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Six ways to reduce supply chain risk in manufacturing
This article looks at ways that manufacturers can reduce supply chain risks in sourcing fasteners for products. It covers several considerations to think about during the procurement process.
Modex 2024 recap: Making logistics, supply chain management safer and smarter
Manufacturers and end users emphasized making operations up and down the supply chain smarter and safer as machines and humans work closely together.
Pharma manufacturer embraces supply chain risk-mitigation best practices
Systems integrator supports seizing of a supply chain opportunity
Tea manufacturer enhances flow wrapper’s synchronization, efficiency
Controls upgrade ensured precise tea bag alignment and eliminated manual interventions.
Publication highlighting IoT’s role in supply chain management published
The Industry IoT Consortium published The Role of IoT in Shaping the Future of Supply Chains.
Improving supply chain management with heuristic algorithms
Research shows heuristic algorithmic tools serve almost as well as more computationally demanding optimization models for determining the best places to locate elements in a supply chain.
Supply headquarters and facility enhances, takes advantage of natural surroundings
Berkshire eSupply's headquarters was built to take advantage of its natural surroundings, which serves automotive customers and improves the supply chain.
Optimize the supply chain with forecasting and demand planning
As the global supply chain becomes more complex, an effective forecasting and demand planning system is needed to anticipate future needs accurately.
Boosting supply chains through automation and robotics
Supply chains can benefit from employing automation and robotics at key stages as to respond to any disruptions that may occur.
How to navigate the global supply chain in 2022
Re-evaluating the process of the current supply chain and following these five initiatives will ensure a team is agile for new challenges.
Wearable technology can combat supply chain disruptions
Wearable technology will make the human worker more valuable in the long run
Predicting how changes in production and materials impact EV battery life
As battery makers race to keep up with demand, a quick and inexpensive step can save money and time in development.
Steel shortages and price rises impact warehouse automation sector
Pressure particularly hits on the market for fixed infrastructure solutions where steel can account for up to 83% of the overall cost
LOE’s sea change to real-time visibility
Lease operating expense is a key operational parameter
Three strategies to optimize project satisfaction
Expediting decisions and increased collaboration can improve project satisfaction for integrated project delivery.
Five strategies to effectively manage and execute automation projects
Automation projects come with many challenges that seem daunting because of their complexity. Learn about six common automation project management challenges and learn about five tips to overcome them including planning ahead and leveraging available technology on the plant floor.
Largest modular cryogenic gas processing plant introduced
Honeywell announced its UOP Russell business has introduced a high-recovery cryogenic gas processing plant that is 50% larger than other pre-engineered plants currently available and is designed to recover more than 99% of high-value ethane from natural gas.
Record revenues expected from Russia’s upstream oil and gas sector
Russia is set to reap record ruble revenues from the upstream oil and gas sector over the next six years thanks to tax changes and production growth.
North America to lead global crude oil pipeline additions
GlobalData reports that North America is forecast to add the highest trunk pipeline length to the global crude oil pipelines industry with 44% of global planned additions by 2022.
Crude oil prices expected to decrease from recent highs
The EIA reports that oil prices are expected to drop from recent highs by the end of 2018 due to higher production from OPEC and Russia.
Report profiles U.S. fuel and petrochemical supply chain
Infrastructure is a must-have when an industry switches from import to export.
SCADA standardization drives third-party connectivity
Ever more data leads to alternative means for capturing it as oil and gas refineries upgrade or migrate legacy control systems.
Permian Basin oil production expected to have major increase by 2023
Oil production in the Permian Basin will rise nearly 3 million barrels per day (mbd) to 5.4 mbd in 2023 with nearly 41,000 new wells and $308 billion in upstream spending between 2018 to 2023 driving that growth.
Sub-saharan gas production projected to grow 18% by 2021
Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to spend around $33 billion as capital expenditure (CAPEX) on conventional gas and coal bed methane CBM projects between 2018 and 2021 and grow by 18%.
Company announces plans for EPC commissioning and start-up operations
Petroteq Energy Inc. has increased its focus on the final engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) processes to prepare for the immediate commissioning and start-up procedures for the Asphalt Ridge heavy oil extraction facility located near Vernal, Utah.
Natural gas production in U.S. projected to increase
Natural gas production in the U.S., according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), is expected to grow in 2018 and 2019 and take an even larger chunk of generating the nation's electric power.
Wellsite valve manifolds simplified
A multiport flow selector is safer, less expensive, lighter weight, and more compact than conventional units.
Some alternatives for improving an octane upgrade process
A properly optimized unit can recover 95% of the normal paraffins in the feed.
Differences between industrial Ethernet switches and business IT switches
Industrial network switches are designed for harsh conditions and environments and last for a long time while business information technology (IT) switches are designed for data center applications and have a shorter overall lifespan.
Oil and gas storage industry to benefit from increased capital investment
The global oil and gas storage service market is projected to reach $10.38 billion by 2022 and show a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.6% from 2017 to 2024, according to Esticast Research and Consulting.
Retaining skills and expertise for the next generation
Every business needs to have a skills training program to one degree or another. For those involved in more complex industries, such as oil and gas or petrochemical engineering, gathering new skills as well as the experience of the older generation and passing it onto those committed to learning a new trade is an essential business practice.
Connected service drives parts and customer loyalty
Original equipment manufacturers must integrate service as part of their selling cycle in order to make up for lackluster equipment sales.
Organization names 2017 Plant of the Year
The Shell Prelude Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) plant/ship of Royal Dutch Shell, to be located in the Timor Sea off the Northwest coast of Australia, has been named the FieldComm Group 2017 Plant of the Year.
Oil and gas software solutions company acquired
Emerson has agreed to acquire Paradigm, a provider of software solutions for the oil and gas industry, in a bid to expand their oil and gas market presence.
Keeping an industry above water
Changes in oil and gas production over the last decade have allowed the economy to weather a storm such as Hurricane Harvey with minimal changes in price.
Creating a gender balance in the oil and gas sector
Cover Story: While the oil and gas sector is still male-dominated, engineering-minded associations are working to motivate more women to work in the field.
Identify artificial-lift methods for Gulf Coast wells
Further production possible from wells in decline phase, but still viable.
A view from the oil patch
An operator discusses the challenges in optimizing or reviving production in declining oil wells.
Hydrocarbon chemistry transforms a century, and still going
Natural gas and non-traditional polymer feedstocks are an opportunity for plastics innovation.
Natural gas from new sources
The convergence of three technologies—horizontal drilling tools, smart drill feedback communications, and fracking, made energy recovery from tight rock formations practical and have made natural gas a dominant player in energy production.
Researchers design coatings to prevent pipeline clogging
Researchers at MIT have developed a coating that could stop the buildup of hydrate ices that slow or block oil and gas flow, which could help prevent another disaster such as Deepwater Horizon. See video.
Reservoir models ease uncertainty
Parameters of a good reservoir model are reviewed and what aspects should be considered by oil and gas engineers.
Equipment purchasing market expects growth in 2017
Business-friendly administration in Washington may fuel more spending confidence, report finds.
Three steps to reduce material cost for top-line growth
By taking a holistic, collaborative and pragmatic approach to VA/VE, manufacturers can decrease their material costs and simultaneously increase customer value.
Best practices to maintain and improve worker safety
Focus on engineering controls first in developing a safety plan in process plants.
Energy consumption in the U.S. has changed dramatically since 1908
Since the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians last won the World Series in 1908 and 1948, respectively, energy production and consumption in the United States has changed a great deal.
How to avoid control design pitfalls with dynamic simulation
Adopting multi-purpose dynamic simulation (MPDS) solutions as a design standard can help with visualization of control interactions and control pre-tuning and ease challenges in later stages of the project, including startup. Simulation is part of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
Manufacturing index rebounds in September
The Purchasing Manufacturers' Index moved out of contraction in September with 51.5%, which is two points higher than in August.
Top 10 Control Engineering articles August 13 to September 12: PID control, ladder logic, tablet-based augmented reality, more
Articles about PID control and loop tuning fundamentals, ladder logic, tablet-based augmented reality, network best practices, and control system architectures were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from August 13 to September 12. Miss something? You can catch up here. Also see what ranked 6-10.
Manufacturing index slides in August
The Purchasing Manufacturers' Index (PMI) fell 3.2 points to 49.4% due to a general slowdown in the manufacturing industry.
Generator set market projected to rebound in 2017
IHS Markit projects a return to growth in 2017 for the generator set market as oil prices rise and industrial capital expenditure (CapEx) improve.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles August 15-21: PID control, tablet-based augmented reality, process optimization, more
Articles about PID control and loop tuning fundamentals, tablet-based augmented reality, improving midstream process optimization, mechatronics efficiency, and information from wireless transmitters were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from August 15-21. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Top 10 Control Engineering articles July 8 to August 8: PID control, high-performance HMIs, oil and gas skills gap, more
Articles about PID control and loop tuning fundamentals, high-performance HMIs, the oil and gas skills gap, improving flowmeter calibration, and selecting flowmeters for natural gas were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from July 8 to August 8. Miss something? You can catch up here. Also see what ranked 6-10.
Oil and gas industry employment remains depressed
Increases in per-well production offsets sharp drop in workers, rig counts.
Providing flexible fire protection for offshore applications
Using rubber in place of other flammable or corrosion-prone materials is increasing to prevent fires from spreading.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, July 18-24: Flowmeter calibration, wireless transmitters, skills gap, more
Articles about flowmeter calibration, information from wireless transmitters, the oil and gas skills gap, oil and gas employment, and PC-based controls were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from July 18-24. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Five developing trends in the robotics industry
The robotics industry is going through major changes as costs are continuing to drop and the industry is going through changes from a business and technological standpoint. Investments include the bid by Midea to buy 49% of Kuka, KraussMaffei by ChemChina; Paslin by Wanfeng and Gimatic by Agic Capital. Five trends that are driving these changes are highlighted below.
Strain on oil companies is easing: EIA
The Energy Information Agency (EIA) reported that a reduction in capital projects and a stabilized oil price have helped oil and gas manufacturers as they look to the future.
API pushes candidates on energy policy
Speaking from the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, American Petroleum Institute (API) president and CEO Jack Gerard nudged candidates from both parties on why a strong energy policy was important to the continued growth of the industry.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, July 4-10: Skills gap, process control systems, storyboarding and software design, more
Articles about the oil and gas skills gap, process control systems, storyboarding and software design, Industrie 4.0 and MES, and integrating multiple control systems were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from July 4-10. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Bridging the oil and gas ‘Skills Gap’
In tough economic times, smart hiring is essential—and can’t be overlooked.
PMI rises for fourth straight month, hits 12-month high
The Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) purchasing manufacturers index (PMI) increased 1.9 percentage points to 53.2%, which marks the fourth straight month of growth.
Top 10 Control Engineering articles, May 14 to June 13: Salary and Career Survey, binary-coded decimals, high-performance HMIs, more
Articles about the 2016 Salary and Career Survey, binary-coded decimals and PLCs, high-performance HMIs, engineering career advice, and the EIA's Annual Energy Outlook were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from May 14 to June 13. Miss something? You can catch up here. Also see what ranked 6-10.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, May 30 to June 5: Binary-coded decimals, Big Data in the market, engineering career advice, more
Articles about binary-coded decimals and PLCs, Big Data and the oil and gas market, engineering career advice, the 2016 Salary and Career Survey, and artificial intelligence conversations were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from May 30 to June 5. Miss something? You can catch up here.
More production, less exploration in a low-price oil market
EIA reports decline in exploration and development leads to lower reserves.
PMI shows growth for third straight month
Manufacturing index climbs 0.5 percentage points to 51.3% to continue positive streak.
Top 5 Plant Engineering articles, May 23-29: Why Lean fails so often, failure curves and P-F intervals, equipment and maintenance purchasing, more
Articles about why Lean fails so often, failure curves and P-F intervals, equipment and maintenance purchasing, natural gas production, and benchmarking were Plant Engineering's five most clicked articles from last week, May 23-29. Were you out last week? You can catch up here.
U.S. continues to lead in natural gas production
EIA report shows widening gap in output, general stability in petroleum production.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, May 16-22: Salary and career survey, energy outlook, robot programming languages, more
Articles about the 2016 Salary and Career Survey, annual energy outlook, robot programming languages, robots and smart factories, and offshore risk management were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from May 16-22. Miss something? You can catch up here.
EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook sees winds of change
The Annual Energy Outlook 2016 indicates that natural gas will lead U.S. production into 2040; clean electrical generation is expected to increase, however.
Offshore risk management still inadequate, group says
While risk policies and additional regulations have been added to potentially prevent another incident like Deepwater Horizon, the Chemical Safety Board (CSB) determined that key concepts are needed to more effectively reduce risks.
U.S. energy production still on the rise
The EIA report finds 91% of energy consumption is created domestically.
BT-A drill for deep hole boring applications
The BT-A drill is ideal for small and large deep hole boring applications, including gun barrel drilling, mold and die making, and equipment for oil and gas drilling.
‘Pressing challenges’ on OTC’s agenda
Oil & Gas Engineering discussed some of the key issues with OTC 2016 Chairman Joe Fowler about the offshore oil industry, which is going through a pivotal time.
U.S. a ‘swing producer’ in balancing O&G market
The oil and gas industry is looking to the U.S. to reduce production to help stabilize oil prices as the industry looks to find its footing after a volatile 2015.
Top 5 Plant Engineering articles, March 28-April 3: Product of the Year winners, corrective maintenance repairs, maintaining deepwater wells, more
Articles about the 2015 Product of the Year winners, corrective maintenance repairs, maintaining deepwater wells, subsea repairs, and the skills gap were Plant Engineering's five most clicked articles from last week, March 28-April 3. Were you out last week? You can catch up here.
Arup Thoughts: An inevitable mobility revolution
On the morning of 18 November 2015, representatives of Royal Dutch Shell stood at the corner of Yonge and Bloor in Toronto and handed out free bus passes.
Arup Thoughts: low oil prices are a green opportunity
You might be forgiven for concluding that the lowest oil prices in 12 years would be disastrous news for the environment, encouraging over-use and creating extra pollution.
Economist: Manufacturing gray skies are gonna clear up
Economist Alan Beaulieu said that the manufacturing industry will continue to grow throughout 2016 at the MFG Conference in Palm Desert, Calif.
Top 5 Plant Engineering articles, February 22-28: Maintenance strategies in oil and gas, industrial smart meters, challenges coffee producers face, more
Articles about maintenance strategies in oil and gas, industrial smart meters, challenges coffee producers face, 2015 Salary Survey, and navigating a Lean journey were Plant Engineering's five most clicked articles from last week, February 22-28. Were you out last week? You can catch up here.
PMI steadies itself in January reading
ISM Index climbs to 48.2% to end a six-month slide as oil prices affect manufacturing sector growth.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, January 18-24: Real-world simulation, open-source robotic software, electric actuator technology, more
Articles about the impact of real-world simulation, open-source robotic software, electric actuator technology, cyclone separators, and open standard wireless networks were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from January 18-24. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, January 4-10: Flow measurement, heat exchanger strategies, more
Articles about flow measurement challenges, heat exchanger control strategies, PLC and DCSs for process industries, and the top Oil and Gas Engineering articles for 2015 were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from January 4-10. Miss something? You can catch up here.
PMI decline shows manufacturing in a slump
The Institute for Supply Management's Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) stayed in contraction and showed an overall decline for the seventh straight month due to global concerns.
Boiler MACT and your boiler
The U.S. EPA’s National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, generally known as the “Boiler MACT Rule,” was issued in January, 2013. MACT stands for “maximum achievable control technology.”
Manufacturing index plunges into contraction
PMI drops to 48.6% as new orders, production drag index below 50% for the first time in three years.
Electric gear pumps
Clark Solutions' UP2 electric gear pumps are designed for water, oil, and process systems and feature bronze or PTFE gears with built-in pressure control.
Top 10 Control Engineering articles, October 13 to November 12: Engineers’ Choice finalists, PLC or DCS, Leaders Under 40, more
Articles about the Engineers' Choice finalists, choosing between a PLC and DCS, the Leaders Under 40, DCS development changes, and reducing VFD costs were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from October 13 to November 12. Miss something? You can catch up here. Also see what ranked 6-10.
University program for discussing energy issues launched
Experts from a range of disciplines at the University of Houston have been named Energy Fellows and will contribute to an energy blog and other forums to increase awareness of energy issues.
Top 5 Plant Engineering articles, September 28 to October 4: Leaders Under 40, mechatronics simplifies machine design, world-class manufacturing practices, more
Articles about the Leaders Under 40, mechatronics simplifies machine design, world-class manufacturing practices, OEE key concepts and formulas, and LNG transport technologies were Plant Engineering's five most-clicked articles from last week, September 28 to October 4. Were you out last week? Miss something? You can catch up here.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, September 28 to October 4: Leaders under 40, automation software changes, SCADA systems, more
Articles about the Leaders Under 40, mechatronics and machine design, LNG transport technologies, variable speed efficiency, and common VFD myths were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from September 28 to October 4. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Offshore production: It’s expensive and difficult
Current poor market conditions notwithstanding, oil and gas produced from increasingly deep water will be critical in the long term.
Black October on the horizon
The price of oil may not have hit the nadir yet, supply is almost double that of demand, and the Iran deal may slash oil prices to new lows.
Lithium-ion capacitor provides high power with long-cycle life
The Ultimo lithium ion capacitor combines battery and ultra capacitor technology to provide high-energy density and high power.
Thirty years later, the industry is losing its best and brightest, again
In the 1980s, the oil and gas industry was going through the same crew change as it is now. Highly educated workers were laid off and the cycle is repeating itself. Will the industry learn its lesson this time?
Intelligent automation series part 1: Introducing the intelligent automation pyramid
Technology can be used to fully integrate process and business operations to improve efficiency, reduce operating costs, and increase overall productivity across an entire organization.
Chinese DCS market seeking new opportunities for growth
Local distributed control systems (DCS) suppliers in China have been growing faster than the market average as they are closing the technological gaps with international suppliers and as they have the advantage of fast response and understanding local preferences.
Top 5 Plant Engineering articles, June 8-14: Lubrication culture, effective HVAC maintenance, arc flash code compliance, more
Articles about the culture of lubrication, making HVAC maintenance more effective, arc flash relays and code compliance, predictive maintenance data analysis, and developing an improvement-driven plant were Plant Engineering’s five most-clicked articles from last week, June 8-14. Were you out last week? Miss something? You can catch up here.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, June 8-14: IIoT and Industry 4.0, BP Texas City, energy-efficient machines, more
Articles about the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industry 4.0, BP Texas City 10 years later, energy-efficient machine best practices, industrial Internet programs and the cloud, and do it yourself HMIs were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from last week, June 8-14. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, May 12 to June 11: Salary and career survey, dual split-range control strategy, BP Texas City, more
Articles about the 2015 Control Engineering salary and career survey, a dual split-range control strategy, BP Texas City 10 years later, 7 benefits of HMI-historian integration, and energy-efficient machine best practices were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from last week, May 12 to June 11. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Pemex offers insight into shale stratagies at Global Petroleum Show
Pemex, Mexico's national oil company, revealed they are planning on extracting from shale plays along the eastern side of the country as well as the Mexico-Texas border.
U.S.-Canada trade partnership a main focus at Global Petroleum Show
Canada’s Global Petroleum Show (GPS) in Calgary will highlight the strong trade partnership between the U.S. and Canada as companies and individual states will look to grow and add to their business deals.
Top 5 Plant Engineering articles, June 1-7: Pneumatic systems and saving energy, finding time for maintenance, predictive analytics, more
Articles about pneumatic systems and saving energy, finding time for maintenance, predictive analytics, calculating the cost of faults, and manufacturing maintenance practices were Plant Engineering’s five most-clicked articles from last week, June 1-7. Were you out last week? Miss something? You can catch up here.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, June 1-7: Dual split-range control strategy, BP Texas City, energy-efficient machines, more
Articles about a dual split-range control strategy, BP Texas City 10 years later, energy-efficient machine best practices, predictive analytics, and the Control Engineering salary and career survey were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from last week, June 1-7. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Scratch out a shale-play living
Part 3: Producers are struggling with depressed oil prices, but at least they’re producing. Drilling, conversely, has slowed to a minimal pace.
Lower oil price is changing the outlook for the world market for distributed control systems
Due to the lower price of oil on the international markets, the revenues based on distributed control systems' services are forecasted to be lower in 2015.
Top 5 Plant Engineering articles, May 18-24: Reliability function potential, maintenance tips, inventory management, more
Articles about reliability function potential, tips to find time for maintenance, inventory management, Industry 4.0 and IIoT risks, and pipeline physical and cyber security were Plant Engineering’s five most-clicked articles from last week, May 18-24. Were you out last week? Miss something? You can catch up here.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, May 18-24: Salary and career survey, BP Texas City, PC-based control, more
Articles about the Control Engineering salary and career survey, BP Texas City 10 years later, PC-based control, flared-gas powered Pykrete, and pipeline physical and cyber security were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from last week, May 18-24. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Top 5 Plant Engineering articles, May 11-17: Pneumatic systems and energy savings, maintaining power in remote locations, PLM and connectivity, more
Articles about pneumatic systems and saving energy, maintaining power in remote locations, PLM and connectivity, effective electrical safety, and a revolutionary smart cement were Plant Engineering’s five most-clicked articles from last week, May 11-17. Were you out last week? Miss something? You can catch up here.
U.S. paces global manufacturing in a partly sunny outlook
Global technology research leader IHS says, while global manufacturing growth shows no signs or retreating, the pace of growth may slow a bit as the pressures of low oil prices deliver a one-two punch.
High-density fuse terminal blocks
These double-level fuse terminal blocks incorporate reliable screw connection in a 6.2-mm pitch.
Process safety webcast answers questions about best practices, anatomy of an incident
Process safety tutorial: Questions and answers follow related from a recent webcast, “Anatomy of an Incident: Safety Best Practices from Lessons Learned.” Luis Durán from ABB answered additional audience questions here to help improve safety culture and lower risk of plant incidents and accidents using recognized engineering best practices, design and implementation, operations or maintenance, and technology developments.
Top 5 Plant Engineering articles, May 4-10: Smart cement, age of the control engineer, effective electrical safety, more
Articles about a revolutionary smart cement, the age of the control engineer, effective electrical safety, wear-resistant ceramic coatings, and combined heat and power were Plant Engineering’s five most-clicked articles from last week, May 4-10. Were you out last week? Miss something? You can catch up here.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, May 4-10: Feed forwards augmenting PID control, pigging your line, age of the control engineer, more
Articles about feed forwards augmenting PID control, pigging your line, using a historian to store machine data, the age of the control engineer, and soft starters were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from last week, May 4-10. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, April 8 to May 7: Feed forwards helping PID control, hacking oil and gas control systems, age of the control engineer, more
Articles about feed forwards augmenting PID control, hacking oil and gas control systems, the age of the control engineer, inspecting instruments in hazardous locations, and collaborative robots and humans working together were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from last month, April 8 to May 7. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Industrial automation equipment market growth in 2015 despite headwinds
The industrial automation equipment (IAE) market will continue to grow in 2015 mainly in the form of low oil and commodity prices and weakened demand from some developing economies.
Top 5 Plant Engineering articles, April 27 to May 3: Smart cement, process safety and security controller, ac motor repair, more
Articles about a revolutionary smart cement, a process safety and security controller, ac motor repair, the age of the control engineer, and the 2015 Plant Engineering maintenance study were Plant Engineering’s five most-clicked articles from last week, April 27 to May 3. Were you out last week? Miss something? You can catch up here.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, April 27 to May 3: Age of the control engineer, technologies for sensor networks, ICS cyber insecurity, more
Articles about the age of the control engineer, technologies for improving sensor networks in oil and gas, ICS cyber insecurity, proactive obsolescence management, and compressed air efficiency at a distance were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from last week, April 27 to May 3. Miss something? You can catch up here.
A different kind of automation conference
Maverick Technologies and ISA created a meeting format, Inside Automation, where they learn from the attendees in an with the intent of sharing best practices and creating an open learning environment.
Industry trends: Iran, Yemen contributing to oil market turmoil
Iran’s potential access to world markets may drive oil prices down while conflicts in Yemen are speculative and have no real bearing on the international oil market.
Country intelligence report: Norway
Norway is Western Europe's largest producer of hydrocarbons and has the world's largest sovereign wealth fund with income from its oil and gas revenue. It is the third-largest exporter of natural gas and is an important alternative to Russia's gas supply for the EU.
Dirty pipelines decrease flow, production—pig your line
Allen Pennington, president of Pigs Unlimited International located in Tomball, Texas, shared his industry insights about the challenges related to pipeline cleaning.
Maverick Technologies opens Pittsburgh office
Company cites customer demand driven by growing process manufacturing across the region calling for more automation system support close to critical production sites.
Time for training: Five core advantages of having well-trained staff
Finding a couple of hours to train workers is tough, but the value is great and easy to measure.
Gas Technology: Capturing the heat
Making CHP pay with efficient heat recovery.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, April 13-19: Feed forwards augmenting PID control, hacking oil and gas control systems, torque and shaft size relationship, more
Articles about feed forwards augmenting PID control, hacking oil and gas control systems, the relationship of torque and shaft size, collaborative robots and humans, and techniques for embedded system development were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from last week, April 13-19. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Why and where steam is used
Steam is used for a variety of purposes in a huge number of processes across industries as diverse as pharmaceutical, food and beverage, textiles, pulp and paper, oil and petrochemicals, laundries, and public buildings.
Gas Technology: Doors opening for NGV trucking
Natural gas vehicle (NGV) trucking's benefits are becoming more apparent as consumers realize its potential in reducing emissions and overall fuel costs.
Global manufacturing, future trade agreements are major topics at Hannover Messe
Hannover notes: U.S. paces manufacturing growth in a partly sunny outlook; is TTIF the European NAFTA; human/robot relationships evolving
As drone use flourishes, the FAA wavers, and Amazon is forced offshore
Funding continues to flow to drone ventures worldwide even as news from the FAA suggests many years before true autonomous flight will be allowed and Amazon feels they must develop their drone plans offshore.
Saving energy, hiking pipeline oil flow
A strong electric field applied to a section of the Keystone pipeline can smooth oil flow and yield significant pump energy savings.
Country intelligence report: Argentina
Argentina is attempting to usurp the U.S. as the world’s largest producer of shale gas. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that the country could have more shale-oil deposits than the U.S., with 27 billion barrels of oil and 24 tcm of natural gas in situ that is technically recoverable. The Argentine government wants to embrace a major shale boom to save the country from its inflation and economic problems. However, the low price of oil may delay unconventional production and furthermore, outside the U.S. and Canada, shale hydrocarbon extraction is in its infancy.
Country intelligence report: Iran
Often overlooked due to the sanctions in place on the country, Iran has vast hydrocarbon reserves and is the world’s second-largest holder of natural gas reserves with 33.8 tcm in situ at the end of 2013. With nuclear negotiations on the table that are poised to be accepted, the Iranian potential to contribute to the world oil and gas supply, with access to all markets, is a very real possibility.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, March 23-29: Engineers’ Choice winners, PID for motion control and robotics, Microsoft Windows 10 for manufacturers, more
Articles about the 2015 Engineers’ Choice winners, PID for motion control and robotics, Microsoft Windows 10 benefits for manufacturers, artificial intelligence for control engineering, and automation helping OEMs were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from last week, March 23-29. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Top 5 Plant Engineering articles, March 23-29: Hacking oil and gas control systems, dc drives in an ac age, U.S. named Hannover Messe 2016 Partner Nation, more
Articles about hacking oil and gas control systems, dc drives in an ac age, U.S. being named Partner Country for Hannover Mess 2016, the top 5 signs of a reliable plant, and refining in the oil and gas industry were Plant Engineering’s five most-clicked articles from last week, March 23-29. Were you out last week? Miss something? You can catch up here.
Understanding business drivers in O&G: Refining enjoys some good times
Part 2: Some parts of the refining segment have emerged as beneficiaries of these confusing market conditions. So how are refiners taking advantage of this prosperity–while it lasts?
Country intelligence report: USA
The U.S. is now one of the major oil and gas producing countries of the world. The shale fracking revolution brought the country to where it is today.
M/LWD service
Quasar Pulse service is capable of operating in harsh environments up to 200 C and 25,000 psi.
Front-end engineering and design reduces risks, costs
Application Update: Comprehensive front-end engineering and design (FEED) can reduce risk and lower total cost of ownership for small and large capital projects. A FEED executed for ConocoPhillips optimized the project’s site selection, identified pipeline specifications, and provided refinery process design basis and preliminary piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) and other attributes. FEED improved delivery 14% under the high end of the estimate, to 39 weeks, down from 43 weeks. See FEED tips, advice, and six questions to ask.
Top 5 Plant Engineering articles, March 2-8: Internet of Things in manufacturing, PMI Index, process hazard analysis, more
Articles about the Internet of Things in manufacturing, the February PMI Index, process hazard analysis tips, research at the University of Houston, and Lean manufacturing’s two key ingredients were Plant Engineering’s five most-clicked articles from last week, March 2-8. Were you out last week? Miss something? You can catch up here.
Company building manufacturing site and customer service center in Tennessee
ABB is investing $30 million in building a new manufacturing site in Memphis, Tenn., that will focus on smart products and the Internet of Things (IoT) for industries like oil and gas, power generation, mining, and health care.
Developments to watch at the University of Houston
Ramanan Krishnamoorti, the chief energy officer at the University of Houston, talked about some of the developments and research they are performing including nanotechnology, distributed acoustic sensing, and using real-time data in exploration.
Country intelligence report: Mexico
Mexico is undergoing a major change within its petroleum industry after a ban on foreign oil companies working in the country was lifted when new legislation entered into force in 2014. The country is going though some turmoil as it adjusts to the new laws, allowing foreign companies to explore for and produce oil. In addition, state-owned PEMEX is being transformed into a private company; a major shock, as it has always been an integral part of the Mexican government.
Helping operators navigate the new operational landscape
Technology such as document management, CAD visualization, engineering data warehouses, and Web-based collaboration solutions are all helping to make the handoff process more effective, but ultimately it comes down to the human element.
Staying in touch with the well site
Oil & Gas Engineering spoke with Harry Ebbeson, manager of technical services and customer support at PCS Ferguson, to get a better idea about what some of the specifics are for engineers working in the oil and gas industry. Harry paints a multifaceted, in-depth picture of working within 300 ft of the well site.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, February 2-8: Selecting and applying VFDs, integrating and self-regulating processes, control system implementations, more
Articles about selecting and applying VFDs, integrating vs. self-regulating processes, faster and simpler control system implementations, a profile on Saudi Arabia, and heating heavy oil benefits were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from last week, February 2-8. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Understanding technology drivers in O&G
How and why do oil and gas producers make operational decisions at production levels? With such a large and complex industry, can we make sense of it all?
World demand for pumps to approach $84 billion in 2018
According to a new study from the Freedonia Group Inc., the Asia-Pacific region will generate 44% of new pump demand through 2018. Still, the U.S. will remain the largest national market through 2018.
Country intelligence report: Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s largest oil producing countries and it is the main driver of OPEC. It is currently keeping oil production high to cripple the economies of Russia and Iran and indirectly slow the U.S. shale boom.
How to tune combustion control systems
In the previous post, we covered the basics of how gas/oil burners work. This post covers how to tune the combustion control systems to make it as safe and efficient as possible.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, January 5-11: Control engineers and management, PID loop tuning advice, oil recovery techniques, more
Articles about 7 things control engineers should know about management, learning PID loop turning from an expert, thermal enhanced oil recovery techniques, PLC and DCS programming, and Industry 4.0 and the IoT for factory automation were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from last week, January 5-11.
Deploying GFCIs in the real world
Ground fault circuit interrupters can protect workers from the risk of electrical shock and injury in wet and hazardous settings.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, December 29 to January 4: Control engineers and management, industrial automation video, PLC and DCS programming, more
Articles about 7 things control engineers should know about management, industrial automation video, PLC and DCS programming, gaining a production system, and MES and batch manufacturing were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from last week, December 29 to January 4. Were you out last week? Miss something? You can catch up here.
PMI wraps up 2014 with another strong month
While manufacturing index slips to 55.5% in December, the yearly average indicates solid growth will continue.
Country Intelligence Report: Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan is poised to be a major provider of gas to the east via Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India Pipeline (TAPI). The proposed Trans-Caspian pipeline could be a viable option to transport to the west, but due to the loggerhead over delimitation of the Caspian Sea between the littoral states, this major project remains a pipe dream for now.
System integration insights: Oil and Gas
SI Insights: CFE Media spoke with representatives from some of the 2014 System Integration Giants to get their views on how the oil and gas market will evolve and what role their companies expect to play with automation and control system integration.
Industry Trends
The era of cheap gasoline is here again, but it caught the industry in a precarious situation, as it may become an unprofitable business to produce oil and gas from shale formations. It could potentially turn the boom into a bust. However, production is up in the U.S.
System Integrator of the Year: Maverick Technologies
Maverick Technologies is the 2015 System Integrator of the Year in the large system integrator category.
Information transparency in the European oil and gas industry
Europe fears its energy ties to Russia, but most countries refuse to embrace fracking as an alternative. Will more information change hearts and minds? What is technology's role?
Cooling fan for explosive environments
The MIL-901XP fan is rated for use in explosive environments and meets s UL, NEC and ANSI standards.
Honeywell opens its new customer demonstration center in Houston
New showcase site includes high-tech demonstrations of the company’s latest products. Video: Paul Bonner explains how the facility will be used to help prospects and customers from a variety of industries understand specialized product offerings.
How many people will be running your plant?
Process manufacturers have to deal with basic head count challenges. The answer may be fewer people than you think, but how do you find the right number?
How will the Siemens acquisition of Dresser-Rand change the competitive landscape?
With the recent Siemens announcement that it will purchase gas compressor and turbine supplier Dresser-Rand Group Inc., Siemens is well-poised to stake its claim as a heavyweight rival to GE, according to IHS.
Integration – the next big hurdle
As automation systems become more mature, islands of information are starting to disappear. This article explains how to bring information from the PLC to desktop. This integration is important especially for the oil and gas industry where process plants are controlled remotely.
Implementation of advanced decision support ADS on a distillation column
Simplified HMI graphics are offered as a solution for advanced decision support (ADS) at the 2014 Yokogawa Users Conference and Exhibition.
Spill kit
A bioremediation product for hydrocarbons spills.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, July 21-27: Offshore drilling, control programming habits, PID math, more
Articles about offshore oil and gas drilling, control programming habits, PID math, tuning PID control loops, and MES project execution were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from last week, July 21-27. Were you out last week? Miss something? You can catch up here.
Top 5 Control Engineering articles, July 14-20: PID math, PID control loops, Ethernet, more
Articles about tuning PID control loops, radio frequencies, PID math, programming PLCs, and ASM-compliant HMIs were Control Engineering’s five most clicked articles from last week, July 14-20. Were you out last week? Miss something? You can catch up here.
A new era of growth for the fuels and chemicals market
Domestic refiners and petrochemical plants are looking to expand the process of exporting refined fuels.
Cable glands designed to reduce explosion risk
Thomas & Betts' (T&B) Kopex-Ex SWA/SWB Cable Glands protect people and the environment from accidents due to explosions, making them useful in oil and gas processing and marine environments.
I/O system for harsh environments
Wago Corporation's Wago-I/O-SYSTEM 750 XTR is designed for use in extreme environments and has vibration protection and electrical protection from impulse voltage.
Gas Technology: Natural gas for today’s fleet
Growing range of options
Swaging unit for oil and gas industry
The High-Volume Swaging Unit (HVSU) is aimed to increase safety and enables installers to preswage nut-ferrule sets onto stainless steel tubing
End markets drive programmable logic controllers development in Southeast Asia
Oil and gas, automotive, and agriculture remain dominant for PLC sales in Southeast Asia with all three industries continuing to grow.
2013 Product of the Year finalists: Automation & Controls
Finalists in the Automation & Controls category for the Plant Engineering 2013 Product of the Year competition.
2013 Product of the Year finalists: Compressed Air
Finalists in the Compressed Air category for the Plant Engineering 2013 Product of the Year competition.
2013 Product of the Year finalists: Electrical Controls
Finalists in the Electrical Controls category for the Plant Engineering 2013 Product of the Year competition.
2013 Product of the Year finalists: Fluid Handling
Finalists in the Fluid Handling category for the Plant Engineering 2013 Product of the Year competition.
2013 Product of the Year finalists: Lighting
Finalists in the Lighting category for the Plant Engineering 2013 Product of the Year competition.
2013 Product of the Year finalists: Maintenance Tools & Equipment
Finalists in the Maintenance Tools & Equipment category for the Plant Engineering 2013 Product of the Year competition.
Swedish refinery to be upgraded
Honeywell has been contracted by Preem AB to modernize the Preemraf Lysekil refinery in southern Sweden with industrial process controllers to triple the capacity of the current controllers at the refinery.
SATORP Jubail refinery project enters commissioning phase
This integrated greenfield refinery was designed with full comprehensive manufacturing infrastructure from the earliest phases. Invensys sees this as a prototype for new projects where all aspects of manufacturing- and enterprise-level systems are integrated through the entire lifecycle. Video: Ravi Gopinath explains what this means for future deployments.
EC: APN-310N
Network Integration - Wireless products: The APN-310N is a single radio Industrial 802.11a/b/g/n wireless LAN access point capable of link speeds up to 300 Mbps. This is a Control Engineering 2014 Engineers’ Choice finalist.
EC: Overmolded Mil-Spec Cordset
Network Integration - Network hardware: TURCK Overmolded Mil-Spec Cordsets are completely assembled and 100 percent factory tested with no field assembly, soldering or wiring required, delivering an easy, robust connectivity solution. This is a Control Engineering 2014 Engineers’ Choice honorable mention.
Wonderware owner Invensys acquires InduSoft
With the InduSoft acquisition, Invensys (currently with a recommended offer from Schneider Electric to be acquired) further expands human-machine interface (HMI) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) offerings for the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) sector. Invensys owns Wonderware HMI software, Foxboro, Triconex, SimSci-Esscor, and Avantis brands. Video: How InduSoft and Wonderware work together, added on Oct. 24.
Control systems provided to Russian refinery
The Antipinsky Refinery in Tyumen, Russia, is receiving control systems from Honeywell to help create a central operations center.
Contract awarded to automate oil platform on UK Continental Shelf
Premier Oil has contracted Emerson to automate an offshore platform at the Solan oil field in the United Kingdom that will allow them to control operations from 100 miles away.
Automation system provided to intercontinental gas pipeline
ABB has supplied an integrated multisystem automation solution for the new Medgaz gas pipeline that connects North Africa’s largest gas producer with the gas transmission networks of Europe.
Asia, infrastructure investments, driving high power ac drive market
Growing demand in Asia as well as increased infrastructure investments in the oil and gas, mining, and electric industries are driving the high power ac drive market, according to ARC Advisory Group.
Contract awarded for gas-to-liquids automation project
Emerson Process Management has been chosen to automate Sasol's planned integrated gas-to-liquids (GTL) and ethane cracker complex in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Contract awarded for underground gas storage upgrade
Yokogawa United Kingdom has been awarded a contract by SSE Hornsea Ltd to provide an integrated control and safety system for their onshore undeground gas storage facilities in Atwick, East Yorkshire.
Introduction to multivariate data analysis in chemical engineering
Multivariate data analysis methods are being used more and more beyond chemical engineering and have useful, practical uses for process control, though there are challenges to using multivariate data.
Ground fault protector
ABB’s F200 Ground Fault Equipment Protector (GFEP) is designed to protect equipment against damaging line-to-ground currents and can be applied to most electrical networks.
No “snapback” yet; automation industry remains stable
Control system integrators continue to wait for a much anticipated reacceleration in the operating environment, according to results of a recent survey of Control System Integrator Association (CSIA) members conducted by J.P. Morgan.
