automation technology and/or a hodgepodge of disconnected sys-
tems. Due to the recent flood of mergers and acquisitions, many
multi-terminal owner-operators also find themselves with differ-
ent systems (or, at best, different versions of the same systems)
installed in their various terminals. This can make it difficult
to coordinate activities, obtain the required information, avoid
incidents, train operators and support the systems. All in all, its
not a pretty picture.
Some good news. The good news is that existing specialist
suppliers in the terminal automation system (TAS) space have
been continually enhancing their hardware and/or software offer-
ings to make them even more functional, flexible, interoperable
and easy to use. Terminal management systems (TMS) are also
available to extend the capabilities of terminal automation systems
to help optimize the supply chain and provide more effective tools
for real-time decision support (relative to allocations management,
credit management, product pricing, etc.). Several prominent,
full-line automation suppliers have also effectively leveraged their
general automation expertise and wide-ranging portfolios (includ-
ing some well-targeted acquisitions) to develop comprehensive ter-
minal-automation solutions with compelling value propositions.
Most suppliers to this market can point to a successful track record
of projects and a fairly long list of customer reference sites. Almost
all claim to be able to work well with SAP, Oracle/JD Edwards,
and other back office ERP systems used within the oil and gas and
petrochemicals industries. Several even have certified interfaces.
So, as an owner/operator, how do you go about selecting the
right automation solution for your terminal or terminals? Should
you stick with your current supplier(s) (if any) or look elsewhere?
Should you partner with the same full-line automation supplier
that might be providing measurement and control systems else-
where within your parent organization, or work with a specialist
in this area? What are the characteristics and functionalities of the
many different suppliers offerings within this space, and how do
you map these against your specific terminal requirements? These
are some of the questions that ARC attempted to answer in a
recent series of reports on terminal automation systems.
Terminal automation becoming more sophisticated.
While, in the past, a surprisingly large number of petroleum-prod-
uct terminals operated with minimal automation (limited largely
to either the load racks or some limited transactional functions),
terminal automation is no longer optional. Todays terminals, large
or small, need to accommodate and accurately account for an
ever-increasing number of different petroleum- and biofuel-related
products and additives, deal with extreme price volatility, and com-
ply with stringent and ever-changing governmental regulations.
Several highly publicized terminal explosions, fires and spills
underscore the need for increased safety to protect people, equip-
ment, property and the environment. The threat of terrorists or
disgruntled employees targeting these relatively vulnerable facili-
ties and ongoing problems with product theft highlight the need
for increased security. All this has become extremely difficult, if
not impossible, to handle manually or with stand-alone paper-
based systems.
Challenges in TAS supplier selection. The wide variety
of major and minor sub-systems and applications that must be
integrated makes terminal automation particularly challenging.
In the past, there were only a limited number of TAS suppliers
and few, if any, that offered comprehensive terminal-automation
solutions. However, there are a growing number of suppliers,
several of which offer (at a price) relatively comprehensive, largely
pre-integrated terminal automation solutions encompassing hard-
ware, application-specific software and appropriate services. Other
suppliers offer more specialized terminal-automation hardware
and software, or specialized TMS software solutions. Increasingly,
these are designed with a high degree of openness and interoper-
ability, making them relative easy to integrate within a larger TAS
solution.
In our comprehensive market outlook study, ARC divided the
suppliers into two logical categories: full-line automation suppli-
ers with dedicated solutions for terminal automation, and more
specialized TAS/TMS suppliers that largely focus on the terminal-
automation market. HP
Paul Miller is a senior editor/analyst at ARC Advisory Group and has 25 years
of experience in industrial automation industry. He has published numerous articles
in industry trade publications. Mr. Miller follows both the terminal automation and
water/wastewater sectors for ARC.
Terminal automation: More challenging than it looks
TABLE 1. Some terminal-automation solution providers
TAS suppliers Full-line
TMS software (software-based, automation suppliers
specialists with some (hardware/software
(software only) specialized hardware) solution)
AC2 Dearman Systems ABB
CSE Global General Atomics Emerson
CSI M+F Endress+Hauser
Telvent DTN Prosoft Honeywell
Implico TopTech Invensys
Varec Siemens
Yokogawa
Sulfur
Linde Process Plants, Inc.
6100 South Yale Avenue, Suite 1200, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74136, USA
Phone: +1.918.477.1200, Fax: +1.918.477.1100, www.LPPUSA.com, e-mail: sales@LPPUSA.com
A member of The Linde Group
For the past four decades, Linde Process Plants, Inc. (LPP) has designed and/or constructed
sulfur recovery systems. These systems process off gases from gas treating units and sour water
strippers. LPP is a world leader in plant modularization and on-site constructed plants.
Experience
LPP has the experience, specialized skills, impressive track record, and extensive fabrication
facilities to successfully deliver major turnkey process units to global markets.
- Extensive technology portfolio
- Full turnkey capabilities, including process design, detail engineering, fabrication,
construction, and start-up
- Competitive pricing
- ISO 9001 certied
- Single source provider
Advantages
HPIN ASSOCIATIONS

I

15

Microsofts Global Energy Forum was
held in January at the Westin Galleria in
Houston. The gathering offered a little bit
of everything for interested parties: some
upstream, some downstream, lots of inten-
sive technology sessions and a keynote
lunch address from former New Orleans
Saints quarterback Archie Manning.
I was at the event to explore several
action items. I was interested in a ses-
sion on proactive plant maintenance that
focused on the expertise of GenOn and
Accenture. I wanted to learn more about
Microsofts efforts to ensure security with
its cloud-computing concepts that are
being implemented at sensitive refining
and petrochemical facilities across the
globe. And, finally, I wanted to know what
Archie Manning thought about former
Saints and Houston Oilers coach Bum
Phillips. Thankfully, I was able to satiate
all levels of my curiosity.
Proactive maintenance session.
The proactive maintenance data gate-
way (PMDG) is based upon the Accen-
ture plant performance solution (APPS).
PMDG correlates transactional and real-
time plant information relative to critical
equipment and systems. The overall goal
is to provide management, engineers and
station personnel access to accurate plant
and financial performance information
that is needed to support operations and
maintenance decisions in the most effi-
cient manner.
This software suite helps a company
like GenOn look at its equipment via a
life cycle, especially in procurement proce-
dures and keeping track of repairs. It also
helps with re-commissioning.
GenOns goal was to be less than 10%
reactive in its maintenance approach. The
average industrial plant performs more
than 55% reactive maintenance work.
Fully implemented proactive mainte-
nance allows for: station personnel to be
knowledgeable of roles; the personnel are
fully trained in utilizing maintenance tech-
nologies; staff members incorporate this
work into their daily activities; key leaders
can articulate maintenance spending and
failure-mode levels for station equipment;
and activities are integrated with main-
tenance efficiently and utilize root-cause
analysis programs to complete the mainte-
nance within a work-flow process.
Trustworthy computing. After the
proactive maintenance session, I went
to a suite at the top of the hotel and met
with Craig Hodges from Microsoft. Mr.
Hodges and I spoke about security issues
and how they can impact plant safety and
real-time collaboration. We also touched
upon using technology as a solution to the
industrys aging workforce problem.
Mr. Hodges was keen to discuss Micro-
softs initiative known as trustworthy com-
puting. The company seeks to make all
the platforms it provides inherently safer.
Microsoft works to develop more secure
code and it holds its engineering teams
accountable for the security of the code
they deliver. The other main key to the
trustworthy computing concept is the goal
to reduce an organizations exposure to
attacks, through threat protection, detec-
tion and removal. Microsoft says it collects
data using various feedback mechanisms
combined with a global multi-vendor
research effort to enable fast discovery of
protection against new threats.
Once oil and gas plants have a bona
fide security system in place to prevent
mischief and worse, it opens the door
for real-time collaboration to be used as
a work-around to the aging workforce
dilemma facing the industry.
The number one thing companies
need to do is capture and classify know-
how. Many customers are using Share-
Point [Microsofts business intelligence
and content management collaboration
software] as a way to capture knowledge
and then classify and retain knowledge,
Mr. Hodges said. To mitigate the culture
change, business logic can go up in the
cloud through a hosted service and retir-
ees can have access to the data and con-
tribute feedback to their replacements.
Mr. Hodges also wanted to note the
inroads Microsoft has made into down-
stream support. Companies like Aspen-
Tech, OSIsoft, Honeywell and Invensys
all have offerings available that are built
on Microsoft technology.
We have a strong ecosystem of part-
ners that is helping manage the refining
and petrochemical process, he said.
Looking to the future, Mr. Hodges said
that business intelligence and better col-
laboration will continue to be a big push.
All facets of intelligence and collaboration
are constantly being examined and reex-
amined. The essence of all this is Micro-
softs quest to help its customers find, use
and share data in the most efficient man-
ner, he said.
Archie Manning. Archie Mannings
lunchtime address was well-received. He
touched on his time with the Saints, living
in New Orleans, having two NFL quarter-
back sons and some motivational themes.
For those of you reading not familiar with
American football, consider Mr. Manning
like the star striker on a bad EPL soccer
team that is constantly getting relegated.
Mr. Mannings best anecdote concerned
his former coach Bum Phillips, who was
one of his favorites. HP
Maintenance, securing the cloud and a pep talk
Craig Hodges is a Microsoft executive who
believes in trustworthy computing.
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HPIMPACT
Pipeline safety bill
introduced in US Senate
Two US senators have introduced leg-
islation to enhance pipeline safety in the
country. The bill strengthens pipeline safety
oversight by the US federal government
and addresses long-standing safety issues,
including the use of automatic shutoff
valves and excess flow valves.
Pipelines transport valuable energy
resources to communities across our nation.
While our pipeline system is largely safe,
when accidents occur the consequences
can be catastrophic, said Senator Frank
Lautenberg (D-NJ), one of the bills two
original co-sponsors. Our legislation will
help to ensure the safety and efficiency of
this vital transportation network. We can
prevent deadly accidents by requiring more
advanced technology, increased inspections,
and steeper penalties for safety violations.
Safety should be the bedrock of any
responsible business, said Senator Jay
Rockefeller IV (D-WV), the other origi-
nal co-sponsor of the legislation. We
want to make sure worker and consumer
safety remain a top priority. This bill will
give the US Department of Transporta-
tions Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration (PHMSA) the tools
it needs to provide stronger oversight of
our nations pipeline system. Safety should
never take a backseat to profit.
The US has approximately 2.5 mil-
lion miles of pipelines that transport oil,
natural gas and hazardous liquids. These
pipelines are an integral component of the
US economy and energy supply, and are
generally considered a safer mode of trans-
portation than other options for moving
gas and liquids.
Since 2006, there have been approxi-
mately 40 pipeline incidents each year that
resulted in a fatality or injury. Last Sep-
tember, a natural-gas pipeline exploded in
San Bruno, California, killing eight people.
In January of this year, a 12-in. gas main
exploded in a residential neighborhood of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, killing a gas
company employee and injuring five oth-
ers. The cause of that blast remains under
investigation.
The pipeline safety legislation seeks to
mitigate pipeline risks through a number
of measures. It would reauthorize and
strengthen the authority of the PHMSA
through fiscal year 2014. Other highlights
of the bill include: increased civil penal-
ties for violators of pipeline regulations;
expanded excess flow valve requirements to
include multi-family buildings and small
commercial facilities; required installation
of automatic or remote-controlled shut-
off valves on new transmission pipelines;
instructs the US Secretary of Transporta-
tion to establish time limits on accident
and leak notification by pipeline opera-
tors to local and state government officials
and emergency responders; requires the
US Secretary of Transportation to evalu-
ate whether integrity management system
requirements should be expanded beyond
currently defined high-consequence areas
and establish regulations as appropriate;
makes pipeline information, inspections,
and standards available to the public on
the PHMSAs website; and authorizes
additional pipeline inspectors and pipe-
line safety support employees through a
phased-in increase over the next four years.
2010 midstream M&A
activity hits $49 billion
Worldwide mergers and acquisitions
(M&A) transactions involving midstream
energy assets, which include natural gas
pipelines, gas-gathering and processing
facilities, as well as tankers and diversified
holdings, returned to the 2006 all-time
high of $49 billion in 2010, according to
results in a recent IHS Herold study.
This figure represents a 400% increase
(above 2009 transaction values of $12.6
billion) in total asset deal value. Accord-
ing to the report, nearly all (94%) of mid-
stream M&A activity in 2010 was driven by
spending on gas pipelines and gas-gathering
and processing facilities in the US. Several
large transactions involving restructurings
of master limited partnerships (MLPs)
operating primarily in conventional US
gas plays contributed more than two-thirds
of 2010 total transaction value, but total
transaction value for shale gas play assets
was up 255% year-over-year, reaching an
all-time high of more than $5 billion.
Transactions involving gas-gathering
and processing facilities led the deal count
with 24 deals in 2010, followed by 10 deals
involving liquids pipelines and eight deals
involving gas pipelines.
The midstream M&A activity in
2010 was clearly a reflection of the rapidly
increasing volumes of natural gas that are
being produced and brought online in the
US combined with the current unfavorable
economic climate for gas, said Cynthia
Pross, senior analyst for M&A research at
IHS. I think many of these deals indicate a
desire by companies to cut costs by stream-
lining operations through restructuring,
to improve balance sheets, and to gain
increased access to capital through larger,
consolidated operations. Ultimately, they
want to optimize their profitability, since
natural gas margins are so thin.
MLPs. Ms. Pross said there were several
US midstream restructurings in 2010
involving master limited partnerships. We
TABLE 1. Highlights of Pipeline Transportation Safety Improvement Act of 2010
Reauthorizes the authority of the US Department of Transportations Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration (PHMSA) through fiscal year 2014
Increases civil penalties for violators of pipeline regulations
Expands excess flow valve requirements to include multi-family buildings and small commercial facilities
Requires installation of automatic or remote-controlled shut-off valves on new transmission pipelines
Instructs the US Secretary of Transportation to establish time limits on accident and leak notification by
pipeline operators to local and state government officials and emergency responders
Requires the US Secretary of Transportation to evaluate whether integrity management system requirements
should be expanded beyond currently defined high-consequence areas and establish regulations as appropriate
Makes pipeline information, inspections and standards available to the public on the PHMSAs website
Authorizes additional pipeline inspectors and pipeline safety support employees through a phased-in
increase over the next four years.
VEGA Americas Inc., formerly Ohmart/VEGA, is the leader in the level
measurement of coke drums, resulting in the development of a new model
for coke drum control. Using a series of patented FiberFlex continuous
detectors, DSG point level detectors, and gamma radiation sources the
Continuous Level Coke Drum Measurement System makes an accurate,
continuous level measurement.
www.vega-americas.com
americas@vega.com
1-800-FOR-LEVEL
The system is fully customizable to meet customer needs and provide the
following benets:
Continuous monitoring of the drum level throughout the entire coking cycle
Reduces antifoam usage and saves costs associated with the change out
frequency of catalyst beds
Uses the internal RS-485 gauge-to-gauge communication network for extensive
diagnostics, increasing uptime, and saving time spent troubleshooting
Continuous Level Coke Drum
Measurement System
HPIMPACT

19
have seen MLPs streamlining operations
through acquisition of their general part-
ners, eliminating general partner distribu-
tion requirements and using those funds for
capital expenditures or to maintain distri-
butions to MLP unit-holders.
One such example of this streamlining
strategy, the IHS report noted, was evident
in the largest midstream transaction in
2010, when Enterprise Products Partners,
the gas-gathering and processing MLP,
acquired its general partner, Enterprise GP
Holdings, giving the MLP control of the
$22 billion enterprise value MLP. Enter-
prise Products Partners has geographically
diverse gas-gathering and storage assets in
Texas, Louisiana, Colorado and Ohio, pri-
marily serving conventional gas plays.
Major transaction. Another major
restructuring and the largest gas pipeline
transaction value for 2010 was Williams
Companies sale of its US interstate gas
pipeline and midstream business and lim-
ited partner interests in Williams Pipeline
Partners, to Williams Pipeline Partners for
a $11.8 billion total transaction value. This
new structure frees up additional funds to
direct to Williams Companies upstream
exploration and production operations,
and it consolidates and streamlines mid-
stream operations, cutting operating costs.
Williams Pipeline Partners has diversified
US midstream operations, with major pipe-
lines, primarily in the Rocky Mountains,
that serve conventional gas plays, as well as
some assets that serve unconventional gas
plays in the Marcellus shale.
Aside from cost control through con-
solidation and a need to enhance balance
sheets, Ms. Pross said, many of these
companies find the M&A market a way
to quickly and economically expand geo-
graphically, versus taking on extensive
new construction. In particular, we have
seen this in US shale plays, where we wit-
nessed a higher deal count than those for
conventional gas plays in 2010. Most of
these transactions were asset-level deals that
ranged from approximately $100 million to
$1 billion in total transaction values.
In addition to consolidation among
pipeline companies, 2010 saw integrated oil
and gas companies selling midstream assets
to midstream companies, allowing the seller
to focus financial resources on upstream
operations while simultaneously locking in
long-term midstream capacity agreements
with the buyer as part of the deal.
Going forward, Ms. Pross said, as
infrastructure continues to develop in the
shale plays, we would expect to see more
consolidation among players, resulting in
fewer companies, but those that remain will
be larger, stronger companies with bigger
footprints in the shale plays.
Association says CFATS
should be made permanent
In written testimony before a US con-
gressional panel, the National Petrochemi-
cal and Refiners Association (NPRA) said
existing Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism
Standards (CFATS) are effective and should
be made permanent. The associations state-
ment was given to the US House Commit-
tee on Homeland Securitys Subcommittee
on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection
and Security Technologies.
Maintaining a high level of security has
always been, and remains, a top priority
HPIMPACT
20

at Americas refineries and petrochemical
manufacturing plants, the NPRA stated in
its testimony. Operators of these facilities
are fully engaged in the maintenance and
enhancement of facility security.
Established in 2007, the CFATS pro-
gram was created under the US Depart-
ment of Homeland Security (DHS) to
regulate security at chemical facilities deter-
mined by the department to be high-risk.
We firmly believe that the current
CFATS program has been successful, but
it needs to be made permanent without the
addition of any extraneous provisions, the
NPRA said. CFATS must be allowed to
be fully implemented by the DHS before
any amendments to the program are con-
sidered.
The program is currently operating
under a temporary extension granted by
Congress. Legislative proposals both to
modify the existing program and to make
the program permanent were introduced in
the previous Congress and are expected to
be considered again this year.
Some previous proposals have included
measures to require the use of inherently
safer technology (IST). The NPRAs testi-
mony reiterated the associations longstand-
ing opposition to this change.
IST is a conceptual and often complex
framework that covers procedures, equip-
ment, protection and, when feasible, the
use of less hazardous chemicals, the NPRA
said. IST is not just a safety program; it is a
process safety program that involves under-
standing chemical engineering and the sup-
ply chain for petroleum-based, natural gas
liquids-based and other organic chemicals
derived from these basic feedstocks.
We strongly oppose the inclusion of
any IST provisions in chemical security leg-
islation. IST and chemical engineering deci-
sions should be left to individual sites and
not mandated by the federal government.
The association remains ready and
willing to work with the Committee and
Congress toward the implementation of
sound, responsible, effective chemical facil-
ity security policy.
US demand for activated
carbon growing
US demand for activated carbon,
including both virgin and reactivated
products sold by activated carbon sup-
pliers, is forecast to grow 15.8% per year
to 1.2 billion pounds in 2014. The main
driver of this exceptional growth will be
new demand in mercury control technol-
ogy for industrial air purification applica-
tions. These and other trends are presented
in a new study from The Freedonia Group.
Through 2014, demand for activated
carbon in mercury control applications
alone is forecast to grow more than five-
fold to 520 million pounds. An activated
carbon injection (ACI) system used for
mercury control in a large industrial facility
can consume up to two million pounds of
activated carbon annually. As a result, the
enactment of even a portion of the emis-
sions standards currently in draft form will
represent a tremendous growth opportu-
nity for US suppliers.
As powdered activated carbon (PAC)
is overwhelmingly the product type used
in mercury control technology, the PAC
segment will expand to account for two-
thirds of US product demand in 2014 in
volume terms. HP
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I

21
HPIN CONSTRUCTION
HELEN MECHE, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
HM@HydrocarbonProcessing.com
North America
Sasol plans to construct what is said to
be the worlds first commercial ethylene
tetramerization unit, capable of produc-
ing over 100,000 metric tpy of combined
1-octene and 1-hexene at its Lake Charles
production site in Louisiana. The unit will
use Sasols proprietary technology to con-
vert ethylene to 1-octene and 1-hexene.
This unique process selectively produces
alpha olefins required for the high-growth
polymer markets. Construction will com-
mence in 2011, and the plant will reach
beneficial operation in mid-2013.
Endicott Biofuels, LLC (EBF) has an
agreement with KMTEX Ltd. to construct
a 30 million-gpy biorefinery in Port Arthur,
Texas. The biorefinery will use EBFs pro-
prietary technology for producing high-
purity G2 Clear biodiesel. KMTEX will
host EBF as well as provide certain con-
struction and operational services. Equity
funding will come from Haddington Ven-
tures, LLC, and construction is expected to
begin in late January 2011.
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. has a
three-year contract with North Atlantic
Refining Ltd. to provide turnaround and
small capital work services at the companys
refinery in Newfoundland, Canada. Jacobs
will provide turnaround planning and exe-
cution, including pre-planning and post
turnaround activities, as well as delivery of
small capital works at the site.
South America
Albemarle Corp. and Petrobras have
signed a memorandum of understanding to
build a world-scale hydroprocessing catalyst
(HPC) production plant on the site of their
existing joint-venture Fabrica Carioca de
Catalisadores SA (FCC SA) in Santa Cruz,
Brazil. The new facility will complement
existing production of fluid catalytic crack-
ing (FCC) catalysts.
The plant will be constructed ahead
of significant growth in demand for
hydroprocessing catalysts, as Petrobras
begins to introduce new hydrotreaters to
existing and new refineries over the com-
ing years. Albemarle will provide FCC
SA with its leading technology for manu-
facturing HPC, enabling production of
STARS catalysts.
Europe
Alfa Laval has received an order for
compact heat exchangers from a refinery
in Russia. The order value is about SEK
70 million and delivery is scheduled for
2011. The compact heat exchangers will
be used in the refinerys distillation process,
where the crude oil is preheated for further
refining into high-value products such as
gasoline. By using Alfa Lavals compact heat
exchangers, it is possible to recover heat
from other parts of the process and use it to
preheat the oil, thereby achieving a highly
energy-efficient solution.
The Dow Chemical Co. has increased
its monopropylene glycol (MPG) capacity
by 15%, an additional 35 kilotons/yr, in
its Stade, Germany, plant after completion
of an advanced energy improvement and
technology optimization project.
The Stade expansion was completed in
August 2010 during planned maintenance,
and it raises the plants propylene glycol
nameplate capacity to approximately 270
kilotons/yr.
Stamicarbon, the licensing and intel-
lectual property center of Maire Tecnimont
S.p.A., has acquired the Italian engineering
company Noy Engineering from Tecni-
mont. With this acquisition, Stamicarbons
extensive licensing, innovation and cus-
tomer-service experience are combined with
Noy Engineerings polyester and polymeriza-
tion technologies.
Noy Engineering, established in 1983, is
said to be a leading company in the field of
process engineering and plant contracting.
The company designs and builds plants
worldwide, based on proprietary technolo-
gies. It has developed an extensive portfolio
of polymer technologies and acrylic.
Middle East
Qatar Petroleum and Shell have
signed a memorandum of understanding
to jointly study development of a major
petrochemicals complex in Ras Laffan
Industrial City, Qatar. The scope under
consideration would include a mono-
ethylene glycol plant of up to 1.5 million
tpy, using Shells proprietary only MEG
advantaged (OMEGA) technology and
other olefin derivatives to yield over 2 mil-
lion tons of finished products.
Sd-Chemie AG and Yara Interna-
tional ASA have a five-year framework
agreement on catalysts for fertilizer pro-
duction. Moreover, this long-term supply
agreement will cover more than 50% of
the requirements of Qatar Fertiliser Co.
(Qafco), a joint venture of which Yara owns
25%. Under the agreement, Sd-Chemie
will develop, produce and deliver all front-
end catalysts involved in producing ammo-
nia, as well as applied technical support.
Sd-Chemie expects to generate more
than $40 million from the agreement
during the next five years. In particular,
Sd-Chemie will provide advanced cata-
lytic technologies for feed purification,
hydrodesulfurization, steam reforming, and
high- and low-temperature CO conversion
and methanation.
JGC Corp. has an award to build the
gas processing facilities for the Barzan
Onshore Project in Qatar. The Barzan Proj-
ect is managed by RasGas Co., Ltd., which
is owned by Qatar Petroleum (70%) and
an affiliate of ExxonMobil (30%).
Trend analysis forecasting
Hydrocarbon Processing maintains an
extensive database of historical HPI project
information. The Boxscore Database is
a 35-year compilation of projects by type,
operating company, licensor, engineering/
constructor, location, etc. Many companies
use the historical data for trending or sales
forecasting.
The historical information is available in
comma-delimited or Excel
and can be custom

sorted to suit your needs. The cost depends on
the size and complexity of the sort requested.
You can focus on a narrow request, such as
the history of a particular type of project, or
you can obtain the entire 35-year Boxscore
database or portions thereof. Simply send
a clear description of the data needed and
receive a prompt cost quotation.
Contact: Drew Combs
P.O. Box 2608, Houston, Texas, 77252-2608
713-520-4409
Drew.Combs@GulfPub.com
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HPIN CONSTRUCTION

23
The project, located in Ras Laffan
Industrial City, 80 km north of Doha, calls
for the engineering, procurement and con-
struction (EPC) of the gas processing facili-
ties. This includes a gas-processing unit, a
sulfur-recovery unit and an NGL-recovery
unit to produce methane, ethane, propane,
butane and condensate. The lump-sum
turnkey contract is a multi-billion US dol-
lar EPC contract.
The Elliott Group has been selected
to supply the compressor packages for the
residue fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC) and
the crude-oil distillation plant as part of
Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Co.s (Takreer)
Ruwais refinery expansion.
The RFCC unit is the centerpiece of the
project. Under contract with the engineer-
ing procurement contractor, GS Engineer-
ing & Construction Corp., Elliott will
provide seven compressor trains, a power-
recovery expander train and associated
auxiliaries. Equipment includes a wet-gas
compressor, two heat-pump compressors,
two refrigeration compressors, a propylene
compressor and a hot-gas expander.
The Elliott Group will provide the com-
pressors for the crude-oil distillation plant
under contract with SK Engineering &
Construction Co. Delivery is scheduled
for mid-2013, with commissioning to fol-
low in the first quarter of 2014.
Asia-Pacific
Air Liquide has signed a long-term con-
tract with Tongmei Guangfa Chemical
Industry Co., Ltd., whose major share-
holder is Datong Coal Mine Group Co.
Under agreement terms, Air Liquide will
invest around 60 million in a large air-
separation unit (ASU) with production
capacity of 2,000 tpd of oxygen to sup-
ply oxygen and nitrogen to the customers
methanol-production project in Datong,
Shanxi Province, China. Industrial pro-
duction is scheduled to begin in July 2012.
During Phase 1 of the project, 600,000 tpy
of methanol will be produced.
KBRs consulting subsidiary, Gran-
herne, has been selected by GDF SUEZ
Bonaparte Pty. Ltd. to execute the
upstream pre-front-end engineering and
design (pre-FEED) study for the Bonaparte
Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project, a
proposed floating liquefaction plant to be
located in the Bonaparte Basin, North-
ern Territory, Australia. The project,
being developed through a joint venture
between GDF SUEZ and Santos Ltd., has
a planned LNG capacity of two million tpy.
LANXESS continues to expand its
Indian production site in Jhagadia, Gujarat
State. The specialty chemicals group broke
ground for new compounding facilities,
with an initial capacity of 20,000 metric
tpy. These facilities will start producing the
high-tech plastics Durethan (polyamide) and
Pocan (polybutylene terephthalate) at the
beginning of 2012. The investment of more
than 10 million will create 60 new jobs.
Fluor Corp. has an engineering, pro-
curement and construction (EPC) con-
tract with Santos Ltd. for its Gladstone
Liquefied Natural Gas (GLNG) project in
Queensland, Australia. Fluors EPC con-
tract includes upstream facilities associ-
ated with the 7.8 million-tpy LNG project
that will extract and liquefy gas from coal
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HPIN CONSTRUCTION
deposits for eventual export to Asia and
other global markets. Fluor booked $3.5
billion in its fourth quarter of 2010 for this
new contract.
KBR and SK Innovation have started up
their advanced catalytic olefins (ACO) demo
plant in Ulsan, South Korea. Operations to
date have met the companies expectations
for high-olefins productionparticularly
propylene, with improved economics rela-
tive to steam crackingdue to the technol-
ogys higher total olefins yields and increased
propylene/ethylene ratios approaching 1.0.
The startup is said to mark the first com-
mercial demonstration of ACO.
The demonstration unit achieved
design feed rate as scheduled in late Octo-
ber 2010. The ACO process provides an
attractive alternative to naphtha steam
crackers and, in addition to offering higher
olefins production, the process also pro-
duces a lower emissions footprint than a
conventional cracker.
The keys to this novel technology are
the development of a proprietary catalyst
and optimization of operating conditions
by SK innovation, coupled with KBRs
know how in fluid-bed reactor design and
polymer-grade ethylene and propylene pro-
duction.
IndianOil and LanzaTech have an
understanding to collaborate in a technol-
ogy demonstration that will enable Indian-
Oil to produce fuel-grade ethanol. As a part
of the collaboration, IndianOil will evalu-
ate LanzaTechs proprietary gas-fermenta-
tion technology in one of its refineries to
produce fuel-grade ethanol.
Hyperion Systems Engineering has
been awarded a contract by The Linde
Group to supply an operator training sim-
ulator for an ethylene cracker and associ-
ated units that form part of a polymer com-
plex to be built in Dahej, India. The plant
will manufacture 1.1 million tpy of ethyl-
ene, 400,000 tpy of propylene, 150,000 tpy
of benzene and 115,000 tpy of butadiene.
Together with consortium partner Sam-
sung Engineering of Korea, Linde will
build the turnkey plant for Indias ONGC
Petro-additions Ltd. When it comes online
in late 2012, the Dahej plant will report-
edly be Indias largest ethylene plant and the
anchor of a larger petrochemical complex.
Lummus Technol ogy, a CB&I
company, has a contract with Formosa
Chemicals and Fibre Corp. (FCFC) for
the license and engineering design of a
grassroots cumene and phenol plant to be
built in Ningbo, China. The plant, which
is expected to start up in 2013, will use
Lummus Technologys Polimeri Europa/
Lummus cumene and phenol technologies
to produce 450,000 metric tpy of cumene
and 300,000 metric tpy of phenol.
KBRs technology business unit has
a contract with Tianji Coal Chemical
Industry Group, Co., Ltd., to provide
licensing and related engineering services
for a grassroots aniline plant to be located
in Lucheng, Shanxi, China. The aniline
technology is offered by KBR through a
licensing alliance with DuPont. KBR will
license this leading technology, and provide
basic engineering and field-support services
for Tianjis 450 metric-tpd aniline plant.
This award follows the successful licensing
by KBR of an existing 150,000 metric-tpy
aniline plant for Tianji in China. HP
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26

I
JANUARY 2011 HYDROCARBON PROCESSING
HPI CONSTRUCTION BOXSCORE UPDATE
Company City Plant Site Project Capacity Unit Cost Status Yr Cmpl Licensor Engineering Constructor
AFRICA
Algeria Sonatrach Algiers Algeries Refinery RE 60 Bcfd 908 M 2013 SONARA Technip
Angola Sonangol Lobito Lobito Refinery 200 Mbpd U 2015 KBR
Morocco SAMIR Mohammedia Mohammedia Treater, Kerosine 600 t/a E 2012 UOP Tecnicas Reunidas
ASIA/PACIFIC
Australia Santos\PETRONAS JV Queensland Bowen-Surat Basin LNG EX 1.5 Mtpy 750 U 2011 Total Fluor Fluor
China Unocal Indonesia Ltd Sichuan Sichuan Sulfur 212 MMcfd 1300 E 2013 WorleyParsons
India Mangalore Rfg & Petrochemicals Mangalore Mangalore Refinery EX 9.69 MMtpy 2400 U 2011 EIL|Toyo Japan EIL EIL
Papua New Guinea Esso Highlands PNG LNG Kutubu Kutubu LNG 6.6 MMtpy U 2014 JGC|Chiyoda CB&I
South Korea Hyundai Oilbank Co., Ltd. Daesan Daesan Refinery, Heavy Ends (2) 510 bpd 2330 C 2011
Vietnam Petrovietnam Dung Quat Dung Quat Refinery EX 6.5 MMtpy 3000 P 2016 Technip|JGC| Tecnicas Reunidas
Tecnicas Reunidas JGC|Technip
CANADA
Alberta Altagas Harmattan Harmattan Gas Plant 95 MMcfd 50 P 2012 Gas Liquids Eng
British Columbia Murphy Oil Co Ltd West Tupper West Tupper Gas Plant 180 MMcfd 180 U 2011 Gas Liquids Eng TAHK Projects Ltd
EUROPE
Belarus Mozyr Refinery Mozyr Mozyr Treater, Tail Gas 240 t/a E 2013 Siirtec Nigi Siirtec Nigi
Belgium Eval Europe NV Antwerp Antwerp Polymer (2) EX t/a 470 M 2012 Kuraray Aker Kvaerner Aker Kvaerner
Bulgaria Lukoil Neftochim Bourgas Burgas Burgas Hydrocrack, Resid 2.2 MMtpy 95 E 2013 Axens Technip
Greece Hellenic Petroleum SA Elefsina Elefsina Amine Recovery 280 tpd U 2011 Haldor Topse Tecnicas Reunidas
Italy Eni SpA Sannazzaro Raffineria di Sannazzaro Sour Water Stripper 3.5 Mcfd U 2012 Siirtec Nigi
Kazakhstan AGIP KCO Kashagan Kashagan Field Gas Dehydration (1) 200 MMcfd U 2013 Siirtec Nigi Siirtec Nigi
Netherlands Kuwait Petro Corp Rotterdam Rotterdam Sulfur Recovery Unit (2) None 100 C 2011
Portugal Galp Energia Sines Sines Cracker, FCC RE None U 2011 UOP Tecnicas Reunidas Tecnicas Reunidas
Russian Federation Rosneft Angarsk Angarsk Sulfur Recovery Unit 114 m-tpd E 2013 WorleyParsons WorleyParsons
Spain Repsol YPF Cartagena Cartagena Coker, Gas Oil 920000 tpy U 2011 Axens Tecnicas Reunidas Tecnicas Reunidas
UK Powerfuel Plc Hatfield Hatfield Sulfur Recovery Unit 50 m-tpd E 2014 WorleyParsons |Cryoplants WorleyParsons
LATIN AMERICA
Brazil Agrenco Bio-Energia Parana Parana Biodiesel 135 Mtpy S 2013
Mexico Pemex Minatitlan Minatitlan Hydrotreater, Gasoil EX 50 bpd U 2011 Tecnicas Reunidas Rio San Juan Constr
Constr N. Odebrecht
Peru Petroperu Talara Talara Hydrotreater, Diesel 41 bpsd E 2014 Axens Tecnicas Reunidas Tecnicas Reunidas
MIDDLE EAST
Bahrain BAPCO\Neste Oil Corp JV Bahrain City Bahrain City Lube Oil Refining 36 m-t 9300 C 2011 CLG|Neste Jacobs Samsung Eng Samsung Eng
Oman Octal Holding & Co Salalah Salalah PET (2) 527 Mt 296 E 2012 Uhde Inventa-Fischer
Qatar Qatar Petroleum Mesaieed Mesaieed Sulfur Recovery TO 308 m-tpd E 2012 WorleyParsons WorleyParsons Petrofac
Saudi Arabia Saudi Aramco Yanbu Yanbu Refinery 400 bpd 580 U 2014 KBR
Turkey TUPRAS Izmit Izmit Utilities None E 2014 Tecnicas Reunidas Tecnicas Reunidas
UNITED STATES
Alaska Tesoro Corp Kenai Kenai Benzene Reduction EX None 90 A 2012 Mustang
Texas Delek Refining Tyler Tyler Cracker, FCC Reactor RE None 10 C 2011 UOP Mustang AltairStrickland
Utah Tesoro Corp Salt Lake City Salt Lake City Benzene Reduction EX None 55 C 2011 UOP Mustang
THE GLOBAL SOURCE
FOR TRACKING HPI
CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY
BOXSCORE DATABASE ONLINE
For more than 50 years, Hydrocarbon Processing
magazine remains the only source that collects and
maintains data specically for the HPI community,
publishing up-to-the-minute construction projects
from around the globe with our online product,
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helps engineers, contractors and marketing personnel
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world to:
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And, decide future budget planning.
Now, weve made our best product even better!
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CORROSION CONTROL SPECIALREPORT

I

29
Updates on improving
refractory lining service life
Tips help maintenance and operations care and maintain
refractory products in high-temperature operations
M. MAITY, SABIC Technology Centre, Jubail, Saudi Arabia
T
he hydrocarbon processing indus-
try (HPI) utilizes high-temperature
conditions and relies on the perfor-
mance of refractory lining for various fur-
naces and vessels. The total installed cost
of refractories in HPI facilities is negligible
compared to the total cost of the entire
complex.
However, refractory lining is very impor-
tant and it plays a critical role in the total
performance, profitability and reliable
operation of the plant. There are several
instances of refractory lining non-perfor-
mances and premature failures resulted in
unplanned emergency shutdown. We will
discuss common problems and failures
encountered in HPI facilities and some
remedial measures to follow.
Background. In the HPI, refractories are
mostly installed on fired heaters, hydrogen
reformers, ammonia primary and second-
ary reformers, cracking furnaces, incinera-
tors, process gas boilers, catalytic crack-
ing units, coke calciner, sulfur furnaces,
utility boilers, air heaters, ducting, stacks,
etc. Some of the listed equipment operate
under high pressure, and operating tem-
perature can vary from very low to very
high (approximately 500C to 1,600C).
Refractories play a critical role for the
total performance and reliable operation of
high-temperature processing units. Refrac-
tories can be the controlling factor in the
success or failure of a furnace and vessels
service life, as well as the safe and profitable
operation of the plant.
Most HPI facilities operate under con-
tinuous operating mode and will run for
several years before a scheduled shutdown
for maintenance or turnaround. Therefore,
the prime objective here is equipment reli-
ability. Also, in the HPI, the time between
shutdowns and maintenance outages is
increasing with the implementation of
stringent quality control and preventive
maintenance programs. The shutdown
period is usually short in duration and is
planned primarily for mechanical overhaul.
The life and durability of refractory lining
should not be the determining factor in
the frequency and duration of shutdowns.
In spite of its importance, refractories
are, in many cases, neglected, misunder-
stood and abused, and the uncared for
refractory can cause several problems dur-
ing regular plant operations.
The unexpected problems can cause
an emergency shutdown or require lon-
ger maintenance time to rectify both the
damages in the refractory lining as well as
mechanical damages to unit equipment.
Also, the sudden failure of the lining can
pose a significant risk and threat to plant
safety. Therefore, it is important for HPI
facilities to optimize the lining reliability
and performance in various applications.
It may be possible to minimize refrac-
tory related problems and reduce unnec-
essary expenses by introducing sound
engineering practices, following proven
guidelines and sharing practical experiences
while designing the lining and selecting
construction materials, installation meth-
ods, etc. This article will discuss several
common problems and failures of refrac-
tory lining and highlight important consid-
erations to mitigate such problems.
Common problems and failures.
The performance of any lining in a furnace
is considered to be reasonable when similar
service lives are achieved on a regular basis.
Premature lining failure may be defined as
one that does not achieve normal or average
performance and service life.
The furnaces and vessels in the HPI do
not consume the refractory with corrosive
liquid metal, slag, abrasion, impact, etc.,
which are common in metallurgical fur-
naces. Refractory lining problems and fail-
ures are mainly due to thermo-mechanical
stresses, erosion and chemical attack. The
most common refractory problems as expe-
rienced in the HPI are:
Hot spots (higher casing temperature)
Excessive cracking
Spalling of lining (thermal,
mechanical, structural)
Erosion and thinning of lining
Chemical attack/corrosion from
process gases (such as hydrogen,
carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,
alkalies), flue gases (sulfur, sodium,
vanadium), steam, etc.
Acid-gas dew-point corrosion of
refractory and metallic parts
Partial melting and degradation of
lining
Excessive shrinkage and development
of gaps
Anchor failure and detachment of
lining from wall
Failure of metal liner over refractory
Explosive spalling during dry out
Mechanical damages.
The extent of damages and failures may
vary equipment to equipment. Sometimes
the problems appear within a short time of
operation or during commissioning, and
this can become a major concern.
Most processing industries handle
highly combustible hydrocarbons. There-
fore, lining problems in critical pressure ves-
sels and boilers are a major concern and, in
many cases, causes immediate shutdown to
avoid any accidents. HPI processing plants
are complicated involving continuous chain
reactions in the interconnected network of
30

I

reactors, vessels and pipelines. Any problem
in any particular vessel due to a refractory
problem can result in a complete shutdown
of the unit and/or the entire facility.
Here are some of the common exam-
ples of refractory damage (Figs. 112).
The reduction in lining thickness in the
catalytic cracking unit is caused either by
cracking and spalling due to heavy thermal
shock or erosion by catalyst particles and
subsequent hot spot or partial exposure of
shell plate. Also, mechanical damage in the
cyclones due to erosion of the lining and
plate may disturb the unit operation. Fail-
ure of the lining due to inadequate anchor
system is very common for all kinds of
lining. Explosive spalling may be caused
during the initial dry out due to uncon-
trolled heating.
Differential movement of the shell and
lining due to a mismatch in expansion
behavior, uncontrolled heating-cooling,
mechanical stresses, etc., can cause vari-
ous problems in the lining. In many cases,
localized hot spots or high temperatures
are controlled by steam impingement to
reduce the casing temperature and continue
plant operation. Reductions in thermal effi-
ciency, as well as associated risks and plant
safety, are major concern for such cases.
Failure analysis and corrective
actions. Refractory-lined equipment
function as a system. There are several
interacting physical and chemical effects
that may be ongoing, progressive, cyclic,
etc., that will definitely control the perfor-
mance of refractory. Therefore, in most of
the cases, it may be very difficult to con-
clude a single reason for nonperformance
and premature failure of the lining. Also,
there are numerous precommissioning fac-
tors related to design, material selection,
installation, etc., as explained previously
that directly affect performance.
In some cases, the poor quality material
or installation workmanship of the refrac-
tory may contribute to the problem. But it
is also possible that a good quality refrac-
tory or installation can give unsatisfactory
performance because of a combination of
other factors. The analysis of any refractory
problem should consider numerous factors
and identify the main root cause for the
problems and select appropriate recom-
mendations.
Identifying the actual reason of non-
performance for the lining is a difficult
task, and this involves systematic study and
analysis of the problem. Reviews of back-
ground information particularly design
engineering, quality and source of mate-
rial, installation procedures and records,
operational records, post-service inspection
and maintenance history are important for
the root-cause analysis. Awareness of the
operational parameters and potential deg-
radation mechanisms that can lead to fail-
ure of the lining is essential to understand
the problems and remedial measures. A
thorough system analysis should result in a
better understanding of the various factors
that control the performance of the lin-
ing and yield in sound basis for corrective
remedial measures and actions. Therefore,
clues and relevant facts of failure should be
gathered, analyzed, explored and studied
to make a meaningful conclusion. Collect-
ing samples and selective laboratory test-
ing should be part of the failure analysis, if
required. Important factors responsible for
the performance of the lining are briefly
explained here.
Typical refractory lining failures
Castable damage and anchors
exposed.
FIG. 4
Loose bricks hanging.
FIG. 5
CF module fallen from roof.
FIG. 6 Typical refractory lining failures
Roof lining collapse.
FIG. 3
Castable wall detached.
FIG. 2
Crack in castable lining.
FIG. 1
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CORROSION CONTROL
Important factors governing
refractory lining performance.
Whenever there are some problems in lin-
ing, we mostly conclude that either the
refractory material was bad or the installa-
tion was poor. However, in reality, the prob-
lems are probably due to a combination of
multiple factors and may not be solely just
one factorpoor installation or inferior
refractory quality. Clients as well as the proj-
ect contractors, suppliers and others dont
always recognize that their actions and over-
sights can directly affect the performance of
the lining.
To address the problems associated with
refractories, it is necessary to recognize the
main factors that are involved and contrib-
ute refractory related problems. These fac-
tors are:
Design of furnaces/vessels
Design of refractory lining
and detail engineering
Selection of refractory materials
and specification
Quality of refractory materials
Installation of lining
Curing, startup and maintenance
of lining
Operation practices
Inspection and maintenance
practices.
It is important to give attention to these
listed factors to avoid and minimize unex-
pected and premature failure or problems
of lining.
Design of furnace/vessels. The per-
formance and stability of the refractory
lining depends on the structural design of
the furnace and its configuration. Some-
times adequate attention is not given to
the refractory lining and its engineering
related issues during early plant equip-
ment design and detail engineering. One
of the most common observations is that
the refractory designers or specialists are
involved at the final stage of project imple-
mentation or during installation. This may
lead to several compromises with refrac-
tory-lining design and engineering prac-
tices as there is limited scope for change
in vessel design, operating conditions and
the process to reduce the impact of these
factors on lining performance.
The problem of refractory lining may
be due to insufficient combustion vol-
ume. The heat released within the system
is more than absorbed by the process and
is dissipated through walls or exhausted
with flue gases. In such cases, there are
possibilities of the lining approaching the
flame temperature and causing several
problems. The burner type, its design,
location, flame shape, possibilities of flame
impingement, flowing pattern of flue
gases, etc., may affect the lining. In many
cases, limited vessel dimensions, inacces-
sibility and complicated configuration
restricts the best lining practices during
initial construction as well as subsequent
maintenance and repair.
Design of refractory lining and detail
engineering. The design and detail engi-
neering of the lining for a furnace and ves-
sel should be done on the basis of careful
analysis of service conditions, availability
of refractory materials, thickness require-
ments, anchorage, ease of installation and
future repair and maintenance. Adequate
knowledge on operating conditions that
are activesuch as temperature, pressure,
chemical attack, thermal shock, abrasion,
erosion, furnace gas composition, mechani-
cal movement, vibration, etc.should be
very useful for the optimum lining design
and selection of refractory. Chemical
attack may occur from gases such as steam,
hydrogen, carbon monoxide, alkalies, sul-
furous gases, etc.; these acid gases can initi-
ate various problems in the lining, which
Typical refractory lining fail-
uresCasing plate corrosion with
perforation.
FIG. 7
Acid condensation below lining.
FIG. 8
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34

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are explained in the literature. All of the
important operating factors and any other
criteria specific to the process under consid-
eration should be verified for their possible
effect on the performance of the lining.
Thermal calculation is essential for any
lining to ensure design casing temperature,
temperature gradient in the wall and heat
losses. Thermo-mechanical FEM analysis
may be carried out for critical vessels and
load bearing refractory structures to predict
temperatures, stresses and displacements in
the lining. The FEM analysis is a reliable
tool to investigate the spalling mechanisms
and to develop ways on improving the lin-
ing behavior.
Anchors are used for almost all types of
refractory applications. These are mostly
metallic type. Lining failures due to inad-
equacies in the anchoring system are very
common (Figs. 6, 9 and 10). Selecting the
proper metallurgy, anchor dimensions,
configurations, and spacing are very impor-
tant to achieve the maximum service life of
the lining. Where metal liners are used over
the lining, the mechanical design should be
sound and allow free movement of the liner
on one end from its fixed positions.
While designing a new lining for a ves-
sel it is important to consider ease of future
maintenance and repair. However, this
aspect of the lining design is compromised
in many cases because a lining system
that is maintenance friendly may be more
expensive with respect to initial materials
and installation expenses as compared to
a lining that is adequate to meet the initial
contractual requirements.
Details of the lining layout structure,
thickness, dimension, shape and sizes of
individual bricks and other shaped items,
their laying and bonding patterns, provi-
sions for expansion allowances, support of
brick-wall, etc., should be part of the detail
engineering for each piece of equipment.
Finally, practical experiences and expe-
rience-based judgments are very impor-
tant for successful and reliable design of any
refractory lining. Therefore, involvement
of experienced engineers from the design
stages to final implementation is one of the
essential parameters to get the optimum
performance of lining.
Selection of refractory materials and
specification. The majority of refractories
used in the HPI are aluminasilicate and
high alumina varietiesboth insulating
and dense types. Mainly bricks, monolith-
ics, ceramic fiber items, different types of
insulating blocks, etc., are used for lining.
Bricks and monolithics are available for
both dense and insulating types with a wide
range of properties and each material has an
application that is more suitable.
Selecting materials should always be
based on properties and specifications suit-
able for the specific application and operat-
ing conditions. Most refractory materials
react and change during service according
to the principle of thermo-chemistry. It
is important to know the furnace atmo-
sphere, presence of any major or minor
chemicals and their possible effects on the
lining. Selecting materials solely based
on price and ease of installation should
be avoided. Very often, monolithic lin-
ing system is selected in the lining design
of critical vessels where brick lining or
some other design may be more suitable.
The selection may be due to cheap and
easy availability of monolithics and easier
installation than brick lining and to avoid
preparation of too many engineering draw-
ings for the complicated brick shapes and
laying details. In many cases, recommen-
dations of refractory manufacturers are
biased and based on their available product
ranges, which may not be appropriate for
the required conditions.
Selection should be based on the desired
service life and cost considerations. Initial
cost of refractory lining should not be the
selection criteria but rather the service life
of lining under operating conditions. It is
better to develop the material specification
for any application based on discussions
with the manufacturers to ensure it is more
practical and realistic. The specification
should be regularly reviewed and updated
based on actual performance of used mate-
rials and current industry practices.
Quality of refractory materials.
Refractory materials are heterogeneous, and
quality varies both as manufactured and
as installed. Materials should be procured
against specifications most appropriate to
the specific application. For critical appli-
cations, purchasing of materials based on a
comparison of product datasheet or cata-
logue specifications or equivalent principles
should be avoided. The actual performance
references and records for specific products
or brands should be verified against simi-
lar applications. Reviews of manufacturing
facilities and quality-control program, and
random inspection and testing of impor-
tant properties are essential.
Brick wall bulged.
Oxidation of anchor.
FIG. 9
Brick wall collapsed and hexmesh
detachment.
Surface spalling and exposed
anchor.
FIG. 10
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36

I

Lining installation. Unlike other engi-
neering subjects, there are very few well-
established and recognized engineering
standards, design and installation guide-
lines for refractory jobs to ensure quality
installation of the lining and its subsequent
satisfactory performance. In many applica-
tions and contracts, the only quality assur-
ance is limited to warranty and guarantee of
material and lining for a limited operating
period. Installations of refractory rely upon
manpower. Because of the human element,
care should be taken to ensure involve-
ment of only experienced manpower in
the installation. Developing job specific
installation procedures, quality plans and
acceptance criteria of the installed lining,
prequalification materials, and installation
crew are some of the important factors that
companies must address before any job.
API 936 guidelines, developed by the
American Petroleum Institute (API) are
very useful tools for quality control of
monolithic lining. There are also some
specifications and standards developed
by Process Industry Practices (PIP) espe-
cially for process industries. Prequalifica-
tion of materials, installation procedures,
machinery and crew, testing of as installed
samples, ambient condition monitoring,
acceptance criteria for installed lining,
involvement of neutral inspection agency
for quality monitoring, etc., are important
requirements of these standards. Many
clients and licensors have started recom-
mending compliance to these guidelines
for critical applications. Possible quality
control for brick and ceramic fiber lining
in similar lines are expected to improve
quality for the total installation job and
compliance to engineering practices.
Using common standards and guide-
lines will help the industry to mitigate
installation problems. This also helps in
developing quality installation manpower
that are actually executing the jobs in
the field, particularly crews, masons and
supervisors.
Dry out and heat up. The heat dry out
of a new lining, particularly monolithic
lining, is a critical step when consider-
ing the total quality for the installation.
Slow and controlled removal of free and
chemically bonded water from the lining
system is essential before actual startup
of the unit. Explosive spalling or crack-
ing may occur in lining when quick and
uncontrolled initial heat up or dry out of
the refractory is done.
Also, alkali hydrolysis is a major con-
cern for monolithic lining in tropical and
subtropical weather conditions. Dry-out
needs to be done at the earliest to prevent
damage. When delays in dry out or com-
plete dry-out are not practical, suitable seal-
ants may be used on monolithic lining to
reduce alkali hydrolysis reaction and dam-
age. Also, natural-air circulation should be
maintained within the furnace to avoid hot
and humid conditions.
Developing job specifications for the
dry out schedule is essential instead of fol-
lowing general guidelines from the sup-
plier. Burner size and location, exhaust
location, air volume, velocity, temperature-
control locations, etc., need to be properly
addressed. Permanent burners or special
external burners may be used for dry out
depending on requirements. Permanent
burners have limitations of inadequate
temperature control at the initial stage.
Many specialized dry-out agencies are
available to carry out this job in most pro-
fessional manner.
Unit operation. Production and opera-
tion personnel should be aware of the pro-
cess parameters that may affect the service
life of the refractory lining for furnaces
or reactors. Minor changes in operating
conditions and processes may strongly
influence the performance of any lining.
Abnormal changes in burner operation
such as flame impingement on refractory
surface, incomplete burning of fuel causing
change in furnace atmosphere, changes in
temperature, pressure, fuel quality (dirty
fuel), heating and cooling rate, etc.have
direct effects on the refractory lining. Oper-
ating at a higher temperature than specified
in the design can reduce the service life of
the refractory. High limit thermocouples
should be located at strategic positions for
monitoring and controlling temperatures
within the system.
In many cases, the problem or ini-
tiation of deterioration in lining due to
operational issues may not become visible
immediately. Therefore, it is important to
gather information on operational infor-
mation and records while studying the
problem.
Inspection and maintenance. Regu-
lar inspection of the lining and condition
monitoring should be part of the operating
plan for critical equipment. The frequency
of inspection may be decided based on
historical problems, severity of operating
conditions, complexity of design and other
factors. Timely identification of problems
and corrective actions may lead to longer
life of the lining. Temperature-sensitive
paints are widely used to monitor casing
temperature and locate hot spots. Infra-
red thermography is an important tool for
online-temperature measurement, condi-
tion monitoring of lining, predicting prob-
lems, and maintaining equipment uptime
during a problem.
Thermography is very useful for locat-
ing and monitoring effected areas in case
of any operational upset or localized prob-
lem in the furnace, and thus allowing the
inspectors insight into what is happening
inside the lining. This allows the plant to
make appropriate decisions in planning
the shutdown schedule and maintenance
repairs and estimating the total materials
needed for these repairs.
The maintenance strategy for refractory
linings should be based on cost-effective
proactive systems rather than on con-
ventional reactive systems. The probable
reasons and mode of failure should be
ascertained before redesigning or repair-
ing a lining. Change in lining design
and installation practices without proper
analysis of factors limiting the service life
of the existing lining may not be a long-
term solution. All repair and maintenance
jobs should be treated like a new job with
proper quality control. It is important to
inspect and record all repairs to maintain
a proper trend and database.
Other factors. There are many other
factors that may directly or indirectly
affect the performance of the lining. In
most construction sites, refractory instal-
lation is one of the last activities. With
any delay in other pre-activities, there is
always pressure on shortening and pos-
sibly compromising the refractory instal-
lation schedule to make up for earlier
delays. This attitude of getting the job
done fast may have major adverse effects
on quality.
Ambient temperature and working con-
ditions for workers have direct effects on
the quality of the installation job. Imple-
menting cost-cutting measures, purchas-
ing refractory and selecting the contractor
solely on the basis of commercial issues
with less importance on quality, services,
etc., may be the contributing factors to
poor performance over the longer term.
Observations for quality. Refrac-
tory is a diverse class of materials that are
used to insulate and protect industrial fur-
naces and vessels. The properties of the
refractories are tailored to specific applica-
tions by varying the composition of raw
materials. The technology of refractories
is making remarkable progress recently.

37
CORROSION CONTROL
Developments in refractory lining design
system and performance specifications
with as-built quality requirements are
very important for this specialized field.
With every lining failure, there is a degree
of uniqueness that results from variabil-
ity in design and application, complexity
of service conditions and material behav-
ior. Awareness of the potential degrada-
tion mechanisms of lining and operating
parameters is essential to mitigate such
problems. Implementing various quality
control programs, advanced installation
procedures and online inspection can con-
tribute to satisfy results. HP
BIBLIOGRAPGHY
American petroleum Institute, API RP 936, Refractory
installation quality control guidelines-inspection and
testing monolithic refractory linings and materials.
Biglin, J., Refractory Maintenance and repair, The
American Ceramic Society Bulletin, Vol.75, No. 5,
May 1996.
Crowley, M. S., Design better vessel linings,
Hydrocarbon Processing, December 1979.
Devera, D., After installation the importance of
a controlled dry-out for castable refractories, The
Refractories Engineer, July 2003.
Gardner, A., FCC Cyclone Refractories, Todays
Refinery, November 1998.
Hanley, R. M., Refractories utilization in the
hydrocarbon processing industries, The
Refractories Engineer, July 2000.
Hancock, J. D., Practical Refractories, Cannon &
Hancock CC.
Heard, N. E., Quality Control Practices in the US
Petrochemical Industries, Unitcer, 1989.
James, S., The Fundamentals of Refractory
Inspection with Infrared Thermography.
Schacht, C. A., Refractory Linings, Marcel Dekker,
Inc.
Semler, C. E., Overview of refractory problems in
industry, Interceram, Vol.40, No.7, 1991.
Manabendra Maity is work-
ing as a refractory specialist at the
Materials & Corrosion Section of Sabic
Technology Centre, Jubail, KSA. He
holds B.Tech degree in ceramic engi-
neering from Calcutta University and a M.Tech degree
in ceramic engineering from IT-BHU, India. He has more
than 16 years of extensive experience in refractory lining
design, engineering, installation & quality control, failure
analysis and troubleshooting for furnaces and vessels for
the refining, petrochemical and metallurgical industries.
He started his career in 1994 as a refractories & non-
metallics engineer in Engineers India Ltd., New Delhi
and continued there until 2007. It was followed by two
years in Ciria Division of Thermal Ceramics. Mr. Maity is
life member of India Ceramic Society & Indian Institute
of Ceramics. He has qualifiedfor API-936 Refractory
Personnel Certification Program.
Sweet Solutions.
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I

39
Flare stack structure revamp:
A case history
An innovative approach was used to repair an older flare
structure online without an extensive shutdown
S. SINGH, Reliance Industries Ltd., Nagothane, Maharashtra, India
A
gas flare, alternatively known as a
flare stack, is an elevated vertical
conveyance that is part of installa-
tions such as oil and gas wells, oil rigs, refin-
eries, chemical, petrochemical and natural
gas plants, and other facilities (Fig. 1). On
oil- production rigs and in refineries and
petrochemical plants, the flare stacks primar-
ily serve to protect vessels or pipes from over-
pressuring during unexpected plant upsets.
Safety system. Whenever plant equip-
ment is over-pressured, the pressure, relief
valves on the equipment automatically
release gases (and sometimes liquids as well)
that are routed through large piping runs
called flare headers after liquid hydrocar-
bons are completely vaporized and then
send to the flare stack. The released gases
are burned as they exit the flare stack. The
size and brightness of the resulting flame
depends on how much flammable material
was released.
Steam can be injected near the end of
the flare tip to reduce formation of black
smoke. The injected steam does, however,
increase the noise level of the burning gas.
To keep the flare system functional and
instantly useable, a small amount of purge
gas is continuously burned. It thus resem-
bles a pilot light, maintaining the system
ready for its primary purpose as an over-
pressure safety system. The continuous gas
source also helps to prevent oxygen ingress
into the system.
As mentioned earlier, flare systems
enhance plant safety by dependably dispos-
ing of all hydrocarbons discharged during
plant upsets. All safety valve releases go to
the flare system. There are, however, two
types of flare feeder systems in ISBL:
A wet flare header is used to handle
flare gases that contain moisture but are
not cold gases.
An intermediate flare header, which
could contain some moisture and nor-
mally handles some cold vapors (up to
45C).
A dry flare header designed to handle
dry flare gases. These will also be cold, with
normal temperatures below 45C.
A low-pressure acetylene flare header,
exclusively provided to handle acetylene-
rich gases.
At Reliances Nagothane facility, a large
flare stack with a design load of 1,000 met-
ric tph is located on the north-east side
of a gas-cracker plant. Flare headers from
individual plantspolypropylene, low-
density polyethylene, linear-low density
polyethylene, gas cracker-OSBL and gas
cracked-ISBL) join the main flare header,
which routes to the flare stack (Fig. 2). The
main flare header leads to a knockout drum
in the flare area.
The purpose of the knockout drum is
to separate entrained liquid droplets car-
ried with the gases passing through relief
valves. Liquid capture avoids the danger
Flare stack. FIG. 1
Flare stack
Water
seal
drum
Knockout
drum
WF
drum
ISBL
OSBL
L
L
D
C
P
P
L
D
B
-
1
P
P
Water inlet
Flare system schematic at the Nagothane plant in India. FIG. 2
40

I

of burning droplets falling from the top
of the flare stack. Flare gas free of liquid
flows to a water-seal drum; its purpose
is to provide protection against pulling
a vacuum and to prevent a flash back in
the flare header. Occasionally, the stack
draft effect could decrease pressures below
atmospheric at minimum flare gas loads.
The water seal also eliminates the ingress
of air into the flare system and any atten-
dant risk of explosion. The flare stack at
this facility is 100 m high and has a diam-
eter of 1.52 m. The flare height of 100
m includes the flare tip and a molecular
seal installed just above the flare stack and
below the flare tip.
The molecular seal consists of a gas
lead pipe and an inverted cylinder over
the pipe. Gas flows in an upward direction,
turns through 180 and flows downward
for a short length before being redirected
again through 180 and back to the origi-
nal flow direction. In the static condition,
gas lighter than air will tend to collect in
the upper bend and heavier gases will tend
to settle at the lower bend, sealing off the
stack against backflow of air. The flare tip
is mounted on top of the molecular seal
and contains three pilot burners. Dam-
age to the flare tip due to flame burn back
near the tip is avoided through the use of
refractory lining on all exposed anchor and
mesh surfaces.
Exploring the failure history. The
flare stack at Nagothane was commis-
sioned in 1989. Since then and at every
plant shutdown, the flare tip was being
replaced because it experienced damage
during flaring operation. Until 2010,
the flare stack structure had never been
repaired and neither had it been repainted
after plant commissioning because no time
was available during annual or major shut-
downs. However, inspections of the flare
stack structure, ladders, grating, clamps
and associated piping was conducted
before a major turnaround scheduled for
early 2010.
The support structure of the flare stack
was found damaged, and loss of thick-
ness was observed and measured at vari-
ous locations, mainly under the support
plates (Figs. 3 and 4). Fuel gas and steam
piping were found damaged as well and
some grating had been totally eaten away
by corrosion. Replacement or repair of the
entire structure during a projected 17- day
maintenance shutdown was contemplated
but judged very difficult. It was also real-
ized that working on a flare stack structure
during normal plant operation involves
high risks; needless to say, flaring can occur
at any time due to plant upsets.
Repair approach. The conventional
mode of replacing or repairing a flare
structure, piping and subsequent paint-
ing would take more than 100 days. It
was, therefore, judged impossible to do
the entire job during a planned shutdown
of only a 17-day duration. With that in
mind, initial discussions were aimed at
completing the job in discrete phases;
specifically up to 44 m elevation, in steps
dubbed non-shutdown or pre-shutdown
tasks. The remaining work from 44 m to
100 m elevation was to be done during the
scheduled major shutdown.
Scaffolding and crane arrangements
were implemented as pre-shutdown work
(Fig. 5). That left about 24 days as the
time required for work conducted while
the facility was shut down. Therefore, and
after further deliberations, it was agreed
to plan additional pre-shutdown work to
a height of 65 m during non-shutdown
and carry out the remaining jobs from
65 m to 100 m elevation with the facility
shut down.
Risk assessment and safety. Listed
among the special risks and risk mitigation
steps were:
Heat radiation due to flaring
Exposure to work at heights above
grade
Descending fire balls during heavy
flaring
Stinging insect attack or bites.
Among the major work items were pro-
tective metal shields of 1 mm thickness.
These were installed at elevations 26 m,
44 m and 65 m (Fig. 6). The sheet-metal
guards were affixed to the grating of all
scaffolding grating. In addition, ceramic
blankets were fastened to the sheet metal
to substantially reduce the intensity of the
radiant heat and avoid burning risks.
Flood lights were provided for job
execution at night, and water shields were
installed at the 66-m elevation to effect
cooling during flare events. As part of the
water-shield system, two water-curtain
nozzles were affixed horizontally to the
Damaged structure. FIG. 3
Extreme corrosion on a flare stack
in India.
FIG. 4
Pre-shutdown scaffolding work. FIG. 5
Lift arrangement and protective
metallic shields.
FIG. 6

I

41
structure. Their effectiveness was dem-
onstrated before they were mounted at
the jobsite.
Two lifts and a crane (hoist) were
deemed appropriate for worker rescue and
to facilitate the lifting of both personnel
and materials. One crane was designated
for emergency rescue of workers; and a
suitable cage was fabricated and load tested
before usage. Of course, the crane was also
used for lifting and lowering of materials.
The rack and pinion lifts were rated at 1
ton and 0.4 ton capacities, respectively.
They too could be used for rescue purposes
and up to 22 persons could be evacuated in
case of an emergency.
Nomex coveralls were mandatory for all
workforce members and their supervisors.
Whenever heavy flaring was to take place,
warnings would be issued to the workforce
in the flare area through redundant means,
including mobile handsets and a plant-
wide loudspeaker (audio) system activated
from the control room. The water-spray
curtain would commence immediately so
as to proactively cool the working area. All
persons could immediately retreat safely
to the protective area below the metallic
shield (Fig. 7).
In essence, the non-shutdown and shut-
down work encompassed:
Erection and dismantling of crane
and lifts
Scaffolding erection and removal up
to 100-m elevation
Affixing of metallic shields on the
scaffolding gratings at elevations of 26 m,
44 m and 65 m
Water-shield system installation at the
66 m elevation
Replacement or repair of 20 metric
tons of structure and replacement of 2.3
metric tons of grating (Figs. 8 and 9)
High-pressure water blasting of struc-
ture and flare stack; power tool cleaning
instead of manual wire brush; all followed
by painting
Insulation and cladding replacement
of 3-in. and 8-in. steam lines up to 100 m
elevation
Damaged fuel gas and steam line
replacement.
Goals. Initially, the non-shutdown tasks
were planned to be done during daylight
hours. With unscheduled flaring on some
days, the daytime work had to be sus-
pended. Lost time was recovered and work
execution scheduled on a round-the-clock
basis using floodlights at night to make
up for lost time and to complete the non-
shutdown part of the repair job in time.
All repair work on the flare stack struc-
ture was successfully done without incident
within the scheduled period-85 days for
non-shutdown work and 16 days for shut-
down work. This was the first time in the
history of Reliance that repair work on a
rather massive flare stack structure (Fig. 10)
has been done online without any safety
incident. HP
ABBREVIATIONS
NMD- Nagothane Manufacturing Division
PP- Poly propylene
LDPE- Linear density polyethylene
LLDPE- Linear-low density polyethylene
GC- Gas cracker
OSBL- Outside battery limit
ISBL- Inside battery limit
Water shield at 66 m. FIG. 7
Platform and clamps after
replacement.
FIG. 8
Piping, insulation and cladding
replacement.
FIG. 9
Massive flare stack at full usage. FIG. 10A
Flare stack structure after repair
and painting.
FIG. 10B
Surinder Singh is vice president
(mechanical) with Reliance Industries
Ltd. at the Nagothane Manufacturing
Division in Maharashtra, India. He has
over 30 years of petrochemical indus-
try experience. At present, he is assigned as head of
plant mechanical maintenance for the entire complex.
He has had wide experience in plant downtime reduc-
tion and major turnaround planning. He is credited with
filling lead roles and involvement in the development of
various safety procedures. Mr. Singh graduated with a
BSc degree in mechanical engineering from Regional
Engineering College, Kurukshetra, India.
Bryan Research & Engineering, Inc.
P.O. Box 4747 Bryan, Texas USA 77805
979-776-5220 www.bre.com sales@bre.com
Selecting the Best Solvent for Gas Treating
PROCESS INSIGHT
Selecting the best amine/solvent for gas treating is not a
trivial task. There are a number of amines available to
remove contaminants such as CO
2
, H
2
S and organic sulfur
compounds from sour gas streams. The most commonly used
amines are methanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA),
and methyldiethanolamine (MDEA). Other amines include
diglycolamine
(DGA), diisopropanolamine (DIPA), and

triethanolamine (TEA). Mixtures of amines can also be used
to customize or optimize the acid gas recovery. Temperature,
pressure, sour gas composition, and purity requirements for
the treated gas must all be considered when choosing the most
appropriate amine for a given application.
Primary Amines
The primary amine MEA removes both CO
2
and H
2
S from
sour gas and is effective at low pressure. Depending on
the conditions, MEA can remove H
2
S to less than 4 ppmv
while removing CO
2
to less than 100 ppmv. MEA systems
generally require a reclaimer to remove degraded products
from circulation. Typical solution strength ranges from 10 to
20 weight % with a maximum rich loading of 0.35 mole acid
gas/mole MEA. DGA
is another primary amine that removes

CO
2
, H
2
S, COS, and mercaptans. Typical solution strengths are
50-60 weight %, which result in lower circulation rates and less
energy required for stripping as compared with MEA. DGA
also requires reclaiming to remove the degradation products.
Secondary Amines
The secondary amine DEA removes both CO
2
and H
2
S but
generally requires higher pressure than MEA to meet overhead
specications. Because DEA is a weaker amine than MEA, it
requires less energy for stripping. Typical solution strength
ranges from 25 to 35 weight % with a maximum rich loading
of 0.35 mole/mole. DIPA is a secondary amine that exhibits
some selectivity for H
2
S although it is not as pronounced as for
tertiary amines. DIPA also removes COS. Solutions are low
in corrosion and require relatively low energy for regeneration.
The most common applications for DIPA are in the ADIP
and
SULFINOL
processes.
Tertiary Amines
A tertiary amine such as MDEA is often used to selectively
remove H
2
S, especially for cases with a high CO
2
to H
2
S ratio
in the sour gas. One benet of selective absorption of H
2
S is a
Claus feed rich in H
2
S. MDEA can remove H
2
S to 4 ppm while
maintaining 2% or less CO
2
in the treated gas using relatively
less energy for regeneration than that for DEA. Higher weight
percent amine and less CO
2
absorbed results in lower circulation
rates as well. Typical solution strengths are 40-50 weight % with
a maximum rich loading of 0.55 mole/mole. Because MDEA
is not prone to degradation, corrosion is low and a reclaimer is
unnecessary. Operating pressure can range from atmospheric,
typical of tail gas treating units, to over 1,000 psia.
Mixed Solvents
In certain situations, the solvent can be customized to
optimize the sweetening process. For example, adding a
primary or secondary amine to MDEA can increase the rate
of CO
2
absorption without compromising the advantages of
MDEA. Another less obvious application is adding MDEA to
an existing DEA unit to increase the effective weight % amine
to absorb more acid gas without increasing circulation rate or
reboiler duty. Many plants utilize a mixture of amine with
physical solvents. SULFINOL is a licensed product from
Shell Oil Products that combines an amine with a physical
solvent. Advantages of this solvent are increased mercaptan
pickup, lower regeneration energy, and selectivity to H
2
S.
Choosing the Best Alternative
Given the wide variety of gas treating
options, a process simulator that
can accurately predict sweetening
results is a necessity when attempting
to determine the best option.
ProMax
has been proven to accurately

predict results for numerous process
schemes. Additionally, ProMax can
utilize a scenario tool to perform
feasibility studies. The scenario
tool may be used to systematically
vary selected parameters in an
effort to determine the optimum operating conditions and the
appropriate solvent. These studies can determine rich loading,
reboiler duty, acid gas content of the sweet gas, amine losses,
required circulation rate, type of amine or physical solvent,
weight percent of amine, and other parameters. ProMax can
model virtually any ow process or conguration including
multiple columns, liquid hydrocarbon treating, and split ow
processes. In addition, ProMax can accurately model caustic
treating applications as well as physical solvent sweetening
with solvents such as Coastal AGR
, methanol, and NMP. For

more information about ProMax and its ability to determine the
appropriate solvent for a given set of conditions, contact Bryan
Research & Engineering.
BR&E

I

43
Avoid brittle fracture
in pressure vessels
Key points identify effects from auto-refrigeration on steel vessels
F. KHAZRAI, H. B. HAGHIGHI and H. KORDABADI,
Chagalesh Consulting Engineers, Tehran, Iran
D
uring an emergency, equipment failure or a planned main-
tenance event, hydrocarbon-processing industry (HPI)
pressure vessels are normally depressurized. This action
may cause auto-refrigeration and low-metal temperature situations
in which the likelihood of brittle fracture may occur in steel vessels
and reactors. This case history describes the results from a simu-
lation regarding auto-refrigeration effects on HPI reactors. The
study also included investigation on brittle-fracture phenomenon
and recommendations for a proactive engineering approach to
mitigate such failures. Key points highlighted from the study are:
Although the process-fluid temperature from auto-refrig-
eration drops to 86C, considering the vessels metal-mass heat
capacity and ambient temperature, the short-term vessel minimum
metal temperature does not become colder than 28C. Therefore,
selecting expensive material of construction can be avoided.
Complying with the ASME rules or other internationally
recognized codes for minimum requirements is crucial to the struc-
tural integrity of a pressure vessel. However, proactive engineer-
ing practices and precautions pertaining to the design, materials,
fabrication, nondestructive examinations and operation are also
required to ensure that the vessels are resistant to brittle fracture.
PROCESS ENGINEERING
This case study focuses on a gas field production facility, which
uses several separation vessels and a stabilization unit to obtain
dew-point control for the natural gas products and Rvp-controlled
condensate products. The process vessels operate as three-phase sepa-
rators containing vapor, light-liquid hydrocarbons and heavy-liquid
phase. The study focused on the simulation and design of three inter-
connected separation vesselsV-100, V-101 and V-102 (Fig. 1).
Since in accordance with API 521, all process equipment with
operating pressure higher than 18 barg must be depressurized in
case of an incidence, the fluid pressure should be reduced to 6.9
barg and the blowdown lines including the restricted orifice were
designed based on depressurizing to 6.9 barg within 15 minutes.
4

In practice during depressurization and blowdown events, the
actual vessel-fluid pressure drops from operating pressure (initial
pressure) down to almost atmospheric pressure (final pressure).
The general assumptions and process design basis parameters used
in the simulation include:
Minimum ambient temperature of 13C is the minimum
outer metal-wall temperature of the vessels
PV work term contribution is defined as isentropic expan-
sion efficiency and assumed as 100% (a conservative assumption)
Construction material is carbon steel
Other design basis parameters are listed in Table 1.
The first simulation was done without including the vessels
metal mass. In other words, the control volume of depressuriza-
tion study was limited to the fluid inside the vessel, and the metal-
wall temperature was assumed to be the same as the inventory
fluid temperature. Also, the temperature difference between vapor
and liquid was assumed to be negligible. Table 2 lists the final fluid
temperatures obtained in the first simulation.
In the second depressurization simulation, the metal mass of
each vessel was included in the control volume of the model. Table
3 shows the results of the second simulation based on the metal
mass values. As shown in Table 3, the calculated inner-wall tem-
TABLE 1. Design basis parameter for simulation
V-100 V-101 V-102
Vessel volume, m
3
18.3 6.2 8.6
Initial liquid volume, m
3
1.5 1.0 1.1
Initial mass of vapor, kg 2,115 687.1 620.3
Initial mass of liquid, kg 917.0 584.0 656.3
Vessel metal mass, kg 41,700 11,500 9,200
Initial operating pressure, bar-g 120 105 69
Initial operating temperature, C 30 4 10
V-101
To condensate
stabilization unit
V-100 V-102
Produced
dry gas
Feed gas
from
manifold
production
line
Feed heat
exchanger
V-100
3-phase
inlet
separator
V-101
1st stage
3-phase
separator
V-102
2nd stage
3-phase
separator
Flow diagram of three vessels for the separation process
of the gas plant.
FIG. 1
44

I

peratures are considerably higher than the calculated fluid final
temperatures listed in Table 2 from the first simulation.
The simulation work indicates that including the metal-mass
heat capacity into evaluation increases the accuracy of estimated
minimum metal temperature of the vessels. Consequently, more
accurate vessel wall temperatures aid cost-effective selection of
construction materials for the separation vessels.
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
All three separation vessels were designed using ASME Code
Section VIII , Division 2. Table 4 lists the design data for the
separation vessles.
5
MDMT of vessels. The minimum design metal temperature
(MDMT) of a vessel is the minimum metal temperature in
which the vessel can sustain its full design pressure without hav-
ing to be impact tested. When the vessel operates at pressures
less than its full design pressure, concessions on MDMT are
allowed based on ASME Section VIII. Table 5 lists the result
of MDMT calculations for this studys vessels based on ASME,
Section VIII, Div. 2.
Minimum allowable temperature (MAT), as defined
in API 579, is the lowest (coldest) permissible metal tempera-
ture for a given material and thickness based on its resistance to
brittle fracture. It may be a single temperature or an envelope of
allowable operating temperatures as a function of pressure.
6
The
MAT is derived from mechanical design information and material
specification. MAT at design pressure is MDMT.
Lowest metal temperature (LMT). LMT as defined and
used in this article is the lowest metal temperature due to the
operating condition and minimum ambient temperature. The
LMT may be a single temperature at an operating pressure or
an envelope of temperatures and coincident pressures. Actually,
the LMT, in this case, is derived from the calculated inner wall
temperature due to the contained process fluid temperature and
also the minimum ambient temperature. The LMTs of the ves-
sels coincident with final pressures (after depressurization and
blowdown) are shown in Table 6.
As shown in Figs. 24 and Table 6, the LMTs for all of the
vessels at the final pressure as well as other coincident pressures
are on the safe side based on the rules and design philosophy of
ASME Section VIII Div. II. Although the code requirements have
been satisfied, further considerations and precautions are required
to ensure the design and construction of the vessels are resistant
against brittle fracture. Several key factors in combination can
contribute to brittle fracture of steel vessels; a proactive engineer-
ing approach is recommended.
-110
-100
-90
-80
-70
-60
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
10
20
0 20 40 60 80 100
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
,

C
Pressure, barg
0
LMT
MAT
LMT curve for vessel, V-101, during depressurization event. FIG. 3
-60
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Pressure, barg
LMT
MAT
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
,

C
TABLE 3. Simulation results, including metal-mass
values
V-100 V-101 V-102
Final pressure (FP), barg 0.02 0.02 0.02
Mass of vapor at FP, kg 24.74 9.686 14.40
Mass of liquid at FP, kg 425.8 291.6 243.2
Inner-wall temperature at FP, C 11 14 28
TABLE 4. Design data for separation vessels
Vessels V-100 V-101 V-102
Design pressure, barg 128 113.4 76.4
Design temperature, C 80 80 80
Material of construction Plates: A516 same as same as
Gr. 70 normalized V-100 V-100
flanges: A105
TABLE 5. MDMT calculations
Vessels V-100 V-101 V-102
MDMT, C 20 22 22
TABLE 2. Final fluid temperatures in first-pass
simulation
V-100 V-101 V-102
Final pressure (after blowdown), barg-g 0.02 0.02 0.02
Calculated fluid final temperature, C 35 57 86

I

45
BRITTLE FRACTURE PHENOMENA
The major concern for low-temperature vessels is brittle-frac-
ture phenomenon, which can be a cause for vessel failure. Many
metals loose their ductility and toughness; they become suscep-
tible to brittle fracture as the metal temperature decreases. At nor-
mal or higher temperatures, a warning is normally given by plastic
deformation (bulging, stretching or leaking) as signs of potential
vessel failure. However, under low-temperature conditions, no
such warnings of plastic deformation are given. Unfortunately,
an abrupt fracture can cause a catastrophic event.
Only materials that have been impact tested to ensure metal
toughness at or above a specified metal temperature should be
used. However, certain paragraphs in the ASME Pressure Vessel
Code applying to low-temperature vessels indicate when impact
testing may not be required for a pressure-vessel component mate-
rial (impact test exemptions). In general, four main factors, in
combination, can cause brittle fracture of steel vessels. These factors
are represented in the form of brittle fracture square as shown in
Fig. 5. The factors that contribute to the brittle fracture of carbon
or low-alloy steel pressure vessels are reviewed briefly here:
Low temperature. A metal depending on its toughness prop-
erty has a transition temperature range within which it is in a semi-
brittle condition (ductile to brittle transition). Within this range, a
notch or crack may cause brittle fracture (notch brittleness). Above
the transition range (warmer), brittle fracture will not happen even
if a notch exists. Below the transition range (colder), brittle fracture
can happen even though no notches or cracks may exist.
3
Although
the transition from ductile to brittle fracture actually occurs over
a temperature range, a point within this range is selected as the
transition temperature to delineate the boundaries of ductile
and brittle zones. One of the ways to determine this temperature
is by performing many impact tests on the construction material.
Loading. The type and level of mechanical/thermal loading
will affect the vessels susceptibility to brittle fracture. Dynamic
loading associated with cyclic mechanical/thermal or impact
loading, as opposed to quasi-static loading, is a brittle-fracture
contributing factor. Furthermore, shock-chilling effects, defined
as rapid decreases in equipment temperatures, can be a cause for
brittle fracture.
6
Based on the stress levels applied (in a quasi-static
loading), component material, effective thickness and minimum
metal temperature, ASME Section VIII, Divisions 1 and 2 present
criteria for vessel-component material-impact test requirements
and/or exemptions.
Susceptible steel. Susceptibility of steels depends on several
parameters such as poor toughness, material flaws (cracks and
notches), corrosion vulnerability, large thickness, etc.:
Steel composition. Steels with lower carbon content (C)
are proven to have higher toughness at lower temperatures. Also,
phosphorous (P) present in steels decreases the transition tempera-
ture of steel and improves weldability. In general, steel-transition
temperature is a function of carbon content percent plus 20 times
the percentage of phosphorous. Furthermore, adding nickel to
steel can increase steel toughness and decrease its transition tem-
perature. Stainless steel 304 with 8% nickel can resist impact loads
at 320F. Furthermore, sufficiently low carbon equivalents con-
tribute to the weldability of the material (reducing hardness and
cold-cracking susceptibility) and, thus, making metal crack-free
girth welds.
4
Selecting the appropriate welding material also is a
determining factor to ensure a crack-free weld.
3
Steel structure. A correlation was developed between steel
structure (microstructure and grain size) and fracture-tough-
ness by numerous fracture toughness tests at different low tem-
peratures. Based on this correlation, steels with coarse-grained
microstructures have lower toughness at low temperatures as
compared to steels with the fine-grained microstructure. During
an 1999 incidence with a high-density polyethylene (HDPE)
reactor, a brittle fracture occurred at a temperature of 12C in
a 24-in. flange of ASTM A105 material that had a coarse-grain
microstructure (ASTM grain size number 5 to 6 ferrite-pearlite
microstructure ).
1a
TABLE 6. Final vessel conditions after depressurization
V-102 V-101 V-100
Final pressure (FP), barg 0.02 0.02 0.02
Inner-wall temperature at FP, C 11 14 28
Minimum ambient temperature, C 13 13 13
LMT at FP, C 13 14 28
MAT at FP, C 48 104 46
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e
,

C
Pressure, barg
LMT
MAT
Brittle fracture
square
Susceptible steel
Low temperature
L
o
a
d
i
n
g
C
r
a
c
k
/
s
t
r
e
s
s

r
i
s
e
r
s

Brittle fracture square affecting carbon and low-alloy
steels at low temperatures.
FIG. 5
46

I

Hydrogen cracks (hydrogen-induced cracks or so-called
flakes). When hydrogen atoms diffuse into the metal during
material manufacturing operations such as forming, forging and
welding or when hydrogen is introduced to the metal through a
galvanic or hydrogen sulfide (H
2
S) corrosion process, the metal
is prone to hydrogen cracks.
There are various techniques to prevent hydrogen cracks,
including appropriate heat treatments or slow cooling after forg-
ing, in which the hydrogen within the metal diffuses out. In the
case of welding, usually pre-heating and post-heating are applied to
diffuse out the hydrogen and to prevent any cracks and brittleness.
Environmental stress fracture. Steels exposed to corro-
sive fluids such as wet H
2
S, moist air or
sea water are prone to premature fracture
under tensile stresses, considerably below
their fracture toughness threshold. Suit-
able steel materials should be used when
exposure to corrosive fluids is possible.
Crack/stress risers. Steel vessels with
thicker walls have a greater probability
potential for brittle fracture due to the larger
thermal gradient across the wall thickness.
Thicker metal walls can result in differen-
tial expansion of material across the wall
thickness and could possibly lead to a crack
occurrence and eventually brittle fracture.
Stress raisers such as sharp or abrupt
transitions or changes of sections, cor-
ners or notches (as may be found in weld
defects) as a result of design or fabrica-
tion processes are all stress risers, which
can cause stress intensification. The weak
points are prone to brittle fracture when
other susceptible conditions exist.
Perform auto-
refrigeration simulation
Select (or reselect)
materials, and design
vessel considering PE
Determine MAT and
LMT envelope
Compare LMT with MAT
Is LMT<
MAT ?
Examine/inspect materials
specication/quality versus
required specications
Are material
requirements
satised ?
Fabricate vessel,
applying relevant
PEs measures
Yes No
Yes No
Implement Control
of Operation
Nomenclature
LMT Lowest metal temperature
MAT Metal allowable temperature
PE Proactive engineering
Order materials applying
relevant PE's measures
Proactive engineering program in designing and manufacturing vessels to avoid
brittle fracture from auto-refrigeration.
FIG. 6

47
PROACTIVE ENGINEERING
Based on the brief technical information given here, several
proactive measures can ensure resistance of carbon or low-alloy
steel vessels against brittle fracture under quasi-static loading:
Design pressure vessels, if justifiable, by analysis in
accordance with the ASME Section VIII, Div 2 part 5, or
other internationally recognized codes that result in lower wall
thicknesses.
Order vessel materials from reliable and capable manufactur-
ers. Key vessel components still require attention to proper heat
treatment, avoiding hydrogen cracks, quality control, etc.
Specify fine-grain steel materials with appropriate
specifications and require production tests for plate/piece (from
the same heat) if an impact test is not requested. Ensure that the
steel with fine-grain microstructure/toughness is supplied; do not
rely just on the material certificates. Also, conduct impact tests on
test pieces to verify required toughness.
Take benefit of the recommendations contained in the
document indicated in reference 1 for ordering pipe flanges made
in forged steel complying with ASTM A105.
Ask the material manufacturer for effective construction/
fabrication methods such as vacuum degassing to prevent
hydrogen-crack formation in the metal and require stringent
nondestructive examinations and quality control.
Do nondestructive testing (NDT) to identify cracks or reject
materials with detectable cracks.
Eliminate stress risers, at the design and fabrication stages
Verify full-penetration welds with adequate toughness
using appropriate welding material/processes and require weld-
procedure qualification and production-weld test specimens for
both the weld and heat-affected zone for each weld process.
c
Conduct proper vessel post-weld heat treatment (PWHT),
preferably in a furnace in one piece whenever practical, and
examine heat-affected zone hardness to ensure the beneficial
effects of the performed PWHT.
d
Perform the vessel hydrostatic test in accordance with the
rules of the ASME Section VIII Code or other internationally
recognized codes.
b
Apply control of operation proactively, whenever practical,
(e.g., after a depressurizing to ensure that the vessel metal
temperature is sufficiently warm prior to re-pressurization).
A proactive engineering program, as envisioned in Fig. 6, can
incorporate the listed measures during vessels design, procurement
and construction stages. HP
NOTES
a
Research was conducted by the Belgian Institute for Welding Techniques
on pipe flanges made in forged steel complying with ASTM A105. In June
2002, the study produced a series of recommendations for new flanges as well
as flanges already in service.
1
b
The beneficial effect of a hydrostatic test is that crack-like flaws located in the
component are blunted resulting in an increase in brittle fracture resistance.
6
c
Requiring full penetration would minimize any highly localized stresses
(especially at Category C and D joints) that can have deleterious effect on the
vessels ability to resist brittle fracture.
2
d
Carbon equivalent in terms of welding is a rate of weldability related to
different alloying elements including carbon, manganese, chromium,
molybdenum, vanadium, nickel and carbon content, which affect hardness of
the steel being welded.
e
Fracture toughness is an important property of any material for virtually all
design applications; it indicates the ability of a material containing a crack
to resist fracture.
f
Proper PWHT reduces residual stresses, improves the resistance of the hard
heat affected zone to environmental cracking, and improves the toughness.
LITERATURE CITED
For complete literature cited, please visit www.HydrocarbonProcessing.com.
Faramarz Khazrai has worked as a mechanical engineer for
over 30 years in the areas of piping, static equipment and machin-
ery. In 1986, he joined Chagalesh Consulting Engineers, Tehran,
Iran, and supervised mechanical engineering activities of several
hydrocarbon processing projects. Currently, he is the machinery
department head. He graduated from the Sharif University of Technology with BS
degree in mechanical engineering in 1972.
Hamed Basir Haghighi is a mechanical engineer special-
izing in the area of static equipment engineering. He has par-
ticipated in various hydrocarbon processing projects at Chag-
alesh Consulting Engineers since 2001. Currently, he is the static
equipment project specialty leader and also project engineering
manager. His fields of specialization are detail design of static equipment, composite
material selection and finite element method. He graduated from Azad University
of Tehran with BS and MS degrees in mechanical engineering.
Hojat Kordabadi, as a process engineer, has participated in
the design of various process plants pertaining to the hydrocarbon
processing industry. He joined Chagalesh Consulting Engineers
in 2007 and has worked in the process engineering department
as a project specialty leader. He is the author of three techni-
cal paper published in the Chemical Engineering Journal (April 2005, December
2007, September 2008). He holds a BS degree in chemical engineering from Amir
Kabir University and a M.S. degree in chemical engineering from Shiraz University,
Shiraz, Iran.
S
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C
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d

S
aa
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o
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+1-713-520-4426 l +1-800-231-6275
Email: svb@GulfPub.com I www.GulfPub.com
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I

49
Improving pH control mitigates
corrosion in crude units
Equipment and pipe failures can be avoided through
better desalting practices and inhibitor injections
D. L. N. CYPRIANO, J. A. C. PONCIANO, A. T. VILAS BOAS,
P. D. MURRAY and M. R. NASSER, Petrobras, Duque de Caxias, Brazil
F
or crude-unit overhead systems, pH is the main process
parameter that impacts corrosion rates. To control corrosion
conditions, many operators use various neutralizers at opti-
mum ranges determined by site-specific conditions. A four-year
study (20052008) was conducted at a Petrobras refinery using
amine-blend solutions to control pH. Over this period, corrosion
rates were measured through ultrasonic inspections and weight-
loss coupons. Important process parameters monitored included:
pH, chloride and iron concentrations at the bottom of the
overhead drum
Neutralizer and inhibitor flowrates.
A qualitative comparison was done with two refineries, using
two other neutralizers: sour water from fluid catalytic cracking
(FCC) unit and an ammonium aqueous solution. This investiga-
tion proved that maintaining a low chloride level and stable pH
levels were the most effective ways to control equipment damage
from corrosion. Also, the study found that several inspection
techniques were particularly useful in estimating service life
for pipes and other crude-unit equipment. Applying better pH
control and improved monitoring and inspection programs can
reduce equipment damage from corrosion.
Background. Hydrocarbon-processing companies follow dif-
ferent methods in controlling crude distillation unit (CDU)
overhead corrosion. Common approaches include inhibitors
to neutralize acid solutions. Even with a good control on crude
oil in storage tanks and the desalting process, hydrochloric acid
(HCl) will still be present at the atmospheric tower overhead and
it demands proper chemical treatment. Merrick and Auerbach
performed a study on 129 different distillation units. From these
studies, it was observed that the average chloride concentration
was 10 ppm to 30 ppm in accumulator overhead drums.
1
Chlo-
rides are generated from some salts contained in the crude oil that
is processed in the CDU; thus HCl is formed.
There are three main ways to neutralize acidic aqueous solu-
tions at the CDU overhead; they include injecting:
Gaseous ammonia (NH
3
)
Ammoniac water (NH
4
OH solution)
Neutralizing amine solutions.
Regardless of the neutralization technique applied, the pH is
lower than the dew point of water. This adds more challenges in
measuring pH when condensation occurs; this is the preferred
region for the corrosion process to begin. Neutralization equa-
tions are:
HCl (aq) + NH
3
(aq) => NH
4
Cl (aq)
HCl (aq) + RNH
2
(aq) => RNH
3
Cl (aq)
One concern for neutralization is the difficulty of controlling
the ammonia or amine flowrates, which depend on the varying
HCl levels in the CDU. The neutralizer injection levels can be
too low and the pH in the overhead can drop. Excess neutral-
izer levels, especially in the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H
2
S),
contribute to precipitation of salts, such as ammonia or amine
disulfides or chlorides. Once formed, these salts (molten or solid)
deposit on pipe surfaces, likewise, they can cause localized cor-
rosion with a high rate of thickness loss. If salt formation occurs
after condensation, then its dissolution into water represents
minimal corrosion risk.
2
In this article, some field results are presented, including chem-
ical analysis, pH and corrosion rate for a CDU tower overhead. A
qualitative comparison was conducted investigating the different
ways to control corrosion, as listed in Table 1.
Field data. At Refinery A, the observed corrosion rates in pipes,
heat exchangers and accumulator drum, were obtained from
thickness measuring via ultrasonic testing. Corrosion rates reached
values of 0.15 mm/yr. The heat exchanger tubes presented an
average service life of only seven years, and corrosion deposits
were found in baffle-plate regions. Some thickness loss and stress-
corrosion cracking were also reported on the shells of the equip-
ment, which can be attributed to high H
2
S levels (2,553 ppm) in
the neutralizing solution used.
At Refinery B, high chloride levels, caused by inefficiencies in
the crude preparation and desalting processes, generated high cor-
rosion rates. The average corrosion rate observed by the coupon
weight loss over two years was 0.29 mm/yr. The pipes connecting
TABLE 1. Refineries and neutralizing solutions used
for overhead corrosion control
Refinery Neutralizer for overhead control
A N1sour water from FCC unit
B N2amine blend, based on MEA
C N3ammonium aqueous solution
50

I

the top of the atmospheric tower and condensers have flaws from
previous campaigns. Localized under-deposit corrosion in the
lower blank of the condenser shell was observed.
At Refinery C, monitoring results for coupons installed in the
overhead condenser (air cooler), had average corrosion losses of
0.16 mm/yr. This reflects a uniform thickness loss expected in
equipment and pipes. But there were failures in pipes caused by
localized under-deposit corrosion. In the air cooler, the average
tube service life was five years, and failures were reported immedi-
ately after the flow entrance, where condensation begins.
Thickness measuring. For this study, two regions of the
overhead pipe were selected at Refinery B to conduct thickness
measurement via ultrasonic testing. Initially, the testing was sepa-
rated into two areas:
Overhead atmospheric tower and condenser
Between the condenser and accumulator drum.
Different behaviors are expected from the pipes carrying
the fluid before the condenser in the vapor phase (by design),
then after, where the water is already in liquid phase. Thus, the
observed corrosion rates were different, as shown in Fig. 1.
The locations for thickness measurement are always chosen
based on the experience of the inspection team supervising the
unit and the measurements usually apply these aspects:
In the curves, the corrosion rates may be higher due to an
increased propensity for the occurrence of corrosion associated
with erosion.
Regions of encounter between two pipes, in the form of T,
are also preferred regions for erosion.
In the straight sections, fewer points are selected, which are
expected to be representative of the system.
In 2004, measurements were made on about 70 points before
the condensers. Another 70 points were inspected with the same
technique in pipes after the condensers. The same 140 points
were inspected again in 2005. The results allowed defining several
average corrosion rates:
Before the condensers: 0.14 mm/yr
After the condensers: 0.16 mm/yr.
Also, there were high standard deviations in both cases, 0.16
mm/yr before and 0.15 mm/yr after the condensers. The highest
rate observed in the first case was 0.63 mm/yr, and the lowest 0.02
mm/yr. After the condensers, the highest rate was equal to 0.61
mm/yr and the lowest 0.02 mm/yr.
Before the condenser, 25 points were measured again in 2008;
the average corrosion rate (20052008) was equal to 0.17 mm/
yr. The data from the corrosion coupons indicated an average rate
of 0.19 mm/yr in the same period.
In December 2008 and June 2009, five points were measured
in random areas of the pipes before the condensers, resulting in an
average corrosion rate equal to 0.21 mm/yr. In the same period,
some corrosion coupons were analyzed monthly, positioned on
the inlet connections of overhead condensers; these coupons had
an average corrosion rate equal to 0.28 mm/yr.
Process data. For Refinery B, the study was expanded to
include how operating conditions had contributed to equipment
deterioration. For example, in 2007, some studies researched the
impact from the chloride content variations in the feed at the pre-
flash tower overhead, while the corrosion rates were measured by
coupons. Due to the ineffectiveness of desalting, there was a direct
influence on the corrosive process in the overhead system, as is
illustrated in Table 2. During these periods, electrical problems
caused transformer problems that affected the inner electrodes to
the desalting drums. Poor desalting of the crude led to chloride
levels above 1,000 ppm in the overhead accumulator drum. Also,
pH was affected, reaching values approximately 4. Weight-loss
coupons were installed in the inlet connections of the atmospheric
overhead condensers.
To improve desalter efficiency at full operating conditions,
more tests were made by adjusting the differential pressure of the
mixer valve. Usually covered with P = 1 kgf/cm, this value was
increased by 0.2 kg/cm. Result: Without any other changes in
operating parameters, a reduction of 44% in the chloride content
in the accumulator drum was obtained.
In the overhead atmospheric system, pH, chloride, iron and
corrosion rates were monitored by weight-loss coupons. Fig. 2
shows the historic data of pH values measured in the accumulator
drum since 2008. The figure shows the mean values and standard
TABLE 2. Relationship between problems in
desalination and corrosion rates in the overhead
atmospheric tower system
Period analysis, Desalting stopped, Corrosion rate,
(Year2007) Timehours mm/yr
1 2/134/20 24 0.359
2 4/305/29 0 0.073
3 5/296/28 0 0.086
4 8/19/3 0 0.014
5 9/311/13 4 0.259
6 11/1312/21 5 0.220
Corrosion inhibitor
Before
condenser
Overhead
condenser
Accumulator
drum
Sour water Naphtha
After
condenser
Atmospheric
tower
Neutralizer
CDU showing locations identified for thickness monitoring
by ultrasonic testing.
FIG. 1
p
H

o
f

a
t
m
o
s
p
h
e
r
i
c
s
y
s
t
e
m
-
R
e
n
e
r
y

B
0
3
6
9
J
a
n
/
0
8
F
e
b
/
0
8
M
a
r
/
0
8
A
p
r
/
0
8
J
u
n
/
0
8
Time
J
u
l
/
0
8
A
u
g
/
0
8
O
c
t
/
0
8
N
o
v
/
0
8
D
e
c
/
0
8
Historic data of pH values in the overhead accumulator
drum of the atmospheric tower for refinery B.
FIG. 2

I

51
deviations for measurements over each month, except May and
September, when there were no analysis reports.
It is observed that the average pH over the years has always
been very close to or within the recommended range. But the high
standard deviations showed a lack of control during some periods.
There were some incidents in January in which a pH reaching 1.5
was observed and adjusted to 3 on the same day and recovered to
a pH = 6 on the next day. On two days, the pH reached 4. The
higher standard deviation observed in this month contributed
significantly to increased corrosion rates.
Fig. 3 shows the measured chlorine values in the same drum.
The target is 40 ppm as the maximum, which can only be guar-
anteed with efficient control in crude preparation at the storage
tanks and desalter.
It is observed that the values remained above the recommended
targets throughout the year, showing deficiency in the early stages
of crude processing. As an immediate consequence, we can expect
greater usage of neutralizers and corrosion inhibitors. What is not
always sufficient to maintain is the appropriate pH and low cor-
rosion rates over slack periods, as observed in January (average of
108.96 ppm chloride).
The iron level in the water was also monitored. Iron can be
another indicator of corrosion in the overhead system. In Fig. 4,
the measurements from 2008 are shown; conditions exceeded
the maximum value of 1 ppm over the year. Also, we can observe
that the iron content was below the recommended limit 4 of the
10 months evaluated. These results vary greatly over the month,
with standard deviations above the mean values; the data is not
included in Fig. 4. Intakes of neutralizing solutions and corrosion
inhibitors also represent relevant data on analyzing control param-
eters in the overhead system. Figs. 5 and 6 show the injection rates
for neutralizers and inhibitors for Refinery B in 2008.
The mass balance at the tower overhead is shown in Fig. 7. It
is known that the chloride content measured in the top accumu-
lator is directly linked to the presence of HC1 formed from the
hydrolysis of salts present in the feed. Thus, it is possible to set
base values for neutralizing agent flowrates. From the condensate
analysis in the overhead drum, several periods were selected in
which the chloride content was close to 100 ppm, or 50% of
this, 50 ppm. On the same dates, the average flowrates of the
neutralizing solution and pH were recorded, as listed in Table 3.
With the pH near the equivalence point, if we consider only
the presence of HCl, neutralizer and water, the result is salt for-
mation, N
2
Cl, which dissociates. We can determine the resulting
pH; the reactions are:
3
N2Cl j N2
+
+ Cl
-
(1)
N2
+
+ H
2
O = N2OH + H
+
(2)
From the salt concentration, it is possible to determine the
expected pH:

K
a
=
K
w
K
b
=
[N2OH][H
+
]
[N2
+
]
=
[H
+
]
2
[N2
+
]
=5.610
5
As K
a
is very low, the salt concentration C
s
= [N2
+
]:
TABLE 3. Relationship between levels of chloride
neutralizer flow (N2) and pH analyzed in the condensate
from the overhead drumRefinery B
Day Cl
, mean Flowrate N2, l/d pH, mean

D1 46 115.2 7.10
D2 48 43.2 6
D3 49 11.5 7.6
D4 49 115.2 7.1
D5 97 115.2 7.1
D6 100 43.2 5.1
D7 100 115.2 6.8
D8 103 80.6 5.3
C
h
l
o
r
i
d
e

c
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n
o
f

a
t
m
o
s
p
h
e
r
i
c

s
y
s
t
e
m
R
e
n
e
r
y

B
,

p
p
m
0
50
100
150
200
J
a
n
/
0
8
F
e
b
/
0
8
M
a
r
/
0
8
A
p
r
/
0
8
J
u
n
/
0
8
J
u
l
/
0
8
A
u
g
/
0
8
O
c
t
/
0
8
N
o
v
/
0
8
D
e
c
/
0
8
Historic data of chloride values in the overhead
accumulator drum of the atmospheric tower for Refinery B.
FIG. 3
I
r
o
n

c
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n
a
t
m
o
s
p
h
e
r
i
c

s
y
s
t
e
m
R
e
n
e
r
y

B
,

p
p
m
0
1
2
3
4
J
a
n
/
0
8
F
e
b
/
0
8
M
a
r
/
0
8
A
p
r
/
0
8
J
u
n
/
0
8
J
u
l
/
0
8
A
u
g
/
0
8
O
c
t
/
0
8
N
o
v
/
0
8
D
e
c
/
0
8
Historic data of iron values in the overhead accumulator
drum of the atmospheric tower for Refinery B.
FIG. 4
N
e
u
t
r
a
l
i
z
e
r

i
n
j
e
c
t
i
o
n
,

l
/
d
0
30
60
90
120
150
J
a
n
/
0
8
F
e
b
/
0
8
M
a
r
/
0
8
A
p
r
/
0
8
M
a
y
/
0
8
J
u
n
/
0
8
J
u
l
/
0
8
A
u
g
/
0
8
S
e
p
t
/
0
8
O
c
t
/
0
8
N
o
v
/
0
8
D
e
c
/
0
8
Historic data of neutralizer amine flowrates at overhead
pipe in the atmospheric tower for Refinery B.
FIG. 5
J
a
n
/
0
8
F
e
b
/
0
8
M
a
r
/
0
8
A
p
r
/
0
8
M
a
y
/
0
8
J
u
n
/
0
8
J
u
l
/
0
8
A
u
g
/
0
8
S
e
p
t
/
0
8
O
c
t
/
0
8
N
o
v
/
0
8
D
e
c
/
0
8
0
10
20
30
40
50
I
n
h
i
b
i
t
o
r

i
n
j
e
c
t
i
o
n
,

l
/
d
Historic data of inhibitor flowrates at overhead pipe in the
atmospheric tower for Refinery B.
FIG. 6
52

I


[H
+
]
2
=C
S
K
w
K
b
2log[H
+
] =
1
2
log K
w
1
2
log K
b
+
1
2
logC
S

pH=7
1
2
pK
b
1
2
logC
S
There are many other contaminants in the overhead system,
such as H
2
S, ammonia (NH
4
), sulfur oxides (SO
x
) and others that
can alter conditions and force changes on the predicted pH values.
We cannot establish a direct relationship between the chloride
(Cl
-
), flowrate and pH neutralizer from field results.
However, we can determine the salt concentration (N2Cl)
from the N2 solutions, as described in Table 4, and compare it
with the expected resulting pH. Table 4 lists the results; observing
that, in a few cases the values coincide, as in D1, D3, D4 and D5,
and the neutralizing added on top is extremely diluted into the
total water solution (264,000 l).
Corrosion monitoringweight-loss coupon. Fig.
8 shows the historic data of the weight-loss coupons, installed
on the inlet connection of the overhead condenser. There were
many lack periods, in which the corrosion rate is at greater than
the established limit (0.125 mm), such as in November 2004
(0.60 mm/yr), January 2008 (0.53 mm/yr) and November 2008
(0.55 mm/yr).
Discussion. At the three refineries presented in this study, vari-
ous problems caused by corrosion are sourced to low operating
efficiencies in the crude desalting unit, which is initiated at the
storage tanks. Checking field data and literature to find bench-
mark values for evaluating the effectiveness of existing desalters
can help maximize salt-removal efforts.
4
Also, leakages observed in
pipelines in Refineries B and C were mainly caused by deficiencies
in pH control. This is the main control parameter in the tower
overhead, and it must be kept within the range with the minimum
possible deviation. We could not associate a neutralizer type to
observed failures.
The results of Refinery B showed that even with at stable pH
behavior over the study period, corrosion increased. The standard
deviation observed during 2008 was 0.54, with daily routine
measurements. This value is consistent with observed deviation
cited in the literature, equal to 0.78, when gaseous ammonia was
used as a neutralizer in the same unit.
5
The literature shows that low pH values lead to high corrosion
rates on mild steel, even though the presence of inhibitors may be
insufficient to alleviate this problem.
6
Conversely, a pH too high
can also bring negative consequences:
Using excess neutralizing solutions, based on amine or
ammonia, favors the occurrence of deposits, leading to localized
corrosion with extremely fast kinetics.
In stream containing H
2
S, such as the CDU, stability of the
protective iron-sulfide film is compromised while increasing its
solubility, thus accelerating corrosion.
7
We can analyze a phase diagram for H
2
O-HCl and correlate
it to the overhead corrosion process.
8
It is possible to observe a
temperature range of approximately 100C to 102C, in which
an average concentration observed in the field (0.7% HCl),
and in which two phases are present in equilibrium conditions:
vapor (rich in water) and liquid (rich in HC1). At the tempera-
ture where condensation begins, the HCl concentration in the
liquid is 10 times higher than vapor phase. Only below 100C,
in equilibrium condition, the steam is fully condensed, and the
final concentration of the liquid is reached. In Refinery C, this
Hydrocarbon
FG+LPG+Naphtha
86.66%
Aqueous solution
H
2
O+HCl+H
2
S (pH = 2.5)
13.43%
Neutralizer, N2
Solution pH = 11
0.01%
Inhibitor
Water soluble
0.002%
Overhead
condenser
Hydrocarbon
FG+LPG+Naphtha
86.66%
Aqueous solution
pH = 6.0
13.43%
Mass balance of the atmospheric tower overhead
systemRefinery B.
FIG. 7
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
N
o
v
-
0
4
D
e
c
-
0
4
J
a
n
-
0
5
F
e
b
-
0
5
M
a
r
-
0
5
A
p
r
-
0
5
M
a
y
-
0
5
J
u
n
-
0
5
J
u
l
-
0
5
A
u
g
-
0
5
S
e
p
t
-
0
5
O
c
t
-
0
5
N
o
v
-
0
5
D
e
c
-
0
5
J
a
n
-
0
6
F
e
b
-
0
6
M
a
r
-
0
6
A
p
r
-
0
6
M
a
y
-
0
6
J
u
n
-
0
6
J
u
l
-
0
6
A
u
g
-
0
6
S
e
p
t
-
0
6
O
c
t
-
0
6
N
o
v
-
0
6
C
o
r
r
o
s
i
o
n

r
a
t
e
,

m
m
/
y
r
Atmospheric tower
Atmospheric tower
0.00
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
0.60
0.70
A
p
r
/
0
7
M
a
y
/
0
7
J
u
n
/
0
7
J
u
l
/
0
7
A
u
g
/
0
7
S
e
p
t
/
0
7
O
c
t
/
0
7
N
o
v
/
0
7
D
e
c
/
0
7
J
a
n
/
0
8
F
e
b
/
0
8
M
a
r
/
0
8
A
p
r
/
0
8
M
a
y
/
0
8
J
u
n
/
0
8
J
u
l
/
0
8
A
u
g
/
0
8
S
e
p
t
/
0
8
O
c
t
/
0
8
N
o
v
/
0
8
D
e
c
/
0
8
J
a
n
/
0
9
F
e
b
/
0
9
M
a
r
/
0
9
A
p
r
/
0
9
M
a
y
/
0
9
C
o
r
r
o
s
i
o
n

r
a
t
e
,

m
m
/
y
r
Weight loss monitored by corrosion coupons, installed at
the inlet connection of the overhead condenserRefinery
B from November 2004 to May 2009.
FIG. 8
TABLE 4. Relationship between levels of chloride
neutralizer flow (N2) and pH analyzed in the condensate
from the overhead drumRefinery B
Concentration, Concentration,
Day Flowrate, l/d C
S
(molar) pH, mean C
S
(molar)
D1 115.2 0.000017 7.1 0.000016
D2 43.2 0.002754 6. 0.000006
D3 11.5 0.000002 7.6 0.000002
D4 115.2 0.000017 7.1 0.000016
D5 115.2 0.000017 7.1 0.000016
D6 43.2 0.173780 5.1 0.000006
D7 115.2 0.000069 6.8 0.000016
D8 80.6 0.069183 5.3 0.000011
CORROSION CONTROL
behavior was well marked, as leakages occurred in the starting
point of condensation on the overhead air cooler, while the rest
of the pipes were found in good conditions.
To increase the process data analysis, the measured consump-
tion of neutralizing amine in the overhead during 2008 were
compared with values originally estimated by the supplierdata
presented in Table 5. The comparison was done in a period in
which the main process variables, such as pH and chloride content
in the overhead drum, did not suffer interference from typical
discontinuities, such as high levels of base sediment and water in
oil. The selected period was the months of June 2008 to August
2008, in which the corrosion rate was below the recommended
target of 0.125 mm/yr, as shown in Table 6.
Application of neutralizing amine can be varied for many rea-
sons, such as incorrect pH measurement, which interferes directly
in injection flowrate. If the quality of the crude is kept almost con-
stant, the product amount injected into the overhead stabilizes.
This is the condition studied in the chosen periodoptimum
injection to compare the predicted with the far field. From Table
5, the relationship between the measured and predicted consump-
tion of neutralizer is doable.
For a maximum chloride content of 50 ppm at the overhead
using data of steam injection background and specific consumption
provided by the manufacturer, the amount of amine provided at
the top would be 60 l/d, while in practice, keeping variables under
TABLE 7. Comparison of corrosion rate obtained
by weight loss coupons and ultrasonic thickness (UT)
measurementRefinery B
Period Coupon rate, mm/yr UT rate, mm/yr
March 2005Dec. 2008 0.19 0.17
Dec. 2008June 2009 0.28 0.21
TABLE 5. Relationship between predicted
consumption and the measured one
Chloride content, Predicted Measured
Date, kg MCl/kg consumption, consumption, Measured/
2008 solution l/d l/d Predicted
7/30 87 46 95 2
7/24 90 62 86 1
7/23 86 62 89 1
7/21 86 65 69 1
7/11 80 70 66 1
7/4 39 38 69 2
7/3 64 66 101 2
7/1 121 129 101 1
7/1 109 120 101 1
6/20 50 57 124 2
6/16 49 60 115 2
TABLE 6. Corrosion rate in June and July 2008
(overhead atmospheric systemRefinery B)
Initial date, Final date, Corrosion rate,
coupon installation coupon removal mm/yr
06/16/2008 07/23/2008 0.049
07/23/2008 08/26/2008 0.071
SAMSON AG x MESS- UND REGELTECHNIK
Weismllerstrae 3
60314 Frankfurt am Main x Germany
Phone: +49 69 4009-0 x Fax: +49 69 4009-1507
E-mail: samson@samson.de x www.samson.de
A
0
1
0
0
7
E
N
Not Mozart, Yet a
Classical Genius
Just like Mozarts compositions
SAMSONs Series 240 Valves are
world renowned and appreciated.
Tuned like organ pipes, the Series 240
suits all pressures and ows, from ada-
gio to allegro. Yet, the valves denitely
work piano so nobody will be roused
by a sudden beat of the drum. And, just
like in an orchestra, the number of in-
struments is your choice. With position-
ers, solenoid valves and limit switches,
further virtuoso performers are waiting
to come in.
We supply the instruments,
you be the conductor.
54

control, the measured consumption was 120 l/d. We can conclude
that the predicted flowrate for the neutralizing solution can be a
guide for the process, but only constant pH monitoring (preferably
online) can promote adequate control for amine injection.
Corrosion rates are directly proportional to pH. Accord-
ingly, field monitoring uses weight-loss coupons to validate the
quality of process parameters control. At Refinery B, measure-
ments were made from 2004 until early 2009, when only 45% of
cases were below the limit0.125 mm/yr. Throughout 2008, the
weight loss was framed in only 30% of the months monitored.
Comparing these results with inspections by thickness measure-
ment, we realized that the difference between the rates obtained
with both techniques was short only at the second decimal num-
ber, as shown in Table 7.
This study listed a number of results available in many CDUs.
But the relationship between them can generate even more support
for inspection teams that manage equipment integrity. From the
temperature (T) and pressure (P) in the overhead pipe, it is pos-
sible to estimate if water vapor and its components reach the dew
point before the condenser. The pH measured in the accumulator
drum indicates how the developed corrosive process will progress
throughout the system. The chloride content, which is directly
related to the flowrate of the neutralizer, also increases corrosion
at high values, even if the pH is controlled. Injecting inhibitors
can reduce corrosion rates but not with the same intensity as pH
adjustments. Thus, we must work to meet the primary objective
of the refinery integrity program: to reduce unplanned shutdowns,
identify root causes for corrosion degradation of equipment and
ultimately develop a good corrosion monitoring program.
9
Conclusions. Among the available neutralizing solutions,
refiners should use the one that provides the best efficiency,
coupled with the cost benefit for each unit, while considering
environmental aspects from waste generation and final treat-
ment. There are pros and cons associated with each neutral-
izer.
10
The results showed that the type of neutralizer used on
the CDU atmospheric tower overhead was not the determining
factor in minimizing corrosion. Only a good control of process
parameters, especially the desalting efficiency (low chloride level
at the overhead accumulator drum), can increase equipment
service life. We can also establish a direct relationship between
the historic data of the process parameters (chloride level, pH,
temperature and pressure) and the expected thickness loss of the
equipment and pipes.
Monitoring weight-loss coupons is essential to validate the
quality of the process parameters control. At Refinery B, the rates
obtained with the coupons were compared to results from inspec-
tions by ultrasonic thickness measurement, where only a small
difference in the second decimal number (0.02 mm to 0.07 mm)
was observed. With these low rates and constant monitoring,
the likelihood of failure is minimized, and it becomes possible to
predict damage to equipment and avoid unplanned shutdowns
due to equipment failures by corrosion.
Plant results and literature data indicate that there is an opti-
mal pH control range for the CDU overhead system. The main
process parameter, defined in terms of two main corrosion mecha-
nisms are:
At low pH (pH below 5.5) the HCl causes severe corrosion
in the mild steel
At high pH (pH above 6.5), due to the presence of H
2
S,
there is an increase in the uniform corrosion rate due to the break-
down of the iron sulfide layer, and localized corrosion under
deposit is also more likely to occur because of the salts formed.
For each system, an optimal range should be specified. It
will depend on the chemical composition of the final solution
obtained in the accumulator drum. It is important to note that
pH stability is dependent on system automation. More reliable
online information enables low deviations if there is an instru-
mented injection control fed by online pH measurement. HP
LITERATURE CITED
1
Merrick, R. D. and T. Auerbach, Crude unit overhead corrosion control,
Materials Performance, September 1983, p. 15.
2
Couper, A. S. Bothered by corrosion of your crude-unit condensers?, Oil &
Gas Journal, July 1964, p. 79.
3
Harris, D. C., Quantitative Chemical Analysis, 7th ed., California, 2006.
4
Gutzeit, J. Controlling crude unit overhead corrosion by improved
desalting, Hydrocarbon Processing, February 2008, p. 119.
5
Jambo, H. C. M., D. S. Freitas and J. A. C. Ponciano, Ammonium
hydroxide injection for overhead corrosion control in a crude distillation
unit, International Corrosion Congress, Granada, Spain, September 2002.
6
Gutzeit, J. Effect of organic chloride contamination of crude oil on refinery
corrosion, Nace, Orlando, Florida, March 2000.
7
Sardisco, J. B. and R. E. Pitts, Corrosion of Iron in an H
2
S-CO
2
-H
2
O
System: Composition and Protectiveness of the Sulfide Film as a Function
of pH, Corrosion, November 1965.
8
Potolokov, V. N., V. A. Efremosv, S. V. Nikolashin, T. K. Menshchikova,
E. G. Zhukov and V. A. Fedorov, Liquid-Vapor Equilibrium in the AsCl3-
HCl-H2O System, Inorganic Materials, September 2006, p. 1027.
9
Ropital, F. Current and future corrosion challenges for a reliable and
sustainable development of the chemical, refinery, and petrochemical
industries, Materials and Corrosion, July 2009, p. 495.
10
Jahromi, S. A. J. and A. Janghorban, Assessment of corrosion in low carbon
steel tubes of Shiraz refinery air coolers, Engineering Failure Analysis,
November 2004, p. 569.
TURNAROUND AND
2011
Special Supplement to
MAINTENANCE
CONTENTS
How would you rate leadership of your capital projects? T57
What are the magnicent seven elements to successfully pick a contractor? T60
Corporate Proles
Cooper Crouse-Hinds T56 AltairStrickland T63 Curtiss Wright Flow Control T65 Dunn Heat Exchangers T67
Microtherm T69 Rentech Boiler Services T71 Dollinger Filtration T73 Voith T74
Cover Photo: Suncor Plant in Edmonton, Alberta. The curtain material were utilized to shield workers from the environment
and enclose maintenance activities. Photo courtesy of HiTemp Products. www.hitemp.ca
Two line caption
Headline
(2 lines)
TURNAROUND AND MAINTENANCE 2011
T-56

I

TURNAROUND AND MAINTENANCE 2011 SPONSORED CONTENT
CORPORATE PROFILE: COOPER CROUSE-HINDS GMBH
Servicing and maintenance in hazardous areas can
be time-consuming and costly, particularly if engi-
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maintenance and servicing activities. The objective is to minimize costly production
downtime and to guarantee the safe operation of the plant.
However, the challenges facing servicing and maintenance personnel can be
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with the appropriate tools.
A wide range of explosion-protected electrical equipment for plants or
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www.coopercrouse-hinds.eu
Enhancing Safety Enhancing Safety
& &
Productivity Productivity
HYDROCARBON PROCESSING TURNAROUND AND MAINTENANCE 2011

I

T-57
Two line caption
How would you rate leadership
of your capital projects?
R. M. PATTY and M. A. DENTON, Consultants
To achieve substantially improved benchmarks in
project performance, profound change is needed
Recently, in a major oil company, a team of senior project managers and value
improving practices experts assessed the impact of implementing lean methods
during front-end-loading (FEL) and concluded that both total-in-place cost (TIC) and
schedule would improve by at least 10% (see Fig. 1). The companys vice president
(VP) approved two pilot projects, with high priority; however, they failed to over-
come middle management resistance to change, stalling their recommendations
and approvals before actual piloting.
Under director level leadership, a major engineering department (approximately
1,500 engineers) evaluated the engineering-lean potential to increase throughput
at about 25% with corresponding project cost reduction. Under pressure from the
teams lean recommendation and client dissatisfaction, the VP of engineering said,
We recognize the value, but we have a lot of things on our plate right now. We
think you are about a year ahead of when we can do this.The VP of engineering
had been personally responsible for most of the systems currently in use. In the face
of overwhelming evidence presented by his team investigating lean, he could not
deny the benefits, so, he did the next worst thing: admitted the need, but delayed
implementation, after all, the clients keep paying the bills. Although resistance was
natural, the lack of executive leadership was also evident and a profound disap-
pointment to the team.
Under the authors guidance, foremen and construction managers at a major
engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor site, quantified the
impact of and opportunity for construction-lean (see partial results in Fig. 2). The
EPC team proceeded to improve many things within their control; then, they solic-
ited the client to achieve the really profound savings through improved planning
during design. The issue involved the EPC aligning seven chemical plant operating
divisions during FEL to improve reliability.
The Client declined involvement in the face of profound opportunity to improve
the root cause of poor planningi.e., late client information and changes. Client
leadership-of-change among the seven divisions was lacking. Client middle man-
agers resisted the necessary alignmentalthough senior management was crying
from the profound losses.
Our recently published handbook
1
presents many examples of substantial
improvements and serious root causes in recent multi-bil-
lion dollar losses and explains the processes that created
the improvements and could have prevented the losses.
The authors bring the reader a rapid improvement
discipline with the means for operational trust and meth-
ods of profound leadership. To do so, we have integrated
experience implementing lean, six sigma, theory-of-con-
straint and quality-function-deployment, etc., to enhance
value-improving practice and constructability principles
and methods. The former are not yet formally deployed
on most large facility delivery projects and programs.
Sustained, market excellence. Typi-
cally, we have found improved standards are a good
starting point and the foundation enabler of excel-
lence. World-class clients and industry-leading senior managers of FEL and EPC
projects periodically assess remaining project vulnerability (to cost, schedules and
productivity over-runs). These assessments identify the value gained by improv-
ing current work processes and procedures through management by lean work
process standards. Sometimes called norms, their development and use provide
a promising opportunity to take FEL and EPC project performance and reliability
to the next level.
Creating a foundation of sustained excellence. What
separates a good project from a poorly executed one? Some factors include:
Sub-task level work process standards depict engineering and management
expectations regarding the specifics of what will be done, how, by whom and in
what sequence to achieve desired measurable results during actual circumstances
faced by employees.
Lean work process standards are derived with performance measures estab-
lished to provide just what is needed for those doing the job to consistently enable
best practice. Subdividing tasks (e.g., sub-task size to a single deliverable) must be
sufficient to assure each sub-task-lead has everything they need to start, execute
and deliver what is needed without ever stopping. Sub-task sequencing extends
the planning to include all active sub-tasks in the current week to four-week
execution window.
Lean management by standards requires both policy deployment (calling
for commitment to the standards by the leadership responsible to execute them)
and actual progress of each active task at the workface to be visible to manage-
ment. If any standard does not cause the right things to happen, consistently and
reliably, then it is not considered lean. The team must improve: the standard, and/
or the standards deployment policy, and/or workface progress visibility, until the
right things happen.
It is now evident that the team should perform nearly everything in engineering,
construction and business according to the best work process standards or their
equivalent by some other name (e.g., norms). Teams should define standards jointly,
led by those who are responsible to manage and must include those who perform
inside the company or within their supply and subcontracting chain.
Short of doing all the work themselves, standards are, in fact, the best way that
engineering discipline leads or management at each level can effectively assure
Design
basis
Project proposal
Detailed design
B
i
d
W
R
L
P
ERA
MC OS
ERA
MC OS
Detailed design
Procurement fabrication and delivery
Procurement fabrication and delivery
Construction Startup
Construction Startup
Traditional project
Design
basis
System
criteria
Component
criteria
Construction
Planning
Lean project delivery
FIG. 1. Major oil company assessment of lean impact on traditional project delivery engineering release
approval (ERA), mechanical completion (MC), onstream (OS), waste reduced lean procurement (WRLP).
T-58

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TURNAROUND AND MAINTENANCE 2011 HydrocarbonProcessing.com
their team understands and implements their ideals, principles and expectations.
Lean standards at the work process (e.g., sub-task) level constitute the foundation
level extension of corporate governance into the workface.
The workface is where the team can add or manipulate information or material
to add value. During project design, it is where the team assimilates information,
makes calculations or decisions, renders drawings and writes program code or
specifications. During manufacturing or construction, it is where the team adds,
cuts away, alters or assembles material to add value. The team should consider the
following as wasting resources: most contributory work (see examples in Fig. 2),
idleness or rework (in engineering, fabrication or construction), and any available
workface that is not fully utilized. Teams can reduce or eliminate these sources of
waste by further application of lean principles
2
and tools.
3
An available workface is where the team can productively perform design,
manufacturing or construction without such work rendering any other work
less than fully productive. The establishment of lean work process standards,
policy of use and systems that provide transparency to achieve aligned progress
of value added work at every available workface, profoundly benefits cost and
performance reliability.
Benefitsreliable best practice performance. Tradi-
tional project planning and management systems harness considerable control of
risks and associated chaos that would otherwise exist. By establishing management
by lean work process standards, aligned with a sequence and system, transparent
4
for balanced progress of every available workface, management eliminates sub-
stantial remaining risk and chaos within able and diligent teams that are trying to
figure out how to most effectively perform. The content of standards, their sequence
and transparency become the basis upon which teams evaluate performance and
derive further improvements.
Lessons learned for safety, quality, productivity, constructability, maintainability,
environmental improvements, etc., are institutionalized quickly by building them
into sub-task level standards. Management and engineering skill and stakeholders
build their experience, e.g., what they know about how to avoid problems, into
the standards and expect them to be executed and improved. Teams are more
effective and confident when operating within established standards and being
evaluated accordingly. Team trust and morale improves when these systems are
in place. Managements expectation that teams will anticipate problems before
they happen and improve the standards they use while executing them enables
continuous improvement.
If, notwithstanding the teams best efforts, circumstances prevent performance
at the standards, then employees are generally expected to halt execution and seek
immediate reevaluation of the standard and its content, sequence or transpar-
ency improvement by applicable skill and stakeholders. The benefits of employee
empowerment to do so are similar to those experienced by authorization to halt
work that an employee considers unsafe. Employees know halting the workflow
is extremely expensive, and ownership of standards they use coupled with man-
agement trust and dependent peers visible expectations, will motivate them to
anticipate problems and eliminate them before they happen. All the universal
performance measures and their reliability are profoundly improved: 1) safety, 2)
quality, 3) productivity, 4) cost, 5) schedule, 6) environmental protection, and 7)
employee morale.
Current opportunity, senior resource leveraging. In
an industry strained for expertise and experience, standards can close the perfor-
mance gap quickly between ambitious young engineers or managers and their
highly experienced senior peers. The sub-task level standards enable reasonably
trained and experienced employees to quickly come up to performance at best
practice. Managers who have built what they know and expect into standards for
about 90% of what their subordinates do, can use transparent systems to more
effectively manage many more people than they can with conventional oversight.
A broad, flat and highly effective management structure emerges for reliably
achieving best practice. Corporate knowledge and experience are captured in the
standards and made available when and where they are needednot lost by
transfers, attrition or loss of people to a competitor.
It is senior managements fiduciary responsibility to their clients, sharehold-
ers and employees to recognize any project vulnerability resulting from current
policies and procedures. They must become experts themselves or engage a lean
subject matter expert to quantify the benefits of establishing lean standards at
the work-process level, together with visible workface optimization planning. With
this evidence, senior managers resource the work process standard development
function at the workface then set the example by deriving lean work process
standards in support of the workface, with their middle managers at every level.
Each must assure agendas include time (about 5%) for reflection on how to
eliminate the source of problems, and build what it will take to prevent problems
into the standards.
Consider what is wrong with the recent response of a well-compensated oil
and gas company executive to a well-evidenced lean introduction. If we hire a lean
consultant, he is going to expect us to do the right things, not just look good, and
that is going to be a whole lot of work. As long as projects continue to go more
or less as they have before, were just fine. If not, we are victims of circumstance
and not responsible.
While few will argue against experience being the best teacher, it is usually
the most expensive. Knowledgeable stockholders cringe and clients satisfaction
Effective setup 13.5%
Safety work, 3.8%
Rigging and agging, 1.3%
Inspection and testing, 0.5%
Material and equipment
loading, unloading and
storage, 1.6%
Clean up, 3.2%
Maintenance and
repair, 1.0%
Personal time, 1.3%
Move self, 8.9%
Move tools and
materials, 14.8%
Locating and
positioning, 2.2%
Holding materials or
equipment, 0.4%
Idle crew balance, 6.2%
Idle interference, 2.6%
Idle talk, 0.4%
Idle over manning, 2.5%
Idle late start or early
quit, 3.2%
Idle discretionary, 3.2%
Idle institutionalized
standby, 4.2%
Ineffective work, 1.5%
Rework, 1.5%
Dismantle, 1.9%
Fabrication and
pre-assembly, 5.8%
Excavating and
backlling, 2.8%
Final assembly, 11.4%
Placing, 0.4%
Direct
value
added
work
35.8%
Direct value added
work 35.8%
Direct value added
work 35.8%
Contributory work 39%
Contributory work 39%
C
o
n
t
r
i
b
u
t
o
r
y
w
o
r
k

3
9
%
Non-contributory, waiting and
non-value added work 25.2%
Non-contributory, waiting and
non-value added work 25.2%
N
o
n
-
c
o
n
t
r
i
b
u
t
o
r
y
,
w
a
i
t
i
n
g

a
n
d
n
o
n
-
v
a
l
u
e

a
d
d
e
d

w
o
r
k

2
5
.
2
%

FIG. 2. Partial results of workface sampling during chemical plant
construction, Jan. 1424, 2008.
HYDROCARBON PROCESSING TURNAROUND AND MAINTENANCE 2011

I

T-59
wanes when employees learn by experiencing critical (and avoidable) incidents
at client or stockholder expense. Managers can and should reliably know before
it is too late.
Cultures can and should support employee use of fully aligned skill and
stakeholder expertise. Lean methods, such as management by lean work process
standards, are operational on FEL (design basis, preFEED, FEED) and EPC (detailed
engineering, contracting, procurement, construction, commissioning and startup)
projects and in their supporting organizations. Both motivation and increased
team enthusiasm for differentiating performance are created by managers with
a healthy recognition of current project vulnerability who choose to benchmark
current status and measure the opportunity specific to lean tools. To do so now,
racing the industry to generally adopt the tools and establish the supporting cul-
ture, is a promising current FEL and EPC opportunity to leverage senior resources
for sustainable performance excellence.
Consider what is wrong with the recent response of well-paid executives of a
major oil and gas EPC service provider to a well-evidenced lean introduction. If
lean is so important, clients would be willing to pay for it. If we begin to experi-
ence loss of work that a client acknowledges is a result of our not using lean, then
we will just do it.
With the advantage of the primary authors training from Boeing and Shin-
gijutsu and an extensive technical review team,
6
we have deftly described the
transformation to lean, not just at the introductory levels but transformation of
the entire business model and all the supporting processes to solidify, sustain
and perpetuate:
More effective metrics and timely tools for measuring performance and
long-term impacts of using lean production techniques are presented. The metrics
provide universally needed management information for transparent control of
project performance, safety, quality, productivity, cost, delivery-schedule, environ-
mental responsibility and employee morale.
The tricky part is to change the mindset of just accepting tradeoffs, e.g.,
improving schedule at the expense of cost or vice versa. Experienced and success-
ful managers must gain the trust that it will be of mutual benefit to implement
lean principles because, so far, their companies have rewarded them for their
past successes without using lean principles. Successful project, construction and
other discipline managers excel in making decisions in the face of uncertainty to a
fault. They fast track their schedule by expediting front end loading and planning
and rely on their intuition and experience to address unexpected issues occurring
during project execution. Lean principles guard against such practices and save
schedules and cost. Lean principles, tools and methods improve most, if not all
project performance metrics, simultaneously, i.e., in harmony.
The obvious and superficial lean production mechanismssuch as standard
work, work place organization, kitting and consumption-based replenishment
are put in proper perspective with the goals of achieving flow and application of
countermeasures.
Mastering rapid improvement techniques as a first step is later linked to
overall system improvement via value chain diagnostics and redesign.
We give you a heavy dose of supply-chain management including contract-
ing. Even if your processes are fine tuned and operating well, your supply chain
will still be subject to the natural chaos that occurs in logistics and human nature.
To achieve quick wins, it is not necessary to implement sweeping changes
all at once. Create and sustain market-dominating excellence short- and long-term
by taking time to understand these concepts and implementing the pieces that will
improve performance. Eventually, examine every system, sub-system, and process
in the business to achieve system harmony.
Further, nearly every performance issue affects the trust that project people
experience. The level of trust and unity impacts the speed of just about everything,
including the feasibility for rapid, sustained organizational improvement. We
provide supporting principles and intervention tools to assess and improve trust,
unity and culture to solidify, sustain and perpetuate.
Lessons from the past. The rapid improvement discipline has
developed, building on the work of Dr. Edward Deming. Several decades ago,
when US executives resisted, Dr. Deming told the Japanese that they required
profound knowledge to make correct improvement decisions. We contend that
while human nature hasnt changed, due to the work of Deming and many
others. Today, during large plant asset delivery, the improvement challenge is
not primarily a technical one, but also a need for profound leadershipto cross
traditional boundaries to collect the profound data and act on it starting with
defining and aligning work-process excellence (in EPCs, client owners and the
supply chain).
Casting executive dismissal-of-the-need to improve, profoundly, to the realm
of cordial hypocrisy, we contend that projects can and must improve and that
heretofore unseen client and EPC executive leadership is essential for it to
succeed. Subsequent articles in this series will elaborate on what constitutes
profound leadership and some necessary lean improvement strategies. HP
LITERATURE CITED

1
Patty, R. M. and M. A. Denton, The End of Project Overruns, Lean and Beyond for
Engineering, Procurement and Construction, Universal Publishers, Boca Raton, FL,
2010.

2
Ibid. pp. 6669

3
Ibid. pp. 1426

4
Ibid. p. 479

5
Ibid. pp. 5461

6
Ibid. Acknowledgements, pp ixx

7
Ibid. pp. 386, 53
Robert M. Patty, PE, MBA, PhD, civil engineering, currently
serves as an advisor and mentor for company leaders seeking to
implement the principles and systems of rapid improvement. He
served as a constructability/lean consultant for PetroCanada, Saudi
Aramco and BP and recently, as KBRs constructability technology
chief and lean program manager worldwide. Dr. Patty has personally led implementa-
tions on major capital projects in the US, Canada, Venezuela and Nigeria. Reach by
rmpatty@sbcglobal.net.
Michael A. Denton holds MS degrees in petroleum engineer-
ing and economics. Currently, he is senior appraisal reservoir engi-
neer for $5 billion Knotty Head deepwater Gulf of Mexico project
for Nexen Petroleum. He developed skills and gained experience
in petroleum engineering, lean project management and leader-
ship working for Mobil E&P, Amoco, BP, Chevron and Nexen Petroleum Oil and Gas
companies in asset development and delivering major capital projects in Alaska,
Kuwait, Korea, Europe, Africa, South America, the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
Profound leadership is required to achieve
profound rapid improvement
60

I

TURNAROUND AND MAINTENANCE 2011 HydrocarbonProcessing.com
Two line caption
Headline
(2 lines)
What are the magnificent seven
elements to successfully pick a contractor?
M. McMAHON, Coating Systems, Inc., Savannah, Georgia
Valuable pointers help industrial plant managers
minimize downtime, maintain quality and safety
to improve operations
At some point in time, every industrial plant must bring in an outside contractor
to do specialized work such as boiler blasting, concrete waterproofing and ceiling
painting that in-house manpower cannot perform on a cost-effective basis. Such
an option makes sense, in that many industrial operations do not enjoy the luxury
of reassigning staff to do labor-intensive work that requires additional training.
Nor does facility management have at their ready disposal the unique equipment
required to perform major maintenance or upgrade projects.
However, the greater challenge lies not in deciding whether or not to call in
outside help, but rather, determining which contractor is best able to do the job
on time, within budget, with the best outcome and the least lapses in safety. With
the right selection, an outside contractor can act as an ongoing partner to help
plant managers and facility engineers lower costs and add value over the long run.
1. Precise planning. The need to run at 100% production levels at all
times heads the priority list at most every processing facilities. Downtime for main-
tenance or upgrades equates with an interruption in revenue stream. In defense,
the best way to avoid having any outside work halt the process is to ensure that the
contractor provides a precise, highly detailed plan of the project work in advance.
If a contractor cant tell you how hes going to do that job, and lay it out in an
organized, detailed, step-by-step fashion, then you shouldnt hire him.
If you cant build it on paper, then you cant build it in reality. For example,
by using critical path method scheduling (which incorporates close to 30 items
and covers the scope of work, the crew, specifications, safety checks, tasks broken
down by each different craft and a complete timeline from start to finish) a project
schedule should be provided to the plant manager well in advance of any work.
2. A qualified workforce. Given the present scholastic environment
where far more students study computer science as opposed to metalworking,
the pool of skilled craftsmen continues to dwindle. After soliciting RFQs, the
down-selection process must include a careful evaluation of the contractors
complement of tradesmen. The importance of having a job go smoothly rests, in
great part, on the skill of the people actually twisting the wrenches. They must
possess a basic aptitude for the job, as well as a good work ethic.
Advance determination of such qualities is not as difficult as it seems.
Recognized training programs can vouch for satisfactory performance levels
from a given craftsman. Additionally, most every technical discipline has cre-
dentialing bodies, which evaluate respective contractors and their employees
for competency.
The Society for Protective Coatings, for one, offers its SSPC QP1 certification to
contractors that meet a set level of performance in key areas such as management
procedures, technical ability and quality control. Such certification provides facility
owners and specifiers a means to determine whether the painting contractor has
the capability to do surface preparations and coating applications on storage
tanks, pipelines, flooring, process equipment and other plant infrastructure.
Judging work ethic takes more effort. Look for a contractor who features a
dedicated, long-term team of workers vs. hiring a local crew off the street. Ask
the contractor to provide a list of the potential workers and request their job his-
tory. If not available, think twice.
3. Right equipment for the job. Often underestimated, the
painful truth is that inappropriate or underperforming equipment can greatly
increase the time to complete a project. Conversely, a contractor can actually bring
about a cost savings for plant management, and return the plant to full operation
quicker, if proper equipment is selected with forethought and applicability to the
specific project.
When tackling a critical project such as applying a coating of epoxy novolac to
the inside of a 300-ft diameter storage tank, contractors should be willing to go
through the trouble of bringing in portable air conditioners, or heaters depending
on the time of year, to manage the environment within the tank. This controls the
humidity and prevents premature rusting of exposed metal before the coating goes
on. Without such precaution, unanticipated coating failure could develop. At the
same time, the controlled environment allows workers to continue spraying 24
hours a day instead of just 8. The job gets finished in one-third of the time, so, the
tank can get put back online sooner.
Even something as simple as ready access to the equipment and tools can
make a difference in the timeline. For example, one informal time/motion study
revealed that the average mechanic spends an hour and five minutes each day
looking for tools. Ask to see photographs of the contractors equipment and tool
trucks. If you see a gang box filled with a bunch of tools that guys have to dig
through to find what they need, then that disorganization can lead to cost overruns.
4. Safe work practices. Safety can never be compromised for the
sake of speed. If anything, a serious accident can stop a project in its tracks and
immediately place a project budget in peril. Checking a contractors commitment
to safety begins at the top.
FIG. 1. SSPC QP1 certification provides facility owners a means to
determine whether a painting contractor has the capability to perform surface
treatment and coating applications on storage tanks and pipelines.
Two line caption
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I

61
The mechanics will do whatever the supervisor lets them do. If the foreman
allows the workers to stand on a ladder without a safety belt, they will do it. So,
supervisors should attend process safety management training classes so that they
will set the right tone. Once a project begins, conditions should be constantly moni-
tored, and safety inspections are conducted weekly by the operations manager.
A contractors membership in the American Society of Safety Engineers
also indicates a commitment to reducing injuries. Additionally, the prospective
contractor should be able to demonstrate site-specific training of its employees.
Examples include training in fall protection, respiratory protection, hazard-
ous waste handling, Mine Safety and Health Administration procedures, and a
confined-space program.
5. Access to spare parts and equipment for unfore-
seen circumstances. Every product manufacturer understands the need
for a second-source supplier. It should be no different for contractors who show
up to do critical work at a plant. The contractor must outline a systematic process
to acquire spare parts on an urgent basis when the inevitable emergency occurs.
You have to have Plan B as well as Plan C. To be on the safe side, the
contractor should have duplicate pieces of machinery at the ready so if a part
breaks, it wont halt the work. For example, when working on a tight timeline for
a project, its a good idea to ship backup equipment to the site. It may just sit there
as a backup and never be used, but the expense is well worth the peace of mind.
6. Constant communication with plant management.
Upon completion of a project, few plant managers like surprises such as unex-
pected, expensive change orders or up-scoping. A conscientious contractor must
be willing to provide project reports up-front and on a daily basis. Clarity with the
customer is crucial. The customer should receive three separate reports at the end
of each day, each one covering construction overview, safety and quality.
7. A willingness to partner for the long run. An index of
suspicion should rise when a contractor appears anxious to take the money and run.
Some eventually declare bankruptcy, leaving plant management with no recourse
if anything goes wrong. Look for a contractor who is willing to maintain an onsite
presence well after completion of the scheduled work. Even beyond that, added
value stems from a contractor who is willing to act as a resource for long-term
maintenance planning. Such partnerships actually free up the plants workforce to
concentrate on more immediate needs.
Plant foreman can benefit from permanently delegating some of their technical
services to a contractor with expertise in their respective fields. A supplemental
part of some contractors businesses is to develop specifications and procedures
to reduce rework and extend service life. Many foremen stay on at a given site
to provide such services as corrosion surveys, failure analyses, computerized
maintenance painting programs, industrial cleaning, fireproofing and OSHA pipe
labeling and safety-sign surveys, which can prove to be very valuable services for
most plants. Ultimately, enlisting the help of a proven contractor on a year-round
basis allows processors and manufacturers to keep their own staff focused on the
core competency of the organization. HP
Michael McMahon is president of Coating Systems, Inc. (CSI), Savannah,
Georgia. CSI is a SSPC QP1-certified specialty maintenance contractor that provides
a full range of industrial painting and protective coating services for power plants,
transmission pipeline companies, petrochemical plants and chemical processing
companies. Its clients include Shell, DuPont, Proctor & Gamble, Kimberly Clark, Olin
Chemical, and Colonial Pipeline Co.
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I

T-63
CORPORATE PROFILE: ALTAIRSTRICKLAND
ALTAIRSTRICKLAND has been managing and executing turnarounds and
revamps since its inception in 1976. Meanwhile, refineries have become more con-
gested and more complex but footprints remain about the same. This complicates
project execution and raises multiple constructability issues. Concerns for quality,
safety, schedule and budget add to the multidimensional scope.
AltairStrickland stresses that preplanning is a key to the door of success. Here
are just three examples of how they have addressed tough constructability issues.
FCCU Revamp, Case Study #1:
This air grid installation revamp scope was extensive and included:
Installation of regenerator lower cone section
Replacement of regenerator air grid
Replacement of reactor trickle valves
Flue gas line repairs
Knife gate valves repairs
Extensive refractory work
Miscellaneous maintenance work
The main constructability issues concerned the installation of the regenerator
in the lower cone section and replacing the risers feed section. The FCCU still had
the original plate type air grid. The original scope called for installing the trunk of
the grid into the existing cone section, however, there was no access for welding or
for weld inspection if the trunk grid was to be installed in this way.
Thats when AltairStrickland went the extra mile and constructed a mock-up of
the equipment so they could demonstrate the problem. This prompted the owner
to procure a new cone section. Still, installation was difficult.
The structural steel came up to the tangent line, there were several big beams
that could not be removed, and there was an upper constraint layer of dip leg brac-
ing and some trickle valves that had to be removed. The beams were redesigned
with notches to allow as much height as possible. Two air hoists on trolleys were
used as part of the rigging so the equipment could be taken from the crane and
led through the door sheet.
Beams were needed to support the door sheet and rigging devices. The cone
section was installed with the lower part of the trunk. The air grid was brought in
so the two back lateral arms could be installed first then followed by installation
of the two front lateral arms. Each piece of air grid weighed about 26,000 pounds
and the cone section weighed in at 28,000 pounds, still the job was completed on
time and within budget.
FCCU Revamp, Case Study #2:
A new client approached AltairStrickland for an FCCU revamp.
In this case, the scope included:
New head and cyclones in the regenerator
Installation of a new reactor
Tie-ins to the FCC for a new scrubber
Flue gas cooler work
Major structure work
For this major equipment installation, the client envisioned installing the com-
bustor riser distributor cap before installing the head and cyclone assemblies.
AltairStrickland presented preliminary drawings showing that the concept would
not work with the secondary trickle valves on. Instead, they proposed that the cap
be installed with the head and cyclone assembly. The client agreed. This satisfied
client has since awarded AltairStrickland other jobs.
FCCU Crane Considerations, Case Study #3:
When AltairStrickland was hired, this client already had selected a crane they
wanted to use to lift the 600,000-pound reactor. The crane they had in mind
required that a major freeway be shut down during the heavy lifts. AltairStrickland
studied all aspects of the lift and suggested that a 660-ton crawler crane could
perform the job without the hassle and expense of shutting down the freeway. The
client agreed and the lift came off without a hitch.
AltairStrickland has mastered both the science and the art of constructability.
Contact information
1605 S. Battleground Road
La Porte, TX 77571
Phone: 281-478-6200
Fax: 281-478-6206
E-mail: wstrickland@altairstrickland.com
Website: www.altairstrickland.com
AltairStrickland did a 3-D survey of the construction area before
modeling it in AutoCAD. This process revealed a better way to
lift the 690,000-pound FCC reactor.
Mastering FCCU constructability issues

I

T-65
CWFC offers comprehensive products
and services for the oil and gas industry
CORPORATE PROFILE: CURTISS-WRIGHT FLOW CONTROL
Curtiss-Wright Flow Controls (CWFCs) Oil & Gas Systems Division supplies
a diverse portfolio of products and services to the oil and gas industry, including
reactors, fractionating towers, separator, orifice chambers, diverter and butterfly
valves, fully automated coke drum unheading systems, as well as integrated control
systems, engineered valves, safety relief valves, and service and repair, and more. As
demand for global fuel requirements grow, processing capacity must also increase
and CWFCs products provide the oil and gas industry with significant savings while
providing technology solutions that foster plant flexibility, reliability, enhanced
production and compliance with safety and environmental regulations.
The business units and their brands which comprise CWFC Oil & Gas Systems
provide critical technology for severe service processing. Each business unit with
its brand has its own focus and market niche, and when combined with the other
business units offer an extremely diversified range of products and service for the
oil and gas industry.
DeltaValve is the world leader in full automated coke drum unheading solutions.
Their systems are available for the bottom and top of the coke drum, and completely
isolate personnel and equipment from coke drum fallout and other hazards associ-
ated with the unheading process. Other innovative products include DeltaValves
drum top blowout diverter/ drill stem guide, auto-switch coke cutting tool, and a
complete line of isolation valves designed specifically for the dirty service associated
with the delayed coker.
TapcoEnpro International (TEI) provides products and services to improve the
safety, reliability and efficiency of your Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCCU).
With 14 active patents and the largest installed base of single source FCCU valves
and actuators worldwide, TapcoEnpro technology and innovation provides a com-
plete package of state of the art, critical service, high temperature valves; fast acting
hydraulic actuators; digitally controlled hydraulic power units; heavy wall reactors
and pressure vessels and other FCCU components..
Total Automation Solutions (TAS) is a turnkey supplier and manufacturer of
integrated automation and controls technology, products and services. TAS inte-
grates quality OEM automation and control products with the optimum team of
automation and control engineering resources to supply custom manufacturing,
automation management and maintenance services, automation systems design,
and PLC Programming Services
Valve Systems and Controls (VSC) can manage the entire front end of your proj-
ect, from conceptual thinking to product specifications, from budgets to timelines,
and can supply any or all of the products and services required. VSC can also provide
highly skilled service technicians for repair, retrofitting, preventive maintenance and
training on valve systems anywhere in the world, regardless of manufacturers or
systems integrators.
GroQuip has, since 1972, been safely delivering quality as a supplier of engi-
neering information, products Safety Relief Devices, and services to customers with
pressure processes. Their customers have strict regulatory compliance mandates
(OSHA-PSM; EPA-RMP; BOEMRE; etc.). Largely, the customers are in Chemical
Processing Industry (CPI); Hydrocarbon Processing Industry (HPI); Upstream Explo-
ration and Production; Midstream Gas Processing, Fractionating, Pipelining; and
Downstream Refining.
Farris Engineering has been a leader in the design and manufacture of a wide
range of spring-loaded and pilot-operated pressure relief valves for more than 60
years. Used as safety devices, they prevent over pressurization of vessels, pipelines,
and processing equipment. Farris Engineering is a recognized leader in the hydro-
carbon processing, refinery, petrochemical, gas production and processing markets.
Farris Engineering Services provides patented, web-based iPRSM software, a
powerful engineering calculation and documentation repository tool, assists pro-
cessing plants in meeting the pressure related requirements for PSM compliance.
Together with iPRSM, our Farris Engineering Services team provides comprehensive
pressure system design and audit services, providing processing facilities with a safe
and hazard-free work environment.
Sprague Products includes air driven hydraulic pumps, gas boosters, and power
units supported with a complete line of valves and pump accessories. The Sprague
S-216 and PowerStar line of pumps offer various liquid pressures up to 33,500 psi
(2311 bar). Spragues pneumatic gas boosters are a cost effective way to compress
air/gas to meet high pressure requirements. The pneumatic gas amplifier design
offers greater efficiency as well as being modular for increased versatility.
Solent & Pratt is based in Bridport, Dorset, United Kingdom, and is a world
leader in the manufacture of high performance triple offset butterfly valves for
severe service applications. These valves are used within the petroleum, petrochemi-
cal, chemical and process industries.
Contact information
16315 Market Street
Channelview, Texas 77530
Website: www.cwfc.com
Dunn operates its own eet of specially designed tractor-
trailers to provide fully covered, drip-pan containment of
equipment for safe transportation.
Dunns 5 shell side cleaning bays and 7 tube side
cleaning bays allows our hydro cleaning facility to
simultaneously clean 12 heat exchangers.
Dunns licensed Bake-Out-Oven thermally decomposes
product residue while maintaining equipment integrity.
Dunn meets or exceeds all EPA standards for liquid and
solid waste treatment & disposal.
Dunn offers a service to help you with decommission
and disposal of your out of service obsolete
equipment. This turnkey service includes safe transport,
dismantling and cleaning of equipment that is no longer
required for plant operations.
Dunn is a fully certied ASME code facility offering both repair and new fabrication services.
Contact Dunn today to discuss your plant requirements and how you can benet by using the many services provided
by Dunn Heat Exchangers. Visit us at www.dunnheat.com.
Thermal Cleaning & Wastewater Treatment Decommissioning and Disposal
New Fabrication ASME U Certied Repair Certied ASME R Stamp
Safe Transportation High Pressure Hydro Cleaning
Dunn Heat Exchangers specializes in the cleaning, repair, testing, design, and fabrication of shell and tube
type heat exchangers and unred pressure vessels. Serving clients throughout the U.S., Dunn works with
some of the largest rening and petrochemical complexes in the world.
281-337-1222 409-948-1704
410 21st Street South
P.O. Box 3028
Texas City, TX 77592-3028
Houston: (281) 337-1222 (24 Hrs)
Texas City: (409) 948-1704 (24 Hrs)
Fax: (409) 945-9873
l d k h ll d Dunns licensed Bake-Out-Oven thermally decomposes
Thermal Cleaning & Wastewater Treatment
f ll d d f l ff b h d f b Dunn is a fully certied ASME code facility offering both repair and new fabrication services.
Contact Dunn today to discuss your plant requirements and how you can benet by using the many services provided
by Dunn Heat Exchangers. Visit us at www.dunnheat.com.
New Fabrication ASME U Certied Repair Certied ASME R Stamp
281-337-1222 409-948-1704

I

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Critical Path
Performance = Success
CORPORATE PROFILE: DUNN HEAT EXCHANGERS, INC.
In the early 60s Dunn recognized a need for off-site Heat Exchanger Service
for the local Petro-Chemical plants. That idea that has grown from a shop of just
over 6,000 square feet serving 2 to 3 local plants, to a thriving business serving
more than 120 customers in 3 countries.
Since 1968, Dunn Heat Exchangers, Inc. has worked hard to become one of
the largest Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger Service companies. Serving clients
needs throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. Dunn specializes in
cleaning, repair, design, and fabrication of Shell and Tube Heat Exchangers and
unfired pressure vessels.
With better than 150,000 square feet of covered workspace in Texas City,
Texas, Dunn is capable of handling your largest shutdowns meeting your plan-
ning requirements, while alleviating turnaround congestion in your plant. Dunn
is available for operation twenty-four hours a day seven days a week.
Dunns service facility along with our cleaning capabilities enable us to clean
in excess of 80 tube bundles per week utilizing a variety of processes including
high pressure hydro blasting, sandblast, and thermal baking. Complimented by
an equally capable service facility, your heat exchangers receive the priority treat-
ment when serviced at Dunn Heat Exchangers.
Dunn has built a reputation on prompt service of your heat exchangers. While
unexpected discovery work, seems to expand work scope all too often we are
prepared and equipped to handle that emergency retube, replacement bundle,
component or full replacement exchanger that your needs may dictate.
Dunns custom designed Band Saw has a maximum cut of 96 inches and plays
a vital part in our exchanger repair and metal recycling services.
Dunn is a certified U and R stamp ASME and National Board shop.
Backed by a full machine shop and a qualified staff of welders and machinist we
are ready to meet you fabrication needs.
Dunn now manufactures a full line of tapered tube plugs, stocking carbon
steel, stainless steel and brass. Special material requirements are manufactured
as requested.
Dunn offers a service to help you with decommission and disposal of your
out of service obsolete equipment. This turnkey service includes safe transport,
dismantling and cleaning of equipment that is no longer required for plant
operations.
Dunn owns and operates a fleet of tractor trailers for pickup and delivery of
your equipment. These trucks are specifically designed, totally enclosed flatbed
trailers, for safe transit of your equipment.
Dunns on site waste water treatment facility meets or exceeds all EPA stan-
dards and guidelines for liquid and solid waste treatment and disposal.
For additional information contact Dunn Heat Exchangers.
Contact information
410 21st Street South
Texas City, TX 77590
Phone: 409-948-1704
281-337-1222
Fax: 409-945-9873
Email: RFQ@dunnheat.com
Website: www.dunnheat.com
When space is limited . . .
So are your choices.
Microtherm is THE choice
for low thermal conductivity
insulation in high
temperature applications.
www.microthermgroup.com
Microtherm Inc. +1 865 681 0155
Microtherm NV +32 3 760 19 80
Nippon Microtherm +81 3 3377 2821
0.000 0.020 0.040 0.060 0.080 0.100 0.120 0.140 0.160
Mineral Wool
Ceramic Fiber
Calcium Silicate
Aerogel
Thermal Conductivity (W/m-K) at 600 Mean C
Microtherm - Truly the Best Performance at High Temperatures
MICROTHERM
Data Per ASTM

Testing Standards
C1676
ASTM Standard
for Microporous
1450 F
Internal
Conventional Insulation
7 of Ceramic Fiber over 6 NPS
138 F Cold Face
465 BTU/fthr Heat Loss
Equivalent Personnel Protection
3 of Microtherm MPS over 6 NPS
127 F Cold Face (
228 BTU/fthr Heat Loss (51% less)
11 F lower)
Save Space, Weight, & Energy!

Equivalent Volume
3 of Microtherm MPS over 12 NPS
132 F Cold Face
(6 F lower)
Increased Production 400%!
Equivalent Heat Loss
1 1/4 of Microtherm MPS & Quilt over 6 NPS
187 F Cold Face
Minimize Space and Weight!
Optimize Your Process with M M ICROTHER


I

T-69
CORPORATE PROFILE: MICROTHERM
The world leader in
high performance insulation
Microtherm is the worlds leading producer of microporous insulation, which
offers the lowest thermal conductivity of any insulation at high temperatures.
Microtherm has been producing this high performance insulation for more than
forty years and offers the best thermal performance in a variety of product forms.
The offering of many product forms allows Microtherm to meet the needs of many
different applications in a variety of different markets.
Microtherm is a microporous insulation, which basically means that the insu-
lation consists of a series of microscopic pores that compartmentalize air. These
tiny pockets of air are so small, they almost completely prevent air molecules
from coming into contact with one another and therefore they prevent most heat
transfer from gas conduction and convection. Added to this pore structure is a
precise mineral oxide opacifier that works to stop heat transfer through radia-
tion. This combination works together to stop heat transfer through all modes
and the net result is a thermal conductivity lower than that of still air and also a
thermal conductivity that does not change much across the temperature scale.
The k value of Microtherm is thus better than all other insulations at elevated
temperatures because other insulations have a dramatic increase in their ther-
mal conductivity as their mean temperature increases. The thermal conductivity
of Microtherm is always very low, but the higher the mean temperature of an
application, the more benefit Microtherm will have over other insulations as
their thermal conductivities increase with temperature. In addition to this great
thermal performance is the fact that Microtherm contains no organics or binders
and no respirable fibers. The lack of organics makes Microtherm noncombustible
and the lack of respirable fibers means that Microtherm is a safe, environmentally
friendly material to work with.
As the thermal conductivity of other insulations increase with temperature,
the fact is that only a fraction of the thickness of these conventional insulations
would be required if Microtherm is utilized. This is often taken advantage of
in applications where space is at a premium or if the weight of the insulation
could have an adverse effect. Microtherm insulation products can be used to
achieve equivalent cold face temperatures or equivalent heat loss in a much
thinner insulation package than convention insulations would require, or
Microtherm can be used in an equivalent thickness to provide a much lower
cold face temperature and thus heat loss savings as well. The yield of a process
can also be increased with Microtherm by utilizing a larger diameter pipe or
vessel insulated with Microtherm in the same space where a previously designed
system required a greater insulation thickness using conventional insulations.
Applications where precise temperature control is important can also make
good use of Microtherm because no other insulation can retain heat as well as
this excellent insulation.
Microtherm offers many different product forms of insulation to suit a wide
variety of needs. In the petrochemical industry, the most common products are
Molded Pipe Sections (MPS), Slatted panels, and Quilted products. Microtherm
MPS products are sized to fit nominal pipe sizes from up to 28 pipe. Micro-
therm Slatted panels are segmented panels made to roll around a large pipe or
vessel and can be utilized on any diameter 24 or greater. Microtherm Quilted
products are available as rolls (Microtherm SlimFlex) or as distinct quilts (Micro-
therm Quilted panels). Both of these Microtherm Quilted products are flexible and
able to conform to nearly any geometry that is necessary. All of these Microtherm
products are suitable for use up to 1832 F (1000 C).
The combination of low thermal conductivity and noncombustible properties
allows Microtherm to also be utilized in fire protection roles. The Microtherm
products mentioned above can qualify for fire protection credits with a single
layer application if certain other criteria are met. The result can be a much thinner
and easier to handle removable fire blanket. This provides yet another benefit for
using Microtherm products in certain applications.
In addition to these most common Microtherm products used in the petro-
chemical industry, Microtherm offers many other products as well. Microtherm
offers rigid panels and boards, bare blocks of Microtherm insulation, vacuum
insulated panels (VIPs), and even a granulated formula of Microtherm for filling
voids in complex geometry. With such a wide variety of offerings, Microtherm
is able to meet the needs of practically any application that may benefit from
using this high performance insulation. Evidence of this is the wide spread use
of Microtherm in fields as diverse as fuel cells, concentrated solar power, nuclear,
steel and nonferrous, glass, aerospace, marine, automotive, rail, military, passive
fire protection, dataloggers and many others.
Please take the time to contact Microtherm today to learn more about the
high performance insulation products they offer. An Application Engineer with
Microtherm will be happy to work towards finding the best product solution for
any given application. Take this time to learn about Microtherm products and
optimize the potential of your process.
Contact information
3269 Regal Drive
Alcoa, TN 37701
Microtherm Inc. +1 865 681 0155
Microtherm NV +32 3 760 19 80
Nippon Microtherm +81 3 3377 2821
E-mail: sales@microtherm.us
Website: www.microthermgroup.com
Microtherm Slatted Panels installed on a vessel.
RENTECH Boiler Services specializes in engineered repairs, rebuilds and
upgrades of industrial boilers using headered membrane waterwall design.
We retrofit any style of boiler, making RENTECH your one-source boiler company.
Our work meets NBIC and ASME standards. To reduce operating costs, eliminate
shutdowns, allow faster start-up and cool-down, and reduce emissions, call for
personal service from RENTECH Boiler Services.
O U R E N G I N E E R I N G A T R E N T E C H C R E A T E S
For more information, email us at INFO@RENTECHSERVICES.COM
visit us online at WWW.RENTECHSERVICES.COM
or call us at 325.672.2900
Boiler Services, Inc.
RENTECH

I

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CORPORATE PROFILE: RENTECH BOILER SERVICES
An efficient rebuilt boiler is the combined result of its redesign, engineering
and fabrication. Our engineering at RENTECH Boiler Services creates reliable boiler
upgrades. RENTECH is your one-source, full-service boiler company because we
provide reliable upgrades for many types of industrial boilers. We specialize in
engineered repairs, rebuilds and retrofits of boilers using headered membrane
waterwall design that eliminates refractory walls and seals.
Youll find satisfied customers of RENTECH in a variety of industries including
refining, petro-chemical, manufacturing and power generation across the U.S. and
in several other countries. Our engineers along with our service and manufacturing
technicians work together in our state-of-the-art plant and in the field. RENTECH
is proud of its reputation and record of service. We work diligently to help our
customers operate their boilers more efficiently and safely, and our work is backed
by the best warranty in the industry.
Our people make the difference because of their experience, knowledge and
dedication to customer service. Our qualified engineers understand all process
conditions, and they can optimize your system and improve its performance in a
cost-effective manner on your original footprint. We offer fully integrated solutions
that comply with all performance criteria. Boilers upgraded or repaired by RENTECH
provide:
faster start-up and cool-down
cooler furnace environment
minimize unscheduled outages
improved combustion control
Since 1997 RENTECH has provided quality products and services, including
superheaters, economizers, sulfur condensers, burner and CO/SCR system retro-
fits, seal-welded furnaces, watertube and firetube boilers, heat recovery boilers,
and solid fuel fired boilers. We strictly abide by National Board Inspection Code
(NBIC) and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standards. Our
engineering knowledge, advanced technology and commitment to customer ser-
vice combine to produce value for each customer by reducing operating costs,
eliminating shutdowns, reducing emissions and extending boiler life. Customers
with boilers upgraded by RENTECH spend less on maintenance, allowing them
to redirect those funds for other needs in their budgets for daily operations and
capital improvements.
Our employees at RENTECH Boiler Services have accumulated more than 1,000
years of combined service. Our plant covers 12 acres at RENTECH headquarters in
Abilene, Texas.
In recent years our customers have included 3M, Alon Chemical, ChevronTexaco,
Dallas Independent School District, Entergy, Sinclair, Sunoco, Texas Tech University,
University of Texas, and Valero. One Valero project engineer said, I was very
impressed with the level of service and quality of work that Rentech Boiler Services
was able to provide. I awarded a fast-track job to Rentech for fabrication of a boiler
tube bundle on a critical piece of equipment. Rentech was able to deliver a great
quality product to the refinery on schedule.
We realize that an efficient boiler contributes to your profitability. So if a boiler
is crucial to your plants operations, and your outdated boiler is costing you time and
money, call or email today to discover a solution thats right for you from RENTECH
Boiler Services. RENTECH is building a reputation, not resting on one.
Contact information
5025-C Highway 80
Abilene, TX 79601
Phone: 325-672-2900
E-mail: INFO@RENTECHSERVICES.COM
Website: WWW.RENTECHSERVICES.COM
Not all boilers are rebuilt equally
SPX Flow Technology
Tel: | 800 | 344 | 2611
Email: dollinger.sales@spx.com
www.dollinger-spx.com
www.spxft.com
Filtering Everything
Since 1921 Dollinger has stood at the forefront of ltration technology, serving a vast range of industries
around the world with a wide breadth of service and scope of products.
t Air Intake Filter Systems
- Multistage
- Pulse Jet [self-cleaning]
- Inertial spin [maintenance free]
t High Efciency Filter Panels & Cartridges
t Oil Mist Eliminators
t Lube Oil Filter Systems
that Flows through Industry

I

T-73
CORPORATE PROFILE: DOLLINGER FILTRATION
Filtering everything
that flows through industry
In 1921 Dollinger laid its foundation with the development of the worlds first
air intake filter for the automotive industry. Dollinger built on this success to become
a leader in process filtration technology, serving a diverse range of industries with
contaminant removal for air, gas, and liquid processes.
Today Dollinger is an SPX company and a global provider of engineered prod-
ucts and service solutions. These solutions provide technological advancements to
the process industries striving to achieve higher efficiencies and output, reduce
downtime, energy consumption, and environmental impacts.
Headquartered in Ocala, FL, U.S.A., Dollinger ensures business leaders will
achieve better operational capabilities by tailoring filtration solutions to their
individual needs.
Our leadership in filtration technology is supported by renowned global exper-
tise with engineering offices in Europe, North America, India, Asia, and beyond. Our
customers benefit from international engineering knowledge with a local focus.
Our philosophy began with dedication to supply high-quality products and
continues today with innovation through engineering.
Serving Markets Worldwide. For decades, Dollinger has been
designing and manufacturing filtration and separation equipment for a broad range
of industries and applications around the globe.
The markets we serve include Oil and Gas (Offshore and Production, Process-
ing and Refining, Storage, Transportation & Distribution), Power Generation, Air
Separation, Petrochemical, Chemical, Nitric Acid/Fertilizer Production, Waste Gas
and Biofuels and Glass Container Manufacturing.
By implementing Dollingers premium industrial filtration products and systems,
many industries have been able to implement complete solutions engineered to
specific needs. These support systems keep their operations running reliablywith
uptime assurance for their total peace of mind.
However extreme the condition Dollinger maintains mission-critical operations
all around the world with innovative technology engineered to handle the most
aggressive contaminants.
Scope of Products, Breadth of Service. Dollinger special-
izes in fluid and air management, leveraging unmatched capabilities to make your
operation more successful. With a wide range of filtration products and services,
Dollinger will help you improve fluid and air quality therefore increasing profitability
by optimizing the performance of processing equipment.
Process Pipeline Filters. Dollinger offers Process Filtration Equipment for
the Oil & Gas, Petrochemical and Power Generation Industries around the globe.
This product range includes both gas and liquid fabricated pressure vessel filters.
Custom designs can be incorporated and there are options available to package
filter vessels onto a skid arrangement with any required instrumentation or control
equipment with ensured compliance to all relevant codes.
Air Intake Filter Systems. Our technical development facilities are
located throughout Europe, North America, South America and Asia, and are used to
simulate a diverse range of environmental conditions, in order to provide you with a
detailed technical assessment of your current and desired filter system. Whether pro-
ducing a small retrofit weather hood, through to a large air intake system with full
enclosure, our engineers have decades of experience and are dedicated to designing
and delivering a system which will ensure maximum output from your machine.
Fuel and Lubricating Oil Filters. The Dollinger Oil Mist Eliminators
(OME) is a filtration system of superior efficiencyit collects 99.97% of oil droplets
0.3 micron and larger, thus removing virtually 100% of visible oil mist emissions.
This performance places Dollinger at the very forefront of oil mist elimination
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Keeping fluids clean and free from contaminant and moisture, is an essential
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Contact information
4647 SW 40th Avenue
Ocala, FL 34474-5788
Phone: 800-344-2611
Fax: 800-263-4788
E-mail: Dollinger.sales@spx.com
Websites: www.dollinger-spx.com or www.spxft.com
Dollinger service technician installing Pulse Jet filters into a
new installation. Replacing elements is necessary for optimal
performance and operation of your compressed air systems.
CORPORATE PROFILE: VOITH
T-74

I

TURNAROUND AND MAINTENANCE 2011 SPONSORED CONTENT
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www.bhs-getriebe.com
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Service Technician Herbert Kuisle
PLANT SAFETY BONUSREPORT

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75
Process safety: Blind spots
and red flags
Improving safety for organizations involve more than technological
solutions; understanding processes and plant interactions are a must
T. SHEPHARD, Mustang Engineering, LP, Houston, Texas
T
he Process Safety Management
(PSM) regulation 29 CFR 1910.119
was developed in response to a series
of major accidents. These same events led
to the creation of the safety instrumented
system (SIS) standard, ANSI/ISA-84.00.01-
2004 Part 1 (IEC 61511-1 Mod). Both pro-
vide a wholistic, lifecycle approach to the
design, operation and maintenance of SIS
and facilities. Plant safety improves when
these programs are implemented, although
accidents can still occur.
From studies of major accidents, most
result from the simultaneous occurrence of
multiple and seemingly minor errors and
incidents that interact in complex and
unforeseen ways.
1
PSM and ANSI/ISA
84.00.01 are similar in that both have inter-
dependent elements that work together to
reduce the likelihood of errors and hazards
that can contribute to an accident. A failure
or error in any element becomes the weak
link. This article explores some of the hid-
den errors and conditions that can occur
during the SIS or facility life cycle, and
refers to them as blind spots. Examples
of their varied modes and risks are high-
lighted. Red flags are a common prelude
to a major accident. As an aid to revealing
blind spots, an awareness of common red
flags may be helpful. Examples from major
accidents are listed.
Blind spots are often recognized as
a significant contributor to a major acci-
dent. Those discussed here have hid-
den or unforeseen mechanisms that can
degrade an SIS or a safety management
program. Independent protection layers
(IPLs) applied to reduce risk are methodi-
cally selected and implemented to reduce
the probability of hazard occurrence to a
tolerable risk. Typical IPLs include relief
valves, alarms and SIS. Accidents can result
if an IPL is inadequate, degraded or fails.
Undefined hazards also exist and the asso-
ciated hazard consequence and likelihood
are unknown.
Project execution. Todays typical
large-scale engineering projects have major
teams that interact with many organiza-
tions and companies. In a relatively short
time, they generate thousands of docu-
ments and a thousand-fold increase in
project data that resides in many forms,
formats and systems. This information is
communicated through many different
media. Being a human endeavor, quality
checkpoints are added at key points. Sched-
ule compression tends to increase error
rates and challenge the quality-check pro-
cess. Compression is common to fast-track
projects, and can occur with late design
changes, delayed decisions and extended
approval cycles. Quality checks become less
effective if performed at the wrong time or
under stress; thus, errors can be missed. A
purchase order with a single digit error in a
lengthy model number procures the wrong
material. A person with essential techni-
cal knowledge misses a key meeting. An
inspector misses an important detail at a
factory check. Undetected errors can occur
in the engineering data exchange between
companies if the data exchange protocols
are not well defined or managed.
Construction projects have a higher
number of personnel who work within a
physically more hazardous environment.
Onsite decisions are constant. Items dont
fit, material cannot be located or a key per-
son in the communication channel is taken
ill. A missed or inaccurate positive material
check on a case of bulk alloy fittings is not
detected. If detected, the installed locations
may be unknown. The transition from
construction to pre-commissioning and
Ops/maint.
reqmts.
Bypass,
reset,
manual
ESD
Standards
denitions
SIS
architecture
& interfaces
Valve failure mode
Process response
time, trip settings
Validation
results
Make &
model
SIS
architecture
& loop
design
Equipment,
diagnostics,
standard
architecture
Approved vendor list
project design standards
Application software SRS,
detailed design denition
Action list, validation status
SIF design & status, required
diagnostics minimum test
frequency, auto-generated
test procedures
SIL calculations
test & inspection
results
Target SIL & STR
Target test intervals
Vendor reliability data
SIF
requirements
SIL & STR targets
Test & diagnostic
reqmts, SIF change
to meet SIL
Fn safety
plan
SIS
schematic
diagrams
P&IDs,
process
engr.
Validation
Reports
SRS
Design
reqmts.
Instr.
data
sheets
SIS & SIF
loop
design
SIL calcs.
& studies
LOPA
report &
F/U
Safety requirements specification (SRS). FIG. 1
76

I

startup involves handoffs of many docu-
ments and status reportsall opportunities
for missed information.
Safety assessments. Safety assess-
ments such as hazard and operability
studies (HAZOPS) identify hazards and
quantify their respective risks. A hidden
deficiency in this process can result in risks
that are underestimated so that the applied
IPLs are inadequate. A hazard can be missed
or incorrectly assessed if the team is missing
key technical, operating or maintenance
expertise.
2
Combustion and process experts
are needed to assess the complex impact of
a major fuel gas drum swing on multiple
fired vessels across the facility. Perhaps the
burner data sheets no longer exist so it is
not possible to verify if the burners can
operate safely with the current fuel-gas
composition range. Expertise needed to
identify and accurately assess hazards that
are unique to rotating equipment, exother-
mal reactors and high-pressure equipment
may also be missing. The assessment may
fail to consider all modes of operation,
common mode failures, process response
time or the complex scenarios that can
result when a major upset occurs in a
shared utility system, e.g., steam, instru-
ment air or cooling water.
A safety related alarm applied as an IPL
may be invalid. This can occur if an opera-
tor cannot reliably respond to the alarm
within the process response time (pref-
erable half the time). Further, the alarm
IPL is invalid if a common event generates
multiple alarms that exceed the generally
recognized operator alarm response limit
of 10 alarms in a 10 minute period.
3
The
assessment may fail to explore this possibil-
ity. Finally, if the alarm is invalid, then the
SIL assigned to an associated safety instru-
mented function may be insufficient.
Technology. New technology and new
designs often create unforeseen challenges.
When the industry embraced open sys-
tems, the Microsoft Operating System
became a standard component in many
control systems. The unforeseen risk was
an ongoing urgency to install frequent soft-
ware patches to correct security holes and
software stability problems. Another is the
increased exposure to destructive viruses
of the type recently revealed as the Stuxnet
virus.
4
Computer servers require frequent
replacement due to early obsolescence.
Control-system vendors press users to
upgrade application software and hardware
to ensure future product support. These
upgrades often have subtle and undocu-
mented technical and performance differ-
ences. Implementing a change before it is
fully tested introduces an unknown risk.
If a facilitys software backup and recov-
ery procedures are inadequate or not fol-
lowed, then the wrong program or an out-
dated version may be loaded in response
to an unplanned emergency repair. Inad-
equate physical and administrative control
of an engineering work station connected
to a safety system can compromise system
integrity. Sensitive process control net-
works, thought to be isolated, may, in fact,
connect to a business network or unpro-
tected Internet connection and become
a tempting target for computer hackers
worldwide. Cross-connection of a process-
control system network to a business enter-
prise network opens the opportunity for a
control system interruption or upset that
may be caused by a routine business net-
work administrative change or update.
High-integrity pressure protective sys-
tems (HIPPS) are increasingly being used
to reduce project cost or increase produc-
tion. A well-designed and managed HIPPS
offers safety benefits, but is also a high-
tech solution that replaces a low-tech solu-
tion that is well understood. Management
of HIPPS and other SIL 3, high-integrity
safety systems require a mature, disciplined
and technically talented organization for
the duration of the systems life cycle. Most
of the blind-spot failures discussed here can
degrade this system. Because a SIL 3 system
is typically implemented to mitigate a high-
consequence safety hazard, its failure or
degradation can result in a major accident.
Human factors. Humans will always
make mistakes regardless of age, training
and level of experience. A well-designed
system, organization or procedure inte-
grates humans into activities and processes
where they are known to perform well,
and it avoids or minimizes activities that
humans are known to perform less reli-
ably. If this is not the case, the expected
error rate will be higher, and the resulting
errors may be overt, hidden or unforeseen.
Human error in any type of process or
activity increases when humans are under
tasked, over tasked or placed under stress.
5
Human error is not random, but it is
now understood to be systematic. The
error is biased by the systems, culture and
environments in which humans oper-
ate.
5
Under high stress, the perception
of time can become distorted. During a
plant emergency, the actual elapsed time
as experienced by a stressed individual
may be significantly longer than perceived.
When presented with a problem, humans
tend to develop a mental model of what is
happening and select data that supports
that model. Data that does not support
the model is often ignoreda condition
that has contributed to major accidents.
On the positive side, humans are essential
because they provide the only means avail-
able to mitigate or manage a hazard that
was previously unknown and has no other
safeguards.
Organization. High-performance
organizations of the type needed to man-
age high-integrity safety systems and
successfully merge PSM and ANSI/
ISA S84.00.01 are not at a natural state;
the laws of entropy apply. Organizations
undergo continuous change, whether desired
or not. The organization affects the other
listed modes in positive and negative ways,
which means it contributes to blind spots.
A seemingly subtle change in priorities,
staffing, training, work processes, safety
culture, age, technical expertise or tools can
significantly affect process safety as it inter-
acts with other listed modes.
When SIS progresses through its life
cycle, the safety requirements specification
(SRS) provides the essential foundation
document needed to define and maintain
system integrity. Fig. 1 summarizes the
information included in this document. An
inadvertent change in any item can degrade
or disable one or more safety instru-
mented functions residing in that safety
system. Mapping each datum element to
the department, technical discipline or
organization charged with its creation or
management provides an indication of the
potential challenge. The opportunity for
hidden errors and changes increases when
elements are distributed across organiza-
tional boundaries.
If the group charged with managing a
PSM program operates like a regulatory
organization, then the expected safety man-
agement culture and practices are probably
not being fully realized, although full com-
pliance may be whats listed in company
reports. Current organizational structures
may be an impediment when attempting
to merge the requirements of ANSI/ISA
S84.00.01 into the existing organization.
How organizations integrate this standard
with their PSM program appears to be
an early work in progress for many. Until
this process is complete and the bugs are
worked out, mistakes will happen.

I

77
Operations and maintenance.
Operating modes may exist that are below
the radar and, therefore, not assessed from
a safety and risk perspective. A facility may
regularly have a manual bypass valve open
around a control valve to increase through-
put. Others may operate a fired process
heater when a forced draft fan has failed.
A damper is opened and the heater is oper-
ated in a natural draft mode that was not
considered in its original design. An opera-
tor tweaks a mechanical stop on a fuel-gas
valve, changing a process heaters minimum
firing rate. Use of safety system bypasses
may become a common and casual act. The
duration that a safety function is bypassed
may be increasing, but it is not tracked and
goes unnoticed.
On the maintenance side, off-the-
books repairs and undocumented soft-
ware changes may be implemented in
response to a problem that occurs during
an unscheduled event, holiday weekend
maintenance callout. Spare parts used may
not actually meet the replacement in kind
requirement of PSM or the more rigorous
requirements in ANSI/ISA S84.00.01.
Changes may be made without applying
the Management of Change process
(from PSM), or perhaps the process is not
sufficiently controlled or transparent.
Risk acceptance creep. Individual
risk tolerances can shift when the person
is faced with an immediate decision on
whether to proceed (e.g., maintain pro-
duction) or revert to a known safe state
(e.g., shutdown). Risk acceptance appears
to increase or perhaps, risk denial occurs.
For example, a difficult new unit startup is
nearing completion. A safety event occurs,
forcing the person in charge to decide on
whether to proceed or shut down. The
risk associated with proceeding is not
immediately clear or understood. The
time-sensitive decision increases stress
and may offer little time to consult others
who may understand the risk. (Perhaps the
person who understands the risk is not in
a position to affect critical decisions.) The
decision to proceed or shut down reflects
the attributes of the decision-makers and
how they have internalized their under-
standing of the companys management
expectations, safety culture, priorities and
training. The decision to proceed is made,
and the situation improves, worsens or
remains unclear. This may be followed by
another decision to proceed and it fol-
lows the well-worn adage, in for a penny,
in for a pound. This phenomenon, in a
slightly different form, can occur during
the engineering phase of a project when
a tight schedule conflicts with the time
needed to finish a safety-critical assess-
ment or quality check.
Accident investigations. Analyzing
and identifying the root cause of a near
miss or an accident is an essential element
in a safety management program. Past
theory and practices for accident investi-
gations took an approach that often cited
operator error as the root cause. The new
theory, which takes a much wider view, will
often trace the root cause to a management
failure or a failure of the organization or
system in which humans function.
5
Those
applying the old approach (still common-
place) are not aware of where the true weak-
ness in their systems exists, so similar acci-
dents may reoccur.
Management and leadership.
All organizations, whether they are proj-
ect teams or operating facilities, face the
dichotomy of balancing process safety
with production, cost and schedule
demands. By words, actions and exam-
ples, management and safety leaders
demonstrate their expectations. Subordi-
nates interpret this message and bias their
actions and attitudes accordingly. Given
the challenges of communications in large
and complex organizations, a few misun-
derstood words or an ambiguous or con-
flicting message may degrade the process
safety attitude of employees.
For example, the appearance of an
overriding priority on production may
bias an operators belief that a unit-
shutdown button should only be used if
the hazard is certain and imminent. The
systematic bias may be to delay a safety
response when it conflicts with produc-
tion. A downsizing that lays off a key tech-
nical expert who provides maintenance
support for a highly technical safety sys-
tem, places that system at risk. Manage-
ment and safety leaders may not be aware
of the possible limitations in their safety
management program. Many companies
are implementing behavior-based safety
programs that have been very effective
at reducing injuries and accidents. These
same programs may be less effective at
revealing or mitigating errors caused by
technology or project execution blind
spots. An assumption that a given safety
program sufficiently encompasses the full
breadth of the safety management chal-
lenge may be a serious blind spot.
Red flags. Several blind spot modes have
been discussed. Many others exist, includ-
ing training, standards and procedures,
physical environment and regulatory envi-
ronment, to name a few. A complete listing
of possible blind spots within each mode
can fill volumes. To limit their accident
contributions, an awareness and accep-
tance that blind spots exist are essential.
Another important element in a safety
management program should include an
awareness of the red flags that often pre-
cede a catastrophic accident. Management
and safety leaders should give pause when
they hear several important listed words;
they may have just arrived at that point,
that last chance when a critical failure can
be prevented:
Experience says that will never hap-
pen (most catastrophic accidents)
6, 7
We need to reduce maintenance,
staffing and training to cut costs (Bhopal
MIC release)
7
So we are all in agreement, RIGHT
(Shuttle Challenger and Columbia Disas-
ters)
6
We dont have time for that (most
catastrophic accidents)
6, 7
Prove to me that it is not safe (Shuttle
Challenger and Columbia Disaster).
6
HP
LITERATURE CITED
1
Perrow, C., Normal Accidents: Living with High-
Risk Technologies, New York, Basic Books Inc.,
1999.
2
Shephard, T. and D. Hansen, IEC 61511
ImplementationThe Execution Challenge,
Control, May 2010.
3
Bullemer, P. and D. Metzger, CCPS Process
Safety Metric Review: Considerations from an
ASM Perspective, ASM Consortium Metrics
Work Group, May 23, 2008.
4
Bartels, N., Worst Fears Realized, Control
Engineering, September 24, 2010.
5
Decker, S., The Field Guide to Understanding
Human Error, Surrey UK, Ashgate Publishing
Ltd., Reprint 2010.
6
Brigadier Gen. Duane W. Deal, USAF, Beyond
the Widget: Columbia Accidents Lesson Learned
Affirmed, Air & Space Power Journal, Summer
2004.
7
Joseph, G., M. Kaszniak and L. Long, Lessons
After Bhopal: CSB a Catalyst for Change, Journal o
f Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, Vol. 18,
Issues 46, JulyNovember 2005.
Tom Shephard is an automa-
tion project manager at Mustang
Engineering. He has 28 years of con-
trol and safety system experience in
the oil and gas, refining, marketing
and chemical industries. Mr. Shepherd is a Certified
Automation Professional (ISA) and a certified Project
Management Professional (PMI). He holds a BS degree
in chemical engineering from Notre Dame University.
78

I

Consider new design criteria
equipment modules
Construction offers cost-effective protection of critical systems
D. COLE and D. AUSTIN, Lectrus, Chattanooga, Tennessee
T
he January 2011 HP article, Considerations for blast-
resistant electrical equipment centers, focused on the his-
tory, background and key considerations of blast-resistant
modules (BRMs) and blast-resistant electrical equipment centers
(BRECs), designed to protect personnel and vital electrical con-
trols, respectively. The article outlined the benefits of utilizing pro-
tective shelters at hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) plants.
The premise for greater concern with regard to both personnel
and process safety was established. Whereas the discussion gave
light to both shelter types, this article focuses specifically on the
detailed aspects of BRECs: design, construction, analysis, blast
load testing, test results and conclusions.
Following the Texas City, Texas, incident of March 23, 2005, a
special panel headed by former Secretary of State James Baker was
convened. The panel findings are documented in what became
known as the Baker Report of January 2007. One of the most
notable sets of statements made in the report places process safety
on par with personnel safety:
Not all refining hazards are caused by the same factors or
involve the same degree of potential damage. Personal or occupa-
tional safety hazards give rise to incidentssuch as slips, falls and
vehicle accidentsthat primarily affect one individual worker
for each occurrence. Process safety hazards can give rise to major
accidents involving the release of potentially dangerous materials,
energy releases (such as fires and explosions), or both. Process
safety incidents can have catastrophic effects and can result in
multiple injuries and fatalities, as well as substantial economic,
property and environmental damage. Process safety refinery
incidents can affect workers inside the refinery and members of
the public who reside nearby. Process safety in a refinery involves
preventing leaks, spills, equipment malfunctions, over-pressures,
excessive temperatures, corrosion, metal fatigue and other similar
conditions. Process safety programs focus on the design and engi-
neering of facilities, hazard assessments, management of change,
inspection, testing and maintenance of equipment, effective
alarms, effective process control, procedures, training of person-
nel and human factors. The Texas City tragedy in March 2005
was a process safety accident (Fig. 1).
This underscores the need for risk managers, planners and
engineers at HPI plants to put as much emphasis on providing
process safety as they do on personnel safety. It naturally follows
that implementing and utilizing BRECs at refineries directly
impact process safety. In addition to maintaining critical process
operations during and after an overpressure incident, blast-resis-
tant equipment shelters can limit extensive downtime and prevent
ever having to replace critical equipment rendered inoperable or
destroyed due to the effects of a blast event.
Demonstrating BREC technology. With respect to the
current response to market demand for BRECs, the most impor-
tant challenges are industry awareness and acceptance. Owners
and engineers in the HPI and chemical industries are identifying
the need for blast-rated protection of essential and critical equip-
ment, especially in light of recent refinery overpressure incidents
such as those cited here and in the January 2011 article.
The precedent and need for BRECs are without argument, and
this formed the basis of an extensive research and development
program that established three specific equipment-center con-
struction typestwo being of interlocking steel-panel construc-
tion and the third utilizing fully welded, crimped steel plate. Now
a verifiable revolution in the industry, the use of interlocking steel-
panel construction for BRECs addresses both cost-effectiveness
and critical-protection factors.
First considerations. As discussed previously, the most desir-
able location for electrical equipment centers at HPI plants is as
close to the processing operation and maintenance personnel as
The Texas City tragedy in March 2005 was a process safety
accident. Source: Chemical Safety Board.
FIG. 1

I

79
possible. Therefore, in establishing baseline criteria for BREC
performance and system design, the first step taken is typically a
siting analysis.
Siting analyses. Site maps of refining facilities containing
concentric rings that depict various explosive potential levels are
used in required siting analyses. The rings indicate overpressure
levels in psi, with the higher pressures appearing at the potential
blast sources or positions between blast potentials. Blast sources
and reflective convergences appear in much the same manner as
do the peaks on a topographical map. The site map of the Texas
City refinery is shown in Fig. 2.
Standoff distances. The best way to protect a building from
blast loads is to ensure that it is kept as far from the blast load
origin as possible. By contrast, the structures that shelter equip-
ment required to maintain essential or critical systems are often
required to be inside the potential blast zone. Close proximity for
equipment is also often a function of cost due to power losses and
equipment derating, as well as the heavy power cables connected
to the equipment.
Blast loads. The load on a structure from a nearby explosion
takes the form of an almost instantaneous pressure increase to
a maximum value, followed by a brief period during which the
pressure decays back to its ambient value. Pressures are measured
in psi and kPa.
A free-field blast load is the measurement of a blast pressure
that radiates equally in all directions with no reflections. The side-
on pressure is equivalent to the unreflected wave pressure at the
point where it reaches the structure. This is the rating pressure
used to map the site and to position the blast-rated structures.
A free-field blast is the usual result of a vapor-cloud explosion
(VCE). The pressure wave generated by the VCE impacts the
structure on the facing wall, creating a peak reflected pressure due
to the Doppler effect (change in the observed frequency of a wave)
of the pressure reflecting off the structures wall.
Blast pressure effects. The VCE experienced during the
Texas City incident in 2005 produced a 2.49-psi (17.2-kPa)
free-field blast, which, in turn, produced an equivalent side-on
pressure. This pressure level was sufficient to destroy construc-
tion trailers positioned within the blast zone, and, in fact, trailers
nearly 1,000 feet from the blast-area center sustained damage to
varying degrees.
Table 1 describes three levels of blast pressure damage on build-
ings in HPI facilities subject to blast loads. As information, the
terms damage level and response level are often used interchange-
ably, as shown in Table 2.
Optimal blast-resistance and affordability. Recently,
a highly advanced team of designers and engineering managers
with decades of experience in blast-resistant structures made a
decision that is significantly impacting the HPI: A thorough
research, analysis and testing program would be undertaken to
rate the performance limits of existing electrical equipment cen-
ter designs. It was also understood that test results would, at the
same time, provide needed feedback leading to improvements
in blast-resistant structure construction, and also determine the
best possible material and design technology combinations for
the most advanced equipment shelters.
Analysis phase: complete BREC and components.
Computer analysis began, using a single-degree-of-freedom
(SDOF) approach, analyzing the maximum BREC compo-
nent response at various blast loadings. The SDOF approach
was used to determine the blast-load capacities for various
pressure-impulse (P-i) combinations. P-i diagrams (Fig. 3) are
commonly used in protective-structure preliminary designs to
establish safe response limits for given blast-loading scenarios.
Considered here was the potential peak pressure experienced by
wall panels in the blast-facing wall. The impulse was the blast
duration in milliseconds times the peak pressure in psi (or kPa).
This value is measured in psi-msec.
TABLE 1. Building damage level/response level
descriptions
Building
damage level Component consequence
1 (low) Localized building damage. Building can be used; however,
repairs are required to restore structural-integrity envelope.
Total repair cost is moderate.
2 (medium) Widespread building damage. Building cannot be used until
repaired. Total repair cost is significant.
3 (high) Building has lost structural integrity and may collapse due
to environmental conditions (i.e., wind, snow, rain).
Total repair cost approaches building replacement cost.
TABLE 2. Component response levels and deflection
range
Component Stiffened wall and roof panels
Damage level 1 (low) Less than 2.1 in. Onset of visible damage;
component can be repaired.
Damage level 2 (medium) 2.1 in. to 4.2 in. Permanent deformation of
components requiring replacement.
Damage level 3 (high) 4.2 in. to 8.4 in. Substantial plastic deformation
approaching incipient collapse. Replacement is
required. Component failure is possible,
although not probable.
Site map of the Texas City, Texas blast-zone, showing areas
of greatest over-pressure.
FIG. 2
80

I

The complete electrical equipment center as an assembly was
also evaluated using finite-element analysis (FEA). Using FEA,
a BREC computer model was generated to verify resistance to a
2.5-psi blast load at 200 milliseconds (equivalent to the destruc-
tive Texas City blast load). Validations were performed to com-
pare the FEA results to the SDOF models results and verify the
SDOF calculations.
Using the SDOF approach, engineers conducted a series of
single-panel evaluations on a 3-m-long, 81-cm-wide steel wall
panel section at the maximum deflection point; the measured
results were critical in modeling the BREC using FEA.
An entire BREC structure half-symmetry model (Fig. 4) was
also used, and it measured the walls blast resistance and integrity,
as well as the global response of the entire structure. Although
the front wall must resist the reflected load, the side-wall panels
also play an important role; they are essential in the transfer of
the roof loads to the foundation. Both the roof and ceiling were
modeled as double-panel systems as described for the wall, and
material properties were identical to those used in the analyses
validation phase.
The reflected load, as tested, used a peak pressure of 36.5 kPa
(5.29 psi) at 200 milliseconds applied to the exterior panel of
the front wall. The side wall, back wall and roof were subjected
to side-on pressures, with a time lag included to the back wall in
the analysis to effectively capture the blast wave surrounding the
building. The highest stresses tended to occur at either the panel
mid-span or at its end connections with the roof and base steel.
Testing and recording results for these FEA building models
effectively completed the computer analysis phase.
Physical test specimen preparation. Subsequent to the
engineering teams completion of the SDOF and FEA phases, a
risk consulting company was contracted to evaluate a series of
wall panel units by subjecting them to actual physical blast pres-
sures using a powerful device known as a shock tube. It may be
said that the shock tube is to blast-resistant design research and
testing what actual wind-tunnel testing is to the aeronautical and
automotive industries.
Fifteen tests were conducted on six different wall panel designs
using seven different wall specimens and combinations of 16-,
12- and 11-gauge steel. Multiple units were built for the 16-in.
wide by 3-in.-deep, 12-gauge G90 wall panel, and single speci-
mens were provided for the five remaining panel designs. Three
equipment access doors using three different gauges (14, 16 and
18) and construction methods were installed on one panel to test
their performance limits.
Test specimen construction. The physical test phase
involved the wall, roof and floor systems, and equipment doors.
Cross-section drawings of the floor, wall and roof systems are
TABLE 3. Shock tube test results
Peak applied Equivalent right Peak applied Peak dynamic
test pressure triangular peak impulse Duration deflection Observed
Specimen Test Panel type Screw size 1.2 (psi) pressure (psi) (psi-ms) (ms) (in.) damage level
A 1A 16 in. wide, 3 in. deep, 16Ga G90 #10 0.9 0.8 26 58 None visible Low
A 1B 16 in. wide, 3 in. deep, 16Ga G90 #10 2.8 2.4 97 69 5.5 High
B 1B 12 in. wide, 4 in. deep, 12Ga G90 #10 3.4 2.6 167 98 0.75 Low
B 2B 12 in. wide, 4 in. deep, 12Ga G90 #10 5.3 4.3 213 80 1.5 Low
B 3B 12 in. wide, 4 in. deep, 12Ga G90 #10 6.8 5.4 290 85 4 Medium
C 1C 12 in. wide, 4 in. deep, 11Ga G90 .25 in. 7.6 5.9 314 83 2 Low
C 2C 12 in. wide, 4 in. deep, 11Ga G90 .25 in. 8.5 6.2 462 109 4 Medium
D 1D .25 in. crimped plate N/A 6.8 5 277 81 2.5 Medium
D 2D .25 in. crimped plate N/A 12 8.7 755 126 7 High
E 1E 3 equipmet n doors N/A 4.4 4 114 52 N/A Doors remained
attached
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500
1
2
3
4
5
Side-on pressure-impulse diagram for 2.7-mm wall panels. FIG. 3
Half-symmetry building model. FIG. 4

I

81
shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Included in the analyses and testing was
an optional inner wall comprising a series of 50-mm studs with a
1.2-mm steel liner panel. Other options for equipment support
include unistruts and structural tube steel. The ceiling has a set-
up similar to the walls, but without the insulation and inner-liner
panel. The floor system consists of 6.3- to 9.5-mm metal plate
fastened above various hot-rolled steel beams and angles.
Wall panels used in the analysis and testing were modeled as
ASTM A36 steel. It should be noted that BRECs are actually con-
structed of A653CQ Grade 38 steel; therefore, the material cited
in the analyses is on the conservative side. Most panels were wall
panels of interlocking steel construction (Figs. 5 and 7); one panel
was constructed to validate 6.3-mm seam-welded, crimped-plate
(SWCP) construction (Figs. 6 and 8).
Test procedure. Actual structural-system physical response
to simulated blast loads was the next step. Full-scale blast tests
were conducted by subjecting complete wall/roof sections and
equipment doors to known, controlled blast pressures. Actual
pressures of up to 8 psi were applied. The physical test program
served a dual purpose:
To evaluate each wall panel unit under three blast loadings:
near the low-damage level threshold, near the medium-damage
level threshold, and at or near the specimen failure limit, and to
follow up with documented test results.
To provide a basis for comparison to SDOF and FEA analy-
ses validations, thereby allowing for a computer modeling and
blast-load analysis program of this nature to serve as the sole
criterion for blast-resistant electrical equipment center testing.
The risk consultant designed its shock tube to provide an
applied blast load to a structural specimen without the use of
explosives. A significant advantage of the shock tube over open-air
blast testing with high explosives is its ability to deliver long-dura-
tion blast loads typical of industrial explosions without requiring
explosives or the use of an open-land area.
To simulate the blast pressure of a free-field VCE, the shock
tube applied pressure to the test panel. The tests were con-
ducted on 3-m by 3-m wall and roof sections. Each test section
was fixed to the shock tube front where a controlled release of
pressurized air impacts the wall surface. The test samples were
subjected to increasing blast pressures for varying duration and
impulse levels. Tests were gauged to precipitate low-, medium-
or high-damage responses. Component damage response levels
(Table 3) follow the same pattern as the building-level responses.
The test panel configurations represent those used in current
BREC designs.
Panel damage level. Support rotations were also used in
determining the panel damage/response levels. The maximum
dynamic deflection of each component was calculated provid-
ing the ranges used in the three damage/response levels shown
in Table 2.
Each component was also analyzed for various P-i combina-
tions to determine an overall P-i diagram for the entire BREC
in terms of building-response level. The building-response level
definitions are provided in Table 2. Results for the FEA model,
using 12-gauge wall and roof panels, are also indexed in Table 2
for side-on or free-field blast loads.
Test configurations and results are shown in Table 3.
The test results establish effective side-on pressure ratings for
the tested panel configurations. Table 4 shows the side-on ratings
for each BREC construction type, as well.
Based on the actual test results, it can be confidently stated that
an interlocking-panel design can be used to resist blasts up to 4
psi in side-on pressure. It was also learned that the screw type and
spacing are critical. Thirdly, equipment doors, such as the ones
built for this testing program, can be used.
The primary differences between the standard equipment
center and a BREC using construction types I or II are the gauge
3 in.
Interior wall
Exterior interlocking wall panels 3 in. berglass insulation
Typical interlocking wall panel section. FIG. 5
Interior panel
2 in. x 1 in. formed channel
3 in. berglass insulation
Exterior crimped
plate wall panels
1 in. 4 in. 218 in.
31516 in.
438 in.
10 in. 7 in.
45
3 in.
Typical crimped plate, seam-welded wall section. FIG. 6
TABLE 4. Effective side-on pressure ratings
Low response Low response Medium response Medium response High response High response
Specimen/ limiting limiting limiting limiting limiting limiting
Construction applied load side-on load applied load side-on load applied load side-on load
type Panel type (psi, psi-msec) (psi, psi-msec) (psi, psi-msec) (psi, psi-msec) (psi, psi-msec) (psi, psi-msec)
A/Type I 16 in. wide, 3 in. deep, 0.8, 26 0.4, 13 2.4, 97 1.2, 47
16 Ga G90
B/Type II 12 in. wide, 4 in. deep, 4.3, 213 2.0, 101 5.4, 290 2.5, 136
12 Ga G90
C/Type II 12 in. wide, 4 in. deep, 5.9, 314 2.8, 147 6.2, 462 2.9, 215
11 Ga G90
D/Type III .25 in. crimped plate 5.0, 277 2.4, 131 8.7, 755 4.0, 344
E/Type I, II 3 equipment doors 4.0, 114 1.9, 54
82

I

and amount of material, screw spacing, door construction and
equipment door configuration. A key difference in a BREC layout
is the addition of a deflection space between the outer blast wall
and any interior equipment supports or interior walls. For pres-
sures above 1.0 psi, the use of special blast-rated doors and HVAC
units with blast dampers is required. It is also assumed that these
designs will be installed on foundations adequate to support the
structures and anchor systems effective in holding the BRECs in
place during a blast event. With this in mind, power and control
cables can be configured to enter the structure through penetra-
tion points, preferably in the floor. Penetration points for power
cables and wiring should be sealed using glands or other readily
available cable sealing systems.
Wrapping it all up. With a vast amount of design and build
experience using both interlocking-panel and welded-steel con-
struction in blast-resistant equipment centers, an expert team
of engineers has developed computer-based blast-loading and
damage profiles. Its ambitious program of evaluations began
with SDOF analyses for wall and door components. The team
then developed computer models of both a complete and half-
symmetry building, using FEA. The purpose was to further
evaluate and verify the SDOF calculations that showed the limits
of blast loadings on the wall panels and other BREC compo-
nents. Armed with the results of these analyses, actual physical
test specimens were prepared using 12-gauge steel sections, after
which a battery of physical blast load testing regimes was run on
built-up steel-wall and door components. Team members then
compared the results of the physical tests with those of their
computer analyses. After they developed a strong correlation
between the analyses with the results of the shock tube testing,
they were able to conclude that a proper program of computer
analyses can be used to accurately predict equipment-center
response to known blast loads. That knowledge and testing have
effectively extended BREC performance limits from less than
0.5 psi to 4.0 psi.
What this means for HPI companies is that there are now
specific design and build parameters for BRECs that can be used
to optimize their integration into a program of process safety at
every facility. In short, the state of the industry in equipment
centers now allows for the best combination of protection and
cost-effectiveness.
These factors, combined with the features list found in
todays BREC construction, result in benefits that can be directly
translated to the clients bottom line: low cost, weather-tight,
contaminant-proof buildings that are flexible, easily retrofit-
ted and repaired, and ductile in response to applied loads. The
technology, effectiveness and availability of BRECs can provide
every refinery with a higher level of safety and security for the
process system. HP
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cole, D., R. H. Bennett and D. Austin, Protecting Essential Refining
Operations Using Blast-Resistant Electrical Equipment Shelters, IEEE-
PCIC-AN-22, 2008.
The Report of the BP US Refineries Independent Safety Review Panel, The
Baker Report, January 2007.
Schmidt, J. A. and B. B. Brettmann, Protective Structural Design: Resisting
Blast Loads, March 2002.
Management of Hazards Associated with Location of Process Plant Portable
Buildings, API RP 753, First Edition, American Petroleum Institute,
Washington, D.C., June 2007.
Fatal Accident Investigation Report: Isomerization Unit ExplosionFinal
Report, Texas City, Texas, incident date: March 23, 2005, report date:
December 9, 2005.
Design of Blast-Resistant Buildings in Petrochemical Facilities, American
Society of Civil Engineers, Task Committee on Blast Resistant Design, New
York, New York, 1997.
Single Degree of Freedom Structural Response Limits for Antiterrorism
Design, US Army Corps of Engineers Protective Design Center Technical
Report PDC-TR- 06-08, October 20, 2006.
Edel, M., J. Florek, K. Sriboonma and J. R. Montoya, Blast Assessment of
Modular Metal Building, final report, BakerRisk Project No. 01-1958-001-
07, Baker Engineering and Risk Consultants, February 19, 2008.
Montoya, J. R. and M. J. Lowak, Blast Performance Testing of Wall Panels,
draft report, BakerRisk Project No. 01-02385-001-08, Baker Engineering
and Risk Consultants, January 28, 2009.
Interior and exterior wall panels used in physical test
phase.
FIG. 7
Wall panel of SWCP construction used in the physical test
phase.
FIG. 8
David Cole is the vice president of corporate engineering for
Lectrus Corp. His current responsibilities include product design,
research and development, and code compliance for the companys
complete line of custom, walk-in metal electrical equipment enclo-
sures. Mr. Cole also represents Lectrus on various technical and
industry associations, including IEEE. He graduated from North Carolina State Uni-
versity with a BS degree in mechanical engineering in 1985 and from the University
of Phoenix with an MBA in 1995. Mr. Cole has had a diverse career in medical R&D,
computer-peripheral manufacturing, and electrical control and enclosure design.
Deron Austin is the vice president of marketing for Lectrus
Corp. Mr. Austin has over 20 years of experience in the sales and
marketing of engineered products, and is a licensed professional
engineer in the State of Tennessee. Prior to joining Lectrus in June
2008, he was employed by Propex, where he helped increase the
global demand for the companys civil engineering products. As marketing director
for Lectrus, Mr. Austin is responsible for the companys strategic marketing initiatives,
marketing communication tactics, lead development, branding and new market,
channel, product and service commercialization efforts. He is a member of the Insti-
tute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and holds a BS degree in civil engineering
from Bucknell University.

I

83
Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism
Standard turns four: Whats next?
An in-depth look at the standard
R. LOUGHIN, ADT Advanced Integration, Greater Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
W
e hear it all the timeafter
9/11, everything having to do
with security changed. It forced
us to take a second look at many things
in our lives and it was natural to look at
the security of our critical infrastructure
including roads, waterways, airports and
bridges. Of course, chemical security had
to be part of that. Lawmakers wanted to
make sure that companies using, making
and storing chemicals were taking the steps
to secure their facilities and contents.
According to the Department of Home-
land Security (DHS), the Chemical Facility
Anti-Terrorism Standard (CFATS) was cre-
ated in 2006 to establish security standards
for facilities considered to be at high risk.
CFATS defines security requirements based
on a list of about 323 chemicals, called
chemicals of interest (COI). CFATS does
not just affect the chemical or petrochemi-
cal industries. It also includes sectors such
as chemical manufacturing, storage and dis-
tribution, energy and utilities, agriculture
and food, paints and coatings, explosives,
mining, electronics, plastics universities,
and healthcare facilities.
At this time, CFATS does not apply to
facilities under the jurisdiction of the Mari-
time Transportation Security Act (MTSA),
facilities owned or operated by the US
Department of Defense or those regulated
by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Public water systems and wastewater treat-
ment facilities currently fall under the US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
regulations.
The DHS set thresholds for each of the
COIs. The facilities that use or store chemi-
cals above those thresholds were required to
submit a top screen to the department.
So far, the DHS has indicated that about
32,000 facilities submitted top screens. Of
those, about 7,000 were notified that they
were required to move to the second step
a Security Vulnerability Assessment (SVA).
Facilities were placed into categories
after the top screen analyzed the type,
quantity, storage, manufacturing and han-
dling of each COI. The SVA then took a
more in-depth look at each facility and its
existing security and vulnerabilities to come
up with a final ranking based on four tiers.
Facilities with the highest level of COIs
and vulnerability combined, were placed
into Tier 1. Those with the lowest levels of
chemicals and threats were put into Tier 4.
The DHS considers its criteria for tier
rankings to be classified and does not dis-
close what elements make a facility a tier
one. The rankings appear to be based on a
combination of factors from the top screen
to SVA submissions. Characteristics obvi-
ously change from site to site, but tier rat-
ings appear to be based on a combination
of COI type and amount, proximity to a
population center and the recognition of
the COI by the general public.
CFATS is a risked-based mandate. At
the heart of it are 18 published Risk-Based
Performance Standards (RBPSs) and each
tier has a specific level of security within
those standards to be met. The DHS does
not mandate specific technologies and
procedures for facilities. Instead, it sets
security goals based on a number of factors
and the facilities are given the flexibility to
develop their own processes and solutions.
This allows for the vast differences in facil-
ities. You might think that the larger the
facility the higher the risk level, but often
that is not the case. For example, a large
facility may have perimeter and access
security in place that makes it very secure.
A small facility, like a university research
center, probably does not have the ability
to put in place the same perimeter security,
so it has to take extra precautions to make
sure access to certain chemicals is limited
to very few authorized people.
After a company or facility gets its final
tier assignment from the DHS, it has 120
days to develop a site security plan (SSP)
using the 18 RBPSs as guidelines. This
means laying out a comprehensive plan that
takes into account the facilitys tier level. For
example, the first RBPS addresses perimeter
security. The expected security level for a
Tier 1 facility is going to be much higher
than a Tier 3 or Tier 4. Putting together an
SSP takes a team approach. It cannot fall to
one person in the facility. The RBPS man-
date covers a wide range of areas including
personnel, security, safety, compliance and
legal issues. All of these departments need to
have a seat at the table in putting together
this type of plan.
After the SSP is submitted, it is reviewed
by the DHS and then implemented by the
company. The final step is an authoriza-
tion inspection by the DHS. This inspec-
tion usually takes about a week as the DHS
examines the entire plan and looks at it, not
only on paper but also in practice.
So what is the real reason for the CFATS
mandate? What are the concerns and what
is the DHS looking to secure? The specific
concerns about chemical production, use
and storage fall into three main categories:
Release of dangerous chemicals
Theft and diversion of chemicals
Sabotage or contamination.
The release of dangerous chemicals and
the threat this poses to the health and safety
of the surrounding public is pretty obvious.
Toxic, flammable or explosive chemicals
can be very dangerous and cause extensive
damage to people and property. Release is
a matter of keeping unwanted people out
of your facility and screening your person-
nel to make sure that they are who they
appear to be.
Theft and diversion gets a little murkier.
Here we are talking about stealing chemi-
cals to create chemical weapons including
84

I

homemade bombs, explosives, gas bombs
and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Again, stealing is pretty straightforward and
that threat affects almost all CFATS facili-
ties. Both big and small facilities have to
protect their chemical inventory and assets
against someone going in and taking them.
Diversion is a different story. Chemicals
can be stolen at the facility or in route, but
chemicals can also be diverted in a number
of different ways. According to the DHS,
diversion is the criminal act of acquiring
a product (or service) by means of decep-
tion. Deception can include purchasing
or paying for chemicals. The crime here
is the acquisition of the chemicals even if
they are purchased. Diversion includes the
following tactics:
HijackingPlacing an order that puts
the goods in motion and then stealing them
in route.
Dummy companySetting up a fake
company and placing an order. Once the
order is delivered, the company disappears.
Breakout schemeVariation of a
dummy company, but a real company is
purchased, usually on credit, and orders are
placed through that company. The com-
pany operates until the credit runs out.
Co-opted customerAn existing cus-
tomer is co-opted by a terrorist group and
is either coerced, infiltrated or bribed into
ordering materials.
False flagTerrorists place an order as
an existing customer but steal the goods
once they are delivered or the order is sent
to a new false address.
Pretext purchaseFor example, some-
one pretending to be a professor at a uni-
versity or college chemistry department
places an order.
Cyber attack on business manage-
ment systemThe network or computer
system is hacked into and a reoccurring
delivery is scheduled and hidden.
Sabotage or contamination of materi-
als is another concern driving the CFATS
mandate. Chemicals that release toxic gases
when exposed to water, fall into this cat-
egory. So businesses have to not only be
concerned about someone stealing or tak-
ing COIs out of the facility, but they must
also be very concerned with what is coming
into those facilities.
All of these scenarios have to be
addressed in a facilitys SSP and security
measures must be put into place to limit
the possibility of these situations happen-
ing. It takes a careful review of your facil-
ity and its business processes, along with
knowledge of the security options available.
CFATS just celebrated its fourth birth-
day. Those four years have been a learn-
ing process and, as the DHS has acknowl-
edged, the department is learning with the
industry. It has been a strong collaborative
process with the usual snags and disagree-
ments. Overall, the legislation has gotten
off to a good start and is beginning to hit
its stride. At this point, almost all facilities
should have been given a final tier assign-
ment and most initial inspections for Tier
1 facilities completed.
The DHS has reached out to the
chemical industry and is trying to work
with facilities to facilitate compliance. The
department started working with compa-
nies by making preauthorization inspec-
tions. These allow companies and facilities
to meet with DHS inspectors to discuss
what they are doing and get feedback. This
seems to be a process that is working well
and is giving many companies the direc-
tion and advice they need. The DHS also
provides a lot of information online for
facilities, as well as lists of frequently asked
questions and a help line for additional
assistance.
The department has also initiated an
open dialogue for some of the tougher
issues, like personnel surety, which deals
with background checks and certifications
for employees, vendors and delivery peo-
ple. Another area is material modification.
The DHS has acknowledged that com-
panies are constantly changing processes
and the chemicals used in those processes.
Handling these modifications and the
impact they may have on tiering, SSPs and
compliance is a difficult task. And again,
in this instance, the DHS is looking to the
industry for input and discussion.
The biggest issue facing CFATS at this
time is legislative. The initial bill expired
in October 2009 and was renewed for
one year. Since then, legislation has been
introduced in the US Senate and the
House of Representatives. In July, the Sen-
ate Homeland Security Committee voted
unanimously to extend the CFATS for
three years to 2013. The 13-0 bipartisan
vote was for HR 2868 with an amend-
ment from Senator Susan Collins, Repub-
lican-Maine.
HR 2868 was introduced by Repre-
sentative Bennie Thompson, Democrat-
Mississippi and was passed by the House in
November. That version of the bill included
an inherently safer technology (IST) provi-
sion. The chemical industry is opposed to
this provision because it is open to inter-
pretation and it could be costly, especially
for smaller facilities and businesses. The
Collins amendment removes this provi-
sion from the bill and adds several other
elements, including:
Creating voluntary exercise and train-
ing programs
Establishing a voluntary technical
assistance program
Creating a chemical facility security
best practices clearing house
Establishing an advisory board to
advise the DHS on implementation and
the voluntary technical assistance program.
In general, the industry has been very
supportive of this legislation with the Col-
lins amendment included. The National
Association of Chemical Distributors
(NACD), the Society of Chemical Manu-
facturers and Affiliates (SOCMA) and oth-
ers have come out in its support.
Still, the bill has to make it to the Sen-
ate floor for a vote. The chairman of the
Senate Homeland Security Committee,
Joseph Lieberman, I-Connecticut, has said
the bill will need significant modifications
to get through the Senate. Some senators
have already said that they will make an
effort to reintroduce an IST-type provision
in the bill.
With a shift after the November elec-
tions in the makeup of both the House
and, to a lesser extent, the Senate, CFATS
did not get much attention at the end of
last year. The program will continue for
another year through a rider on the DHS
appropriations bill. This will allow facili-
ties that use, store and process chemicals to
continue their current work with the DHS.
We may see a different approach to
CFATS with a new Congress. But, as Sue
Armstrong of the DHS recently reminded
everyone at a security conference, terrorism
is a real threat that we all need to take seri-
ously. The CFATS mandate is not meant
to be an additional burden to business, but
to ensure that we are protecting our com-
munities and our businesses. HP
Ryan Loughin is the director of
Petrochemical and Energy Solutions
for the Advanced Integration division
of ADT (www.adtbusiness.com/petro-
chem). He provides security education
to CFATS and MTSA-affected companies and is a member
of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association
(NPRA), Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Associ-
ates (SOCMA), American Chemistry Council (ACC), the
Energy Security Council (ESC) and the American Society
for Industrial Security (ASIS). Mr. Loughin has also com-
pleted multiple levels of Chemical-Terrorism Vulnerability
Information (CVI) which was authored by the US Depart-
ment of Homeland Security.
INSTRUMENTATION

I

85
C
ontrol systems play a vital role in
all aspects of modern living, from
helping us drive our cars, to safely
running large petrochemical complexes
and power stations. According to recent
industry research, instrumentation is the
biggest spend item in plants. In 2010,
capital expenditure for buying new instru-
ments was estimated at $5 billion, with
maintenance and operation costs projected
to reach $4.9 billion. However, much of
this cost is unnecessary. It arises because
the technology used to plan and design
instrumentation and control systems has
often been developed with little regard for
engineers and designers natural working
methods. Procedures that can be perfectly
straightforward if represented graphically
rerouting a wire, for example, or segregat-
ing cablesare all too often dependent on
manual, tabular data input, which is time-
consuming, expensive and prone to error.
Instrumentation and control experts
were interviewed across the industry, and
they identified no less than 10 key areas
where instrumentation design technolo-
gies fail to meet engineers and design-
ers requirements. These are the top-10
headaches that the engineers and design-
ers face on a daily basis. The good news is
that companies can avoid these headaches
entirely by deploying the visual engineer-
ing approacha field-proven instrumen-
tation solution.
TOP-10 HEADACHES
No. 1.Wasted time and lost pro-
ductivity. Engineers and designers are
highly skilled individuals. Forcing them
to enter design changes using tables, forms
and spreadsheets is unproductive and
uneconomical, and it increases the likeli-
hood of human errorthis is the way that
most instrumentation software systems cur-
rently work. For too long, software ven-
dors have denied engineers and designers
the simple practicality of a graphical visual
engineering interface with drag and drop
capability and inbuilt intelligence, ensuring
changes are automatically replicated into all
the associated data and databases.
All too often, the time taken to learn
the currently available systems is prohibi-
tive. Configuring them is a major spe-
cialist undertaking, and their operation
constrains engineers to work in ways that
are counter-intuitive and labor-intensive.
Wasted time and money, and lost produc-
tivity, are the results.
This new program delivers simplicity,
to fit closely with the way that engineers
and designers naturally work. As an exam-
ple, Fig. 1 shows how a simple graphical
user interface in a wiring manager module
enables the user to route and reroute wir-
ingand manage all associated changes
in a few clicks of the mouse. Straightfor-
ward customization enables configuration
by users without any need for program-
ming skills. In short, this is a complete
change to the way in which instrumenta-
tion and control data is created and edited,
and it has led to design savings of 30% and
more among current users.
Simplicity of use equates to less need
for configuration and training, reduced
administration and support overheads,
and a design and engineering team whose
time to productivity is greatly reduced. The
Avoid these top-10
instrumentation headaches
Visual engineering program solves designer
and engineer issues across the industry
D. GIBSON, AVEVA, Cambridge, England
A straightforward, graphical approach, combined with drag-and-drop functionality,
enables wiring projects to be designed and change-managed in the simplest way
possible.
FIG. 1
INSTRUMENTATION
86

I

graphical views are role-based, so each user
sees and interacts with those elements that
are of most use to them.
No. 2.Lack of change manage-
ment. While the creation of data is abso-
lutely key to the early momentum of a proj-
ect, the ongoing challenge is in managing
changes to the design and ensuring that the
changes are properly reflected throughout
the dataset. Often, more cables and con-
nections are added to the plan than were
originally envisaged, swelling the data
considerably and producing a significantly
altered design. This complicates the rela-
tionships between existing and new infor-
mation, forcing a time-consuming and
costly estimate revision process.
The instrumentation program comprises
three integrated modules that share a com-
mon, multi-user database for both design
and as-built data. This integrated data envi-
ronment enables extensive validation pro-
cesses, automatic cross-referencing and link-
ing of associated information, and rigorous
change control. Change of all kinds can be
easily tracked, highlighted and reported on,
and its impact automatically flagged (Fig. 2).
No. 3.Wiring limitations. Wiring
design is a multi-phase process, involving
loop diagrams, schedules and termina-
tionsyet many technologies currently
available on the market are unable to inte-
grate these procedures into one applica-
tion. The wiring designer has to coordinate
design data manually between several dif-
ferent applicationsan open invitation to
error, as well as a seriously inefficient use of
a technically skilled individuals time.
To make things worse, input of data
into the wiring design is usually via table
and spreadsheetthere is no means of
visualizing the relationships and using
those visualizations as the logical starting
point for the creation and editing of the
wiring design. This instrumentation pro-
gram, by contrast, requires only one click
to enable the user to see a current graphical
representation (Fig. 3). There is no need
to request an output plot from a designer,
which can take many hours of unnecessary
work. Within a single application, loop dia-
grams, schedules and terminations can all
be created and edited from the same visual
engineering environment.
No. 4.Catalog of errors. Catalog
changes are one of the biggest causes of
design data mismatches in the instrumenta-
tion and control universe. Yet they are often
an essential way of managing and reducing
procurement costs, and so can heavily influ-
ence the economic viability of a project.
For example, the purchasing depart-
ment might decide on a different supplier
for a particular component, causing a
change in the nomenclature of that compo-
nent and the associated vendor details. The
problem comes when these changes are not
accurately reflected across the whole proj-
ectwhich they rarely are. This can neces-
sitate massive rework later in the process.
The instrumentation program provides
dynamic catalog management as standard.
Vendor details and component references
can be changed any time throughout the
project with no need for manual rework.
If a pressure gauge supplied by vendor X
is changed in the catalog to a similar prod-
uct from vendor Y, identified by a differ-
ent part or tag number, these changes will
be updated (or will simply show where
updates need to be made). This happens
automatically across all mentions and
instances of the original gaugein cable
block diagrams, loop diagrams, instrument
indexes, datasheets, hookup diagrams, ter-
mination diagrams, cable schedules, bill of
materials, etc. Mismatches between cata-
logue data and project execution data, as
well as the many expensive hours needed to
rectify them, are a thing of the past.
No. 5.Lack of visualization and
reporting clarity. The ability to report
on a design at will is fundamental both to
progress management and design quality
control. Yet with many software packages,
reports can only be generated by the use of
programming scripts that have to be spe-
cially requested and producedan unnec-
essary overhead in time and labor. There is
no easy way, in most of the instrumentation
software currently available on the market,
to quickly build up a picture of the interre-
lationships in the project dataset. Likewise,
no other vendor currently enables instant
reporting on the database revisions to give
an understanding of change history.
This instrumentation program is built
around user-defined reportingacross
schedules, lists, bill of materials, and other
data. The simple interface puts the report-
ing process back into the engineers hands
and enables all items, data and documents
that share the same tag to be instantly listed.
This graphically shows how changes to one
item might have impacts elsewhere in the
design. A full audit log of database changes
can also be instantly generatedvital for
root-cause analysis and risk management.
No. 6.Scalability price. Database
technology is key to effective instrumenta-
tion designthe applications scalability is
directly related to the efficiency of the data-
base. Unfortunately, some vendors have
taken excessive advantage of this depen-
dency. While their application upgrades
are usually delivered at no further cost, the
Information is fully auditable and reportable, enabling change to be effectively and
safely managed.
FIG. 2
INSTRUMENTATION

87
upgrades to the database that underpins
them are often an expensive service. This
means that ongoing support and scalability
can only be achieved at a very high cost
the exact opposite of what flexible scalabil-
ity should deliver.
No. 7.Vendor data breakdown.
Like all engineering processes, instrumen-
tation and control are dependent on com-
ponents provided by a range of suppliers.
Approaching vendors for datasheets on the
components they provide is often a hit-and-
miss processthe information returned
can be incomplete and is typically sup-
plied in a number of disparate formats/file
types. Designing a prescribed template for
the datasheets is not nearly as effective as it
might be, as it usually has to be carried out
in an unintegrated, third-party application.
This, in turn, means that the responses
have to be manually received and adminis-
trated, manually followed up when neces-
sary, and manually linked to the data in the
main design system. Any two or more indi-
viduals, equally skilled and experienced, will
inevitably perform this task very differently,
leading to mismatches and inconsistencies.
Needless to say, these manual processes are
also time-consuming and expensivenot
what a project manager wants to hear.
No. 8.Inability to view instru-
mentation data in 3D. In many
instrumentation and control technologies,
there is no integration of the data with the
3D model of the plant. This makes it dif-
ficult for engineers and designers to make
judgements on spacing, tolerances, buffer
zones, clashes and so forth, as well as on
quantities and dimensions.
For example, cables come in many dif-
ferent types and need to be routed in a way
that effectively segregates them by voltage,
function, flux, heat dissipation, etc., while
economizing on the cable length. This
combined requirement is virtually impossi-
ble to meet if the user cannot visually model
the deployment. This program works with
industry-standard Microsoft databases such
as SQL Server and (for smaller projects)
MS Access. Updates to both the application
and the databases are received as a normal
part of the licensing process. There is no
additional cost. The emphasis is on protect-
ing a customers investment in data, rather
than exploiting it. There is no charge for
updates and upgrades with customers on an
active maintenance contract, and it has also
made massive investments to ensure that
the technology works in mixed IT environ-
ments with customers existing third-party
applications and data types.
The company does not force users to
work with multiple applications that are
not integrated. Instead, it enables the cre-
ation of datasheet templates within the
The reporting capability is powerful and flexible, producing instant results on screen,
as well as in print-friendly format.
FIG. 3
Quest Integrity Group is a dynamic company built on a founda-
tion of leading edge science and technology that has innovated
and shaped industries for nearly 40 years.
Our asset integrity and reliability management solutions are
comprised of technology-enabled advanced inspection and
engineering assessment services and products that help com-
panies in the rening and chemical, pipeline, syngas and power
industries increase protability, reduce operational and safety
risks and improve operational planning.
(888) 557-3363
(888) 893-7030
www.QuestIntegrity.com
Sales@QuestIntegrity.com
Asset Longevity
Plant & Pipeline Performance
INSTRUMENTATION
88

I

MARCH 2011 HydrocarbonProcessing.com 88

application itself, in a way that is totally
integrated with the rest of the project
workflow. These templates can be partially
populated by the engineer or designer with
information that is already known. This
gives vendors a much clearer indication of
what information is needed, making their
task easier and increasing the likelihood
that the datasheet will be completed to the
required standard. The content of the data-
sheet is easily searchable and reportable. It
can be extracted and viewed in seconds,
rather than having valuable minutes and
hours wasted in attempts to search for it.
3D models are fully integrated with other
providers to enable instrumentation data to
be viewed in full 3D context. This means
that cable data can be integrated into the
3D model straight from the instrumentation
program and automated cable measurement,
routing and segregation can then be gener-
ated instantaneously. Greater control, less
rework and enhanced safety and compli-
ance, without risky and time-consuming
guesswork, can save millions of dollars in
design time and material procurement.
No. 9.Incomplete associations.
Instruments and wiring activities gener-
ate a huge amount of related information
including data sheets, documents, etc.
Many isolated systems completely fail to
link this information together, as it typi-
cally comes from both internal and external
sources. Engineers and designers, therefore,
have to second guess both the nature of the
information and its location. Apart from
being terrifically time consuming, this
also perpetuates the problem of unknown
unknowns and this is clearly an unsatisfac-
tory basis for making informed design and
engineering decisions.
The problem is often at its most acute
with external documents such as vendor
datasheets. With internal documents, the
designer or engineer can bring pressure to
bear on the situation; he is organizationally
connected to the document producers and
is regarded internally as a key customer.
With external documents, this dynamic is
less relationaland so designers or engi-
neers need a different way of bringing
authority to their requests for information.
The instrumentation program provides
object-based navigation through hyper-
links. Related items of data are linked
together automatically, no matter what for-
mat they are in or where they are physically
located. In a single click, an engineer or
designer can view the object and see exactly
where all the information that relates to
a specific component or design element
resides. This reduces not only the direct
costs of manually searching for informa-
tion (estimated in recent studies to take up
as much as 60% of an engineers time), but
also the less obvious expense, such as when
the designer or engineer approaches a col-
league to help him find information, thus
wasting two peoples time instead of one!
The majority of safety related incidents
have also ultimately been related to poor
information accessibility, so the ability to
diminish this risk substantially is a big part
of the benefit that this program brings.
No. 10.Fragmented bulk data
upload. The ability to bulk-upload data at
the beginning of a project is key to achiev-
ing initial traction. However, the data typi-
cally comes from many different sources
and in many different formats, and this
fragmentation often necessitates the use of
several different applications. Piping and
instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs), for
example, are an absolutely integral part of
the instrumentation and control design pro-
cess, but they are often not an integral part
of the data upload, having to be sourced and
integrated independently.
This reliance on a multi-application
approach consumes time, effort and
money, and increases the likelihood that
critical data will be missed or incompletely
captured. The program enables complete
integration of all data types, including
P&IDs. An initial bulk upload creates links
and associations between these different
types of information. The project benefits
from much more rapid traction and the
engineers and designers have all the infor-
mation at their fingertips in a way that is
dynamically managed and updated across
the life of the project. HP
The Planning Guide to Piping Design
By Richard Beale, Paul Bowers and Peter Smith
300 pages t Hardcover t Pub date: September 2010 t Price: $175
ISBN: 978-1-933762-37-1
The Planning Guide to Piping Design covers the entire process of planning a plant model
project from conceptual to mechanical completion, and explains where the piping lead falls
in the process along with his roles and responsibilities.
Advanced Piping Design
By Rutger Botermans and Peter Smith
250 pages t Hardcover t Pub date: May 2008 t Price: $175
ISBN: 978-1-933762-18-0
An intermediate-level handbook covering guidelines and procedures on
process plants and interconnecting piping systems.
The Fundamentals of Piping Design
By Peter Smith
262 pages t Hardcover t Pub date: April 2007 t Price: $175
ISBN: 978-1-933762-043
Written for the piping engineer and designer in the field, this first part of the
two-part series helps to fill a void in piping literature, since the Rip Weaver books
of the 90s were taken out of print.
To place an order, visit www.gulfpub.com or call +1 (713) 520-4426.
David JS Gibson is the head of
product strategy for instrumentation
and electrical systems for AVEVA. He
joined AVEVA business development
in December 1999 after serving 25
years working for a major engineering, production
and construction company, formally in the engineer-
ing design and then as development project manager
for engineering data management systems. He has
worked on a variety of engineering projects for various
clients in the oil and gas and pharmaceutical industries.
Projects covered a wide range of processes for oil and
gas, pharmaceutical, chemicals and polymers and food
processing, and he has had experience in all aspects of
engineering design. Mr. Gibson attained his manage-
ment qualifications from the Open University.
ENGINEERING CASE HISTORIES

I

89
T
here are times in ones career when a
quick decision is needed so a design
will proceed in the correct direction.
This may be in a design review meeting
where different views are being presented
on a systems modification.
Case history. In this example, the draw-
ings for a pilot reactor were being reviewed.
The design had been modified from an orig-
inally proposed rounded-head design, which
had been feared to create a dead space. It
now included a flat plate to eliminate the
dead space in the reactor head so that foul-
ing would not occur in that region. Fig. 1
illustrates a simplified view of the reactor.
Since the design with the plate looked
problematic, a simple analysis was done,
which showed that a large pressure drop
would occur with this modification. In the
proposed flat-head design, the curved head
volume had been reduced to a 1in. gap
flow. The resulting additional pressure drop
would have caused the axial-flow propel-
ler pump to exceed its horsepower rating.
Therefore, the proposed flat-head design
was not used, and the original large-volume
head was successfully implemented.
Recheck the decision. At a later date,
a detailed analysis was performed that veri-
fied the simple analysis. Computational
fluid dynamics (CFD) is an analysis tool
that can analyze laminar and turbulent
flows. While three-dimensional analy-
ses with swirl are possible, a simple two-
dimensional analysis is applied here to add
information not available from the analyti-
cal analysis. Three reactor tubes, much like
heat exchanger tubes, are shown in addition
to the central tube.
Fig. 2 illustrates the flow velocity from
an axis-symmetric model, starting at the
pump discharge with the flat plate and 1-in.
gap. The simplification is that the three
tubes are really concentric channels with the
same flow area as the corresponding tubes.
This simple CFD model produces inter-
esting results. In Fig. 2, the velocity is going
up the reactor main tube (15 ft/sec) and dis-
tribution to the three coolant tubes is very
high in the 1-in. gap (c) region (red). It is
high in the outer tube and low in the inner
tube (blue). Fig. 3 shows the redistribution
with a 3-in. gap. With the curved head and a
larger gap, the flow was more evenly distrib-
uted, and the pressure drop from the main
tube to the tube outlets was low.
The 1-in. gap would not only have raised
the horsepower requirement of the axial
flow pump but would also have resulted in
uneven cooling from the tubes and raised
the potential for frequent fouling.
Proving decisions. This is an example
where a sophisticated analysis tool, used
on a simple 2D model, can produce useful
results. The 2D models can be a real benefit
in developing a 3D model for scale-up of
the production reactor. This would allow
evaluating parameters that could increase
production. HP
Case 61: Pressure loss in a reactor
Much information is available from a simple analysis
T. SOFRONAS, Consulting Engineer, Houston, Texas
Dr. Anthony (Tony) Sofro-
nas, PE, was worl dwi de l ead
mechanical engineer for ExxonMobil
before his retirement. Information on
his books, seminars and consulting, as
well as comments to this article, are available at http://
mechanicalengineeringhelp.com.
Dead space
Head
C
Flow
up
Main
tube
Pump
D
Reactor flow with head installed. FIG. 1
Velocity in reactor 1-in. gap. FIG. 2
Velocity in reactor 3-in. gap. FIG. 3
90

I

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ABV Energy S.p.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 (152)
www.info.hotims.com/35901-152
Altair Strickland. . . . . . . . . . . . . T-62 (97)
Axens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 (53)
Bryan Research & Engineering . . . 42 (113)
Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 (55)
Cashco, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 (155)
Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbH . . . T-56 (165)
Curtiss-Wright Flow Control
Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T-64 (95)
Curtiss-Wright Flow Control
Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 (76)
Dollinger Filtration,
An SPX Brand . . . . . . . . . . . . . T-72 (99)
Dunn Heat Exchangers . . . . . . . T-66 (59)
Emerson Process Management . . . 6
Emerson Process Management
(Fisher Controls) . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 (69)
Flexitallic LP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 (93)
GE Power & Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 (72)
Greene, Tweed & Co. . . . . . . . . . . 20 (153)
Gulf Publishing Company
Construction Boxscore . . . . . . . . 26 (156)
Events - Save The Date . . . . . . . 95
GPC Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47, 88
HPI Marketplace . . . . . . . . . 9091
HPI Market DataBook . . . . . . . T-61
Site License Program . . . . . . . . . 48
Subscription . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
ITT Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 (86)
Linde Process Plants . . . . . . . . . . 14 (81)
Merichem Company . . . . . . . . . . 33 (79)
Microtherm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T-68 (100)
Neptune Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 (151)
Paharpur Cooling Towers, Ltd. . . . 27 (97)
Quest Integrity Group LLC . . . . . . 87 (164)
Rentech Boiler Services . . . . . . . T-70 (83)
Samson GmbH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 (161)
Siemens Ag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 (52)
Silcotek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 (157)
Socap Srl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 (159)
Spraying Systems Co . . . . . . . . . . 16 (62)
Swagelok Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 (63)
Team Industrial Services . . . . . . . 25 (73)
Trachte USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 (162)
Unifrax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 (68)
United Laboratories International,
Llc/Zyme-Flow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 (154)
UOP LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Vega Americas, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . 18 (92)
VOITH TURBO GmbH &
CO. KG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . T-74 (166)
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LORAINE A. HUCHLER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
HPIN WATER MANAGEMENT
Huchler@martechsystems.com
94

I

Passivationthe formation of a corrosion-resistant oxide on
a clean metal surfaceis the key to optimizing system reliability
on the waterside of heat exchangers. Most plant personnel are
aware of the risks of corrosion. However, they are not aware of the
importance of passivation.
Passivation primer. During passivation, metal oxides convert
from a porous, nonprotective form to a tight, adherent, protective
form. For carbon steel, the nonprotective oxide, iron hydroxide
(FeOH) converts to a moderately protective oxide, hematite
(Fe
2
O
3
) to the most protective form, magnetite (Fe
3
O
4
). Under
the right conditions, this conversion reaction is spontaneous. But
it is not necessarily a fast reaction. Optimizing the kinetics of
the passivation reaction requires optimizing water chemistry and
operating conditions.
The optimal conditions for carbon steel passivation are: low
dissolved oxygen concentration in the water, high tempera-
ture and high pH. In cooling water circuits, passivation is not
spontaneous because cooling water is oxygenated (7 mg/l < O
2

< 13 mg/l) at ambient or moderate temperatures70F100F
(15C38C)and neutral to mildly alkaline pH (6.5 < pH <
9). High-alloy steels, admiralty and other copper alloys, form
highly protective oxides more rapidly than carbon steel and under
a wider range of conditions. However, high concentrations of
chlorides and sulfates in the cooling water will compromise the
passivation process, thus resulting in an oxide that is not protec-
tive against corrosion.
Passivation decisions. Passivation of newly fabricated car-
bon steel heat exchangers is so important that it should be a non-
negotiable part of start-up. Plants may choose to conduct passiv-
ation procedures by isolating a single heat exchanger or circulating
chemicals in the entire cooling water circuit, depending on the
number of new heat exchangers or the number of new tubes.
Pre-cleaning procedures are also non-negotiable since passiv-
ation procedures are only effective on clean metal surfaces. New
heat exchangers may have residual metal-working fluids from
the manufacturing process or an oil-based coating to protect
against corrosion during shipping and storage. Passivation of
cooling water circuits following a turnaround will reduce the risk
of under-deposit corrosion from solubalized iron oxides formed
during idle periods due to stagnant water and/or exposure of
water-wetted carbon steel surfaces to air.
Procedures. There are several key issues for the design of pre-
cleaning and passivation procedures:
Most plants hire a contractor to conduct the pre-cleaning
and passivation processes. Yet, plant personnel are responsible for
confirming the optimal procedures.
Heating the chemical solutions will accelerate the cleaning
and passivation processes, reducing the project time by as much
as 50%. However, there should be minimal or no heat load from
the process until the passivation process is complete.
Plant personnel may choose to treat the spent cleaning solu-
tions in their wastewater plant to avoid offsite disposal costs.
Plant personnel should never reuse spent pre-cleaning
solution for the passivation process. There is a large risk of re-
deposition of the contaminants removed during the pre-cleaning
process.
Passivation and commissioning should immediately follow
the pre-cleaning process to eliminate any corrosion that will occur
on clean steel surfaces in idled, drained or stagnant cooling water
systems.
Under no circumstances should plant personnel initiate
passivation procedures until the iron concentration is less than
3 ppm. High iron concentrations indicate inadequate flushing
and/or insufficient control of corrosion.
Typical control parameters for pre-cleaning are: pH, tem-
perature, foam and soluble iron concentration
1
Storage of new heat exchangers requires special consider-
ations to minimize in-situ corrosion.
In summary. Proper pre-cleaning and passivation procedures
do increase the reliability of heat exchangers and should be a
mandatory part of start up procedures. Ideally, plants will create
and validate internal procedures for pre-cleaning and passivation
procedures based on industry standards, experience and site-
specific limitations. HP
The author is president of MarTech Systems, Inc., an engineering consulting
firm that provides technical services to optimize water-related systems (steam,
cooling and wastewater) in refineries and petrochemical plants. She holds a BS
degree in chemical engineering and is a licensed professional engineer in New
Jersey and Maryland. She can be reached at: huchler@martechsystems.com.
Passivation in cooling water circuits
Does passivation matter? A refinery installed two new
carbon steel heat exchangers in a key unit. The plant had
wrapped the heat exchangers in plastic and stored them
outside, in the laydown yard, for one year. Plant personnel
installed and commissioned these two exchangers without
implementing any pre-cleaning or pre-passivation proce-
dures. The cooling water exceeded the recommended maxi-
mum concentration of iron during start up. Both exchangers
failed within one year of commissioning. The root cause for
the failure was under-deposit corrosion from deposits that
formed from in-situ corrosion during commissioning.
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MARKETING IN THE OILFIELD CONFERENCE
August 2011 Houston, Texas
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WORLD OIL SHALEENERGY TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE
2425 August 2011 Westin Memorial City, Houston, Texas
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13 October 2011 Houston, Texas
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intervention to recognizing the next generation of leaders in the petroleum industry. Companies are given four months to submit
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IN ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY
November 2011 Houston, Texas
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