Chemicals are forms of matter with a constant composition and properties. Virtually everything that physically exists is made up of chemicals, or a mixture of multiple chemicals. For this reason, chemicals are incredibly important in the process industries. Along with virtually every other industry in the world.
Chemical processing describes the process by which one chemical composition is transformed into another. The multi-billion dollar Chemical Processing Industry manufactures, processes, and produces various types of chemicals, chemical substances, and products. These include petrochemical and inorganic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, industrial gases, plastics, rubbers, detergents, paints, coatings, pigments, and many others. The chemical processing industry is essential to the modern global economy and plays a vital role in almost every other industry in existence.
In 1992, OSHA issued the Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals standard (29 CFR 1910.119). This regulation contains requirements for the management of hazards associated with processes using highly hazardous chemicals. Among other things, it requires operators to keep written safety procedures when dealing with dangerous chemicals. It also requires they create and implement an action plan in case of emergencies.
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Who is Inspector Frank? It is a valid question but I don’t want it answered specifically for some obvious reasons. I will share what I can though...
Trying too hard to bring attention to the myriad concerns of a robust equipment integrity program can end up backfiring on you. You don’t want to be the “inspector who cried wolf” with no one listening when you actually have a problem.
COVID-19 is disrupting all industries including asset management. Here are 6 recommendations to help you align your asset management according to new requirements and turn the challenges into opportunities.
In a nutshell, Schwerpunkt means focusing your force in the area it will be the most effective. As a strategy, it means overall strategic intent has to be known and understood by everyone. All levels know their part in the plan.
When paired with the right software, the RBWS process can lead to significant reductions in turnaround work scopes. However, some software tools have distinct advantages over others.
InVista is a lightweight, hand-held ultrasonic in-line inspection tool (intelligent pig) capable of detecting pipeline wall loss and corrosion in unpiggable or difficult-to-inspect pipelines. The pipeline geometry inspection data captured by the...
I once worked with a chief inspector who refused to hire anyone who had any National Board inspection certifications. “Why?”, you might ask. I had the same question, and his response was “Because anyone with National Board is gunning for my...
This article discusses two common challenges for inspectors taking thickness readings in high temperature environments and ways to overcome those challenges.
Critical things often get missed in facilities but are these things being owned and fixed? We get good at reactively solving problems as they appear, but are we proactively working towards examining and fixing the potential larger issues?
Developing a comprehensive turnaround (TA) work scope for process equipment is a critical step for achieving a facility's business goals. Risk Based Work Selection is a proven process for prioritizing and optimizing planned work for an impending TA.
Risk Based Work Selection (RBWS) is an industry best practice used to help refiners better-manage the safety and reliability of operations for a facility. When properly conducted, RBWS can help refiners optimize major turnaround projects.
AET is a powerful, non-intrusive inspection technique to verify the structural integrity of pressure vessels, spheres, high-temperature reactors and piping, coke drums, above-ground storage tanks, cryogenic storage tanks, and more.
Just because you have a technical expert does not mean they will be an expert at managing people. Like any skill set, it takes training, time, and mentoring to become a good personnel manager.
This article details an experience assessing the mechanical integrity of a feed pressure vessel, and describes the methodology carried out for detecting CUI and how results were managed for this pressure vessel.
This is the first article in a new column. In each article, the author will share technical, thought-provoking, and sometimes humorous or emotional experiences garnered in a career that spans over 20 years inside the gates of facilities.
According to API 570, facilities must have a mechanical integrity program in place for critical check valves. But what criteria determines whether or not a check valve is critical in your process? How should check valves be inspected and by whom?
Hot spots – localized areas of overheating in pressure equipment – can lead to deformation or even loss of process containment. It is important to understand the effects of elevated temperature caused by hot spots on the mechanical integrity of...
Equity Engineering Practices® (EEPs) are a collection of detailed & customizable Best Practices integrated with a customizable management system. EEPs include: 650+ branded and customizable Best Practice Documents, 225+ Pre-Engineered &...
This article is designed to help the reader better communicate their FEMI Mission, Vision, Core Values and Responsibilities to all stakeholders at their site.
Cleaning of heat exchangers and other process equipment is typically done with the use of pressurized water (e.g., hydro-blasting). However, in some situations thermal decomposition, a technique that utilizes heat rather than water to break down...
Given the concern throughout industry regarding the potential for brittle fracture failures, PWHT guidance to address potential issues arising from the recent changes in PWHT code requirements for carbon steel is examined in this article, and...
Infrared (IR) thermometry has been used for over forty years to monitor tube metal temperatures in refining and chemical furnaces. Recently, IR thermometry has been criticized in the industry for delivering inaccurate readings; however, this is...
Industry SME John Reynolds provides his bi-annual updates from the API Standards Meeting and discusses developments related to the 2019 API Inspection Summit, SCIMI codes, standards, and recommended practices, and the API Individual Certification...
What do you need: CONSULTING - Subject matter experts, consultants, or team of highly skilled engineers to help solve my problem. SOFTWARE - My team requires software, products, or resources that will solve the problem. TRAINING - I require...
Effective condition monitoring location selection is a key component of a best-in-class mechanical integrity program. Learn how moving beyond traditional qualitative approaches to optimized CML selection can reduce risk and maximize the value of...
Read a firsthand account of how organizing Process, People, Plant, and Performance can reveal breakdowns in your corrosion management practices and drive down corrosion related leaks.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued two reports on the safe management of hazards by small businesses and storage facilities that use highly hazardous chemicals in business processes.
Myths, challenges, and good practices related to process piping integrity management activities that help inspection and maintenance managers make the right decisions to develop cost-effective piping inspection plans without compromising the...
This article presents a perspective on the human factor and emphasizes the value of using risk tools at all levels in the organization to help provide management focus during times of severe economic pressure.
Are you truly prepared for your next Turnaround? Effective work processes are required to successfully plan, manage, review and supervise plant turnarounds. Inspection planning and work scope selection are critical aspects of any turnaround...
At the end of every year, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) releases a list of the 10 most frequently cited safety and health violations for the fiscal year, comprised from approximately 32,000...
The enormous decline in oil prices over the past 14 months has definitely slowed projects and changed the energy and production landscape. Despite this, refineries, petrochemical plants, and chemical facilities must continue to run safely,...
We at Inspectioneering would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our subscribers, followers, clients, and industry partners for a great 2015, and wish every member of the Inspectioneering community a happy and healthy 2016!
Rarely is there a new and unknown cause of a major Fixed Equipment Mechanical Integrity (FEMI) failure in the petrochemical and refining industry. This article briefly summarizes five major fixed equipment mechanical integrity (FEMI) failures from...
Assessing risk is an integral part of working at a refinery. Infrastructure supporting the miles of piping, process vessels, and the platforms and ladders used in daily unit operations are often taken for granted. The Civil Structures Management...
Becht’s industry-leading Corrosion and Metallurgical experts are here to help with significant owner-operator experience covering the refining, petrochemical and chemical industries. This expertise is leveraged to help our clients become more...
Now more than ever, processing plants are in need to ensure their facilities are equipped with the tools and methodologies necessary to ensure safe and efficient operations. The development of regulations and industry standards are prompting plants...
Michael Heard, Risk Engineering Advisor, Process Safety / Technical Safety / Environmental at Hess Corporation recently spoke with marcus evans about key topics to be discussed at their upcoming Facility Siting and Risk Mitigation for Processing...
Today, many managers are finding that they can address the reliability of all types of assets by combining RBI and Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) processes together into one comprehensive reliability management process.
Rope access allows for a wide variety of work to be performed at high elevations or other hard to reach areas without the use of scaffolding or heavy equipment. It has evolved from techniques used in rock climbing and caving to become an extremely...
Refractory materials have significantly evolved during the past 15 years, testing technology is much more sophisticated, and the need for test technicians to be properly trained and experienced to use that technology is much more important than it...
TEAM’s integrated touch point corrosion program manages all aspects of the integrity process from screening for damage to permanent repair assuring integrity – every time. TEAM’s unique turn-key approach to touch point corrosion integrity...
The tubes of heat exchangers (HX), whether for a shell and tube bundle or an airfin, are typically subject to some form of nondestructive examination (NDE) to try and quantify the remaining wall thicknesses and corrosion rates to help a plant to...
With the advancements in today’s technology and improvements to Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) systems and Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), if we deploy them properly and in line with best practices, it is possible to reach...
The ability to gain this unique perspective has recently become easier and safer with today’s technological advancements. This new technology comes in the form of a miniature flying machine, better known as a drone or small Unmanned Aerial System...
Avoiding cracking under pressure when managing high-energy piping systems is common subject matter in the power industry. Just as high-energy piping can give way to pressure, stress and fatigue, so can the people in charge of operating them when...
Whether onsite or offsite, the methods for cleaning shell and tube heat exchangers can vary. Refining and petrochemical operators will agree that high standards must be employed with each method. Choosing the right method can make the difference...
How is reliability affecting your bottom line? Download our Economics of Reliability report, where Pinnacle analysts take data from the oil refining industry and dive into how that key sector is being affected by reliability today.
Reliability engineering tools and concepts can be used to avoid or delay failures, thus increasing product service life. Design or maintenance teams use reliability engineering techniques to identify failures and their causes.
Epoxy products have gone through extensive research and development over the years, and have reached the point that when specified for the correct environment, they should perform exactly as intended.
Challenges abounded in 2014 for the process industries, and it does not look like they will let up soon. But then again, that’s life, as they say. After 40 years in the industry the old adages still ring true, “there is nothing new under the...
One of the major challenges inspectors and plant operators face after each turnaround is to ensure that all repair and scope work is and was completed in accordance with the client’s requirements. Sometimes that verification will be to ensure work...
The introduction of PAUT is a challenging effort initially, but can have a very positive impact on your first TAR and become a routine inspection for future TARs. When fully implemented, radiation safety boundaries can be reduced significantly or...
Traditional, paper-based inspection processes can prevent plants from being as effective as they can be. By digitalizing your mechanical integrity process and data with MISTRAS Digital®, plants have realized up to 75% gains in IDMS data entry and...
Steam reformers are critical assets for the successful operation of hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol plants. The steam reformer is also one of the most expensive assets in these facilities. Catalyst tubes inside the reformer are one of the most...
One of the more common inspection monitoring programs for pressure vessels is to perform thickness measurement at Corrosion Monitoring Locations (CMLs) to allow monitoring of minimum thicknesses and provide estimates for corrosion rates. These...
In many ways, fertilizer plants are no different than most process industry plants including refineries and petrochemical facilities. Information in documents like API 510, 570, 653 and RPs 580, 581, 571, 577, 579, etc. is essential.
Steam reformers are critical assets to many refining and chemical manufacturing plants and facilities, and it is well known that the reformer is one of the most challenging assets to maintain and operate. Common problems in reformer operations...
Inspection intervals for equipment have in the past been defined in a prescriptive manner. However, industry is now embracing the Risk Based Inspection (RBI) approach which in contrast prioritises inspections based on an assessment of the risk to...
Degradation of materials with time during service is a common phenomenon for all engineering components. Hence periodic inspection is required to ensure structural integrity and availability for service. During in-service inspection (ISI), wall...
In part 1 of this article we covered the importance of quality assurance of UT data, that is, understanding for each particular application, the accuracy required of the UT data, and new ways/graphical program to analyze and show the...
One of the greatest challenges facing many of refining, fossil power, and pulp and paper industries is: How to effectively examine their insulated piping?
Quality failure rate data have long been needed by the Chemical Process Industry. Unfortunately, the emphasis too often has been on the collection of data rather than on its uses . One must answer the question of what to do with the data once it has...
This is the fourth in a series of articles on piping inspection that I'm writing for the Journal. One of the previous ones dealt with improving thickness data taking accuracy with digital ultrasonic methods. This article is a "sister article" that...
This is the second in a series of articles on piping inspection. In the last article, I enumerated four inspection issues that I believe contribute to inadequate piping mechanical integrity in the hydrocarbon process industry.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released an animation detailing the events leading up to the October 26, 2019, hydrogen sulfide release at the Aghorn Operating waterflood station in Odessa, Texas.
As the United States faces this year's hurricane season, it is critical that the chemical industry understands and prepares for the potential safety hazards posed by extreme weather events.
This CSB video details the events leading up to the August 31, 2017 fire at the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, Texas. The incident led to all employees and more than 200 nearby residents being evacuated for a week.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released a new 11-minute safety video describing the events leading up to the October 21, 2016 toxic chemical release at the MGPI Processing plant in Atchison, Kansas. The video, titled "Mixed Connection,...
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board released a preliminary animation detailing the events of the chemical fires at the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, Texas after it suffered power loss due to Hurricane Harvey's historic rainfall.
Effective pipeline integrity management has been problematic for a large number of pipelines that were not designed for in-line inspection. Quest Integrity understands the complexities involved with this challenging segment and offers a...
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released a video demonstrating the agency's positive safety impact in 2016. The video was posted just days after President Trump proposed his "America First" budget plan, which calls for the elimination of...
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released a safety video into the fatal April 17, 2013, fire and explosion at the West Fertilizer Company in West, Texas, which resulted in 15 fatalities, more than 260 injuries, and widespread community...
Becht is pleased to introduce Becht Industrial Group to its trusted clients. Becht Industrial Group (BIG) was formed in 2021 as a mechanical contractor specializing in turnarounds, major maintenance activities, and other schedule-driven projects.
Calumet has closed $50 million in project financing for the construction of a renewable hydrogen plant in Great Falls, Montana.
Exxon Mobil Corp said on Monday its Baytown, Texas, refinery continued to operate at reduced rates following a fire on Dec. 23, and the unit involved remained shut down.
Chevron Phillips Chemical has announced plans to build a new propylene unit at the company’s Cedar Bayou facility in Baytown, Texas. Site construction will commence in January 2022 and at its peak support 350-plus new construction jobs.
Vopak Moda Houston, LLC recently announced that its marine terminal in the Port of Houston is fully operational.
Our proprietary furnace tube inspection system, FTIS is an ultrasonic inspection technology capable of rapid, automated fired heater coil inspection in refinery fired heaters. The data captured by our furnace tube inspection system is...
ExxonMobil Chemical Company has acquired California-based Materia, Inc., a technology company that has pioneered the development of a Nobel prize-winning technology for manufacturing a new class of materials.
Royal Dutch Shell has halved its crude processing capacity at its Singapore hub and reduced fuel exports, executives said on Tuesday, as the major transits from fossil fuels to cut emissions and meet global low-carbon energy needs.
Borealis and ADNOC have signed a strategic partnership that confirms an USD 6.2 billion investment agreement to build the fourth Borouge facility – Borouge 4 – at the polyolefin manufacturing complex in Ruwais, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
ExxonMobil plans to expand carbon capture and storage (CCS) at its LaBarge, Wyoming facility by up to 1 million metric tons of CO2.
Japan's Mitsubishi Corp says it will invest 2 trillion yen ($17.54 billion) by 2030 in alternative energies such as renewables and hydrogen to drive its decarbonization efforts and cut emissions.
LOTIS utilizes laser profilometry to conduct internal steam reformer tube inspections. The data captured by LOTIS is exceptionally powerful when combined with our LifeQuest™ remaining life assessment capabilities, providing an integrated...
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards and Air Products CEO Seifi Ghasemi recently announced a $4.5 billion clean energy complex to be built in Louisiana that will make the state a leader in the U.S. clean energy transition.
LyondellBasell plans to make upgrades to equipment and perform compliance measures at six of its U.S. chemical sites in order to reduce air pollution.
Essar Oil recently announced plans to build two blue hydrogen production hubs at its Stanlow Manufacturing Complex in Ellesmere Port for around $1 Billion.
A chemical plant unit will lead the restart of Royal Dutch Shell's (RDSa.L) Norco, Louisiana, refinery and chemical plant complex in mid-October following repairs from Hurricane Ida, said sources familiar with plant operations.
weavix™ launches industry’s first Internet of Workers (IoW) platform, focusing on the needs of frontline workers who have traditionally been neglected by technological innovation.
InVista is a lightweight, hand-held ultrasonic in-line inspection tool (intelligent pig) capable of detecting pipeline wall loss and corrosion in unpiggable or difficult-to-inspect pipelines. The pipeline geometry inspection data captured by the...
An explosion at around 11:00 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 27th at Westlake Chemical's Lake Charles Petrochemical Complex left six people injured.
Sasol recently announced its updated strategy that commits it to be at net zero emissions by 2050. This is in line with Sasol’s commitment to accelerate its transition to a low carbon world in support of the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
Huntsman Corporation recently announced that its Performance Products division plans to further expand its manufacturing facility in Petfurdo, Hungary, to meet the growing demand for polyurethane catalysts and specialty amines.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released an animation detailing the events leading up to the October 26, 2019, hydrogen sulfide release at the Aghorn Operating waterflood station in Odessa, Texas. The release fatally injured...
BASF and SINOPEC plan to expand production of propionic acid, propionic aldehyde, ethyleneamines, ethanolamines and purified ethylene oxide, and build a new tert-butyl acrylate plant at their Nanjing petrochemical complex in China.
AET is a powerful, non-intrusive inspection technique to verify the structural integrity of pressure vessels, spheres, high-temperature reactors and piping, coke drums, above-ground storage tanks, cryogenic storage tanks, and more.
Japan's Mitsubishi Chemical plans to invest $915 million USD into building a new plant in Louisiana.
Westlake Chemical plans to acquire Dimex, an industry leading manufacturer of consumer products made from post-industrial-recycled (PIR) polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE) and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) materials.
A contractor sued LyondellBasell Industries in May, alleging lax safety measures led to a workplace accident at the same plant that leaked chemicals this week, killing two contractors and injuring 30 workers.
Two people were killed and several others injured following a leak of acetic acid at a LyondellBasell chemical plant in La Porte, Texas, on Tuesday night, the company said.
An explosion in a German industrial park on Tuesday killed at least one person and injured 31 others, setting off a fierce blaze that sent a pall of smoke over the western city of Leverkusen.
Auto-refrigeration can impose low temperatures onto process vessels and piping causing them to be at risk of brittle fracture, the sudden break-before leak phenomena that can result in catastrophic rupture of the equipment.
Pinnacle, the world’s largest reliability analytics company, and Cognite, a global leader in industrial software innovation, have strategically partnered to accelerate and scale the deployment of the world’s first live reliability digital twin.
INEOS and Petroineos have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Acorn CCS Project to work together to develop Scotland’s first carbon capture and storage system.
LyondellBasell recently announced it has acquired the PolyPacific Polymers manufacturing facility in Port Klang, Malaysia.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company recently announced that Reliance Industries Ltd. has signed an agreement to join a new world-scale chlor-alkali, ethylene dichloride, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production facility at TA’ZIZ in Ruwais, Abu Dhabi.
ExxonMobil Chemical Company has signed an agreement with Celanese for the sale of its global Santoprene business for $1.15 billion, subject to working capital and other adjustments.
FFS assessment techniques are applicable to a wide range of damage types: LTA's, cracks, creep damage, dents, and more. These are very powerful analytical tools that often allow operators to not only keep the plant running, but to keep it running...
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is deploying two of its senior leadership members to Rockton, IL where a significant fire incident occurred at the Chemtool manufacturing facility on June 14th.
The CSB will continue to monitor the incident and tentatively plans to deploy a team to the area early next week to expand dialogue with Federal and State partners, to include EPA personnel, OSHA personnel and Fire/Emergency Management personnel.
Clariant has reached definitive agreements for the divestment of its Pigments business to a consortium of Heubach Group and SK Capital Partners at an Enterprise Value of CHF 805 million (USD $894 million) to CHF 855 million (USD $950 million).
CP Chem recently broke ground on a new world-scale 1-hexene unit in Old Ocean, Texas. Construction on the project will start in Q3 of 2021 and is expected to involve 600 construction jobs and more than 50 full-time positions once operational.
The US Chemical Safety Board has released its final investigation report into the October 26, 2019 hydrogen sulfide (H2S) release that fatally injured two people at the Aghorn Operating, Inc. waterflood station in Odessa, Texas.
Equity Engineering Practices® (EEPs) are a collection of detailed & customizable Best Practices integrated with a customizable management system. EEPs include: 650+ branded and customizable Best Practice Documents, 225+ Pre-Engineered &...
A new renewable power–to-fertilizer plant is being built in Kenya to support the country's low carbon and inclusive growth, agricultural output, and farming communities.
Chevron Corp’s first-quarter profit fell 29% from the same period a year ago as gains from oil and gas prices were undercut by weaker refining margins, production losses and the impact of an asset sale that benefited results last year.
DuPont is investing approximately $30 million to build a new adhesives manufacturing facility in East China to serve customers in the transportation industry.
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is deploying to the scene of a fatal explosion and fire at the Yenkin-Majestic Paints and OPC Polymers manufacturing site in Columbus, Ohio.
Oxy Low Carbon Ventures has partnered with bio-engineering startup Cemvita Factory to construct and operate a pilot plant that will use human-made carbon dioxide, instead of hydrocarbon-sourced feedstocks, to produce bio-ethylene
Training options to meet your needs. E²G contracts with API to deliver training programs for FFS, Risk–Based Inspection, Damage Mechanisms, and Pressure Relieving Systems. ETI and Customized Training offers specialized courses based on industry...
RusGazDobycha, a business partner of Russian gas giant Gazprom, plans to start building a chemical plant later this month as part of a massive gas processing cluster on the shores of the Baltic Sea.
BASF, SABIC and Linde have signed a joint agreement to develop and demonstrate solutions for electrically heated steam cracker furnaces. The partners have already jointly worked on concepts to use renewable electricity instead of the fossil fuel gas.
San Jacinto College reveals its new LyondellBasell Glass Distillation Lab, a scaled model distillation plant designed to be a hands-on training tool for the next generation of operators.
Eastman Chemical Company Board Chair and CEO Mark Costa and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee recently announced the company's plans to build one of the world's largest plastic-to-plastic molecular recycling facilities at its site in Kingsport, Tenn.
According to data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Program, chemical releases in the United States dropped by 9% in 2019 compared to the year prior.
What do you need: CONSULTING - Subject matter experts, consultants, or team of highly skilled engineers to help solve my problem. SOFTWARE - My team requires software, products, or resources that will solve the problem. TRAINING - I require...
Methanex Corporation has announced that it expects its Titan methanol facility in Trinidad (875,000 annual operating capacity) will remain idled indefinitely.
Data collected and tabulated by the American Chemistry Council (ACC) show that global chemicals production rose 1.9% in November, up from 1.7% in October and extending the recovery that began in June.
One person died and three others were injured in an explosion and a fire that occurred in a chemical plant in Belle, West Virginia, on Tuesday night, officials said.
The first plant of Evonik's new polyamide 12 complex was completed on schedule in mid-October and is currently being commissioned. Further plants will follow by the first quarter of 2021, with full completion expected in the first half of 2021.
On November 27, a major loss of containment occurred at TPC Group's Port Neches, Texas facility. The CSB has released factual update containing background information and a preliminary incident timeline.
In today's chemical and refining industries, sustained long term reliability of facilities is critical to profitability and competitiveness. In fact, history shows that differences in operating expenses between best-in-class refineries, and poor...
LyondellBasell to acquire 50% of Sasol’s 1.5 MM ton ethane cracker, 0.9 MM ton low and linear-low density polyethylene plants, and associated infrastructure in Louisiana for a total consideration of $2 Billion.
Yokogawa recently revealed the results of a global end-user survey on the outlook for industrial autonomy, which shows that 64% of respondents from companies in process industries are anticipating fully autonomous operations by 2030.
Today the CSB provided an update on its deployment to the Bio-Lab chemical plant fire that occurred in Westlake, Louisiana, on Thursday, August 27, 2020, at approximately 7:48 a.m. CDT, following landfall of Hurricane Laura.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) said on Monday about 835 tons of a bleaching agent used in swimming pools was stored at the Louisiana plant where a chlorine chemical fire had erupted last week in the aftermath of Hurricane Laura.
Flint Hills Resources recently announced that as part of its continuous efforts to transform and improve operations, the company is partnering with Molex to launch a first-of-its-kind digital approach to leak detection at industrial facilities.
Are you truly prepared for your next Turnaround? Effective work processes are required to successfully plan, manage, review and supervise plant turnarounds. Inspection planning and work scope selection are critical aspects of any turnaround...
Inspectioneering, LLC has launched a specialized recruiting and staffing firm offering workforce solutions to help companies find and secure the top Mechanical Integrity and Reliability talent needed to successfully operate their business.
API is currently seeking presentations abstracts for the 2021 Inspection and Mechanical Integrity Summit, scheduled for June 7-10, 2021 in San Antonio, TX. The deadline to submit your abstract for consideration is September 15, 2020.
As the United States faces this year's hurricane season, it is critical that the chemical industry understands and prepares for the potential safety hazards posed by extreme weather events.
TPC Group is accused of three willful violations and faces $514,692 in fines from OSHA after the agency concluded its investigation into the November 27, 2019 plant explosion in Port Neches, Texas.
Evonik has successfully commissioned an advanced biomaterials facility for pharmaceutical and medical applications in Birmingham, Alabama.
Inspectioneering and API have teamed up to create the Mechanical Integrity Professional Initiative. The goal of this project is to raise the benchmark on industry knowledge and develop the next generation of SMEs. We believe that equipping MI...
At least 11 people were killed in India in a gas leak at a South Korean-owned factory making polystyrene products that made hundreds of people sick and led to the evacuation of villagers living nearby, officials said.
Dr. Lemos worked for the NTSB and the FAA, where she served in accident investigation and policy development roles. As an academic, she studied decision-making in complex environments and taught on accident investigation and safety management.
Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. has announced that it will establish a new plant within Osaka Works, Takaishi, Osaka Prefecture, to produce the APEL™ series of cyclic olefin copolymers.
PBF Energy Inc. has completed, and received the $530 million consideration for, the sale of five steam methane reformer (SMR) hydrogen production plants to Air Products.
LyondellBasell has informed the engineering and construction contractors it will slow construction of its world-scale propylene oxide (PO) and tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) plant in Channelview, TX.
Becht’s industry-leading Corrosion and Metallurgical experts are here to help with significant owner-operator experience covering the refining, petrochemical and chemical industries. This expertise is leveraged to help our clients become more...
INEOS is enacting a series of ‘social distancing’ measures in order to protect its employees who play a vital role in the production of essential products
LyondellBasell, one of the largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies in the world, today announced it has signed definitive agreements to expand in China through a 50:50 joint venture with the Liaoning Bora Enterprise Group (Bora).
South Korea’s Lotte Chemical has shut its naphtha cracker after an explosion at the plant in the southwestern city of Seosan, which injured 31 people, the company said on Wednesday.
Arkema and three executives are facing criminal charges in Texas stemming from the 2017 fires at the Arkema SA plant outside of Houston.
Explosions rocked a plant in Massachusetts that manufactures chemicals used in medicines Thursday, blowing a hole in the roof and leading to an evacuation but no injuries. The company blamed a mechanical issue with a steam line for the blasts.
TEAM’s integrated touch point corrosion program manages all aspects of the integrity process from screening for damage to permanent repair assuring integrity – every time. TEAM’s unique turn-key approach to touch point corrosion integrity...
Indorama Ventures Public Company Limited, a global chemical company, has commenced the commercial operations of its olefins gas cracker at Indorama Ventures Olefins plant in Westlake, Louisiana, the USA on 31st January 2020.
The CSB has approved a final rule on accidental release reporting that requires prompt reports from owners-operators of facilities that accidentally release a regulated substance resulting in a death, serious injury or substantial property damage.
U.S. refineries and petrochemical plants are cutting back on insurance because several years of severe accidents have driven up the cost of coverage, industry and insurance sources said.
Fourteen U.S. states and Washington D.C. sued the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday to fight what they called the Trump administration’s effort to gut rules meant to improve safety at chemical plants and reduce the threat of accidents.
Becht Engineering's Dimensional Technology Services division announces that it has agreed to acquire Texas Gulf Coast Engineers (TGCE). For more than 20 years, TGCE has been a leader in advanced dimensional control services.
TEAM provides full inline, onsite and, shop valve repair services and maintenance programs for virtually all valve types, brands, sizes, materials, pressures, and operating conditions, including actuators and operators. Our valve repair solution is...
Two workers died early Saturday cleaning a chemical tank in Pasadena, according to Harris County Sheriff's deputies. Authorities say that the workers were cleaning a chemical tank and may have been overcome by fumes.
Sasol recently announced that the Ethane Cracker at the company's Lake Charles Chemicals Project (LCCP) is increasing production rates following the successful replacement of the acetylene reactor catalyst.
The CSB released its final investigation report on two pressure vessel explosions that occurred at the MRR facility in Philippi, West Virginia. Two workers were fatally injured , and another was severely injured during the first incident.
Petrochemical maker TPC Group Inc will rebuild the Texas plant shut last week by devastating explosions that ignited fires that burned for six days, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
At least three employees were injured in a fire raging at TPC Group's chemical plant in Port Neches, Texas, early on Wednesday morning following a massive explosion felt 30 miles (48 kms) away from the plant.
TEAM believes that quality inspections are the key to reliability. Our inspection crews are made up of specialty trained, experienced technicians who adhere to the highest quality standards. Our API 653 inspectors deliver thorough, reliable...
German chemical giant BASF has begun construction of its $10-billion integrated petrochemicals project in China's southern province of Guangdong, the company said in a statement on Saturday.
LyondellBasell and Enterprise Products Partners have executed long-term contracts that support construction of Enterprise’s second propane dehydrogenation (“PDH”) plant near Mont Belvieu, Texas.
Celanese experienced a fire at its Clear Lake facility in Pasadena, TX over the weekend. There were no injuries reported in the incident.
To better serve its customers in Louisiana, Air Liquide will invest more than $270 million in two new large Air Separation Units and infrastructure assets connected to its Mississippi River Pipeline.
Specialty chemicals company Evonik has officially begun construction on its largest investment to date in Germany.
In this interim report, Pinnacle analysts take data from the oil refining industry and dive into how that key sector is being affected by reliability today. Download your free copy!
Motiva announced on Aug. 19 it would buy the chemical plant next door to its Port Arthur refinery from the Flint Hills Resources subsidiary of privately-held Koch Industries.
INEOS Enterprises has announced the completion of the acquisition of the entire composites business from Ashland Global Holdings Inc., which includes 19 sites across Europe, North and South America, Asia, and the Middle East.
The CSB has issued a new safety digest on the value of worker participation to prevent chemical incidents. The digest notes that lack of worker participation was a factor in several major incidents investigated by the CSB.
Dow recently announced it will retrofit proprietary fluidized catalytic dehydrogenation (FCDh) technology into one of its mixed-feed crackers in Plaquemine, Louisiana, to produce on-purpose propylene.
Motiva Enterprises LLC and an affiliate of Flint Hills Resources have announced they have signed an agreement for Motiva to acquire a 100% ownership interest in Flint Hills Resources Port Arthur, LLC.
How is reliability affecting your bottom line? Download our Economics of Reliability report, where Pinnacle analysts take data from the oil refining industry and dive into how that key sector is being affected by reliability today.
Royal Dutch Shell Plc will begin restarting units at its Norco, Louisiana chemical and refining facilities this week following overhauls.
Chemical products manufacturer Huntsman Corp said it has entered a deal to sell its chemical intermediates and surfactants businesses to Thailand-based Indorama Ventures PCL for about $2.08 billion.
A unit at Royal Dutch Shell’s Pulau Bukom refinery and petrochemical complex experienced an operational upset on Sunday, a company spokeswoman told Reuters on Monday.
Sasol recently announced the opening of its new alkoxylation plant in Nanjing, China, which will more than double its alkoxylation production capacity in the region.
INEOS Phenol has announced it will build a world scale, state of the art cumene unit in Marl, Germany, to be completed in 2021.
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Air Liquide plans to invest nearly $140 million USD to build a new world-scale Air Separation Unit in Bay City, Texas, and add nearly eight miles of pipeline to its Gulf Coast Pipeline System
INEOS Oxide today confirms its new 1.2 billion lb Ethylene Oxide (EO) unit and associated downstream Ethylene Oxide Derivatives (EOD) is to be built at INEOS’ Chocolate Bayou manufacturing works south of Houston on the Gulf of Mexico coast.
The CSB has released its final investigation report into the 2014 methyl mercaptan release at the DuPont Plant in La Porte, TX, that killed four workers. The report includes key lessons learned from the incident.
Linde announced today it has signed a long-term agreement with ExxonMobil to support the latest multi-billion dollar expansion of the company's integrated manufacturing complex in Singapore.
Chevron Phillips Chemical Company and Qatar Petroleum (QP) recently signed an agreement to pursue the development, construction and operation of a petrochemicals complex in Qatar to produce ethylene and high-density polyethylene (HDPE).
Traditional pressure vessel inspections often require taking assets out of service. However, MISTRAS’ Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) programs provide data as good or better than internal inspections, while assets remain in service. NII is...
Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, a joint venture between Chevron Corp and Phillips 66, has offered to acquire Nova Chemicals Corp for more than $15 billion including debt, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
According to a new research report by Global Market Insights, the global non-destructive testing (NDT) services market is set to grow from its current market value of more than $3 billion to over $4.5 billion by 2025.
INEOS will invest $2 billion in building its first ever manufacturing plants in Saudi Arabia, in what is believed to be one of the largest UK investments ever in the Kingdom.
Sasol has announced the beneficial operation of its new ethylene oxide (EO) production facility at its Lake Charles Chemicals Project (LCCP)
United Rentals' charity sporting clays tournament raises $20,000 for local veterans organization Fisher House.
Traditional, paper-based inspection processes can prevent plants from being as effective as they can be. By digitalizing your mechanical integrity process and data with MISTRAS Digital®, plants have realized up to 75% gains in IDMS data entry and...
Lotte Chemical USA and Westlake Chemical Corporation hosted an official opening ceremony on May 9, 2019, for their joint-venture Ethylene and the Lotte Chemical world-scale Ethylene Glycol (EG) Production Facility near Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards and Shell Chemicals VP for Gulf Coast Manufacturing Rhoman Hardy announced the company will advance feasibility plans for a potential $1.2 billion manufacturing expansion at its Shell Geismar facility in Louisiana.
Arkema reaches another milestone in its journey of growth in specialties with the planned acquisition of ArrMaz, a US-based leader in specialty surfactants for crop nutrition, mining and infrastructure.
API has released the 2nd Edition of RP 755, the only refining and petrochemical industry guideline to improve worker safety by addressing fatigue as a risk factor.
WorleyParsons has officially completed its US$3.2 billion acquisition of Jacobs ECR, and adopted ‘Worley’ as its new brand.
The OmniScan X3 flaw detector is a complete phased array toolbox. Powerful tools, like total focusing method (TFM) images and advanced visualization capabilities, enable you to complete your inspection with greater confidence.
The CSB has called on the EPA to review its existing Hydrofluoric Acid study to determine the effectiveness of existing regulations, as well as the viability of utilizing inherently safer alkylation technologies in petroleum refineries.
The world’s largest oil producer Saudi Aramco has agreed to buy a 70 percent stake in Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) from the kingdom’s wealth fund for $69.1 billion in one of the biggest chemical industry deals ever.
Becht has experienced outstanding growth and continues to solidify its position as a premier provider of multi-discipline Central Engineering services and serving in the owners’ role for Maintenance, Projects and Turnarounds.
Bayport Polymers LLC (Baystar™) held its official groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new 625,000 metric ton-per-year Borstar® polyethylene unit at its production site in Pasadena, Texas, with an anticipated start-up in 2021.
ExxonMobil recently announced that it will fund the construction of a new polypropylene production unit in Baton Rouge that will expand production capacity along the Gulf Coast by up to 450,000 tons per year.
Antea delivers highly flexible risk-based asset integrity software with 3D Digital Twin integration to optimize maintenance, reduce risk, and improve mechanical integrity for oil and gas, power generation, and chemical plants and facilities. Whether...
Halliburton Company recently announced it will build the first oilfield chemical manufacturing reaction plant in Saudi Arabia.
PinnacleART has strategically partnered with Solomon Associates to build comprehensive asset assessments for facilities in the energy and chemical industries.
INEOS Chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe has written an open letter to the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, expressing his concerns about Europe’s chemicals industry.
Saudi Aramco with its partner Total recently announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Daelim, a South Korean petrochemical company, to build a new 80,000 tons state-of-the-art Polyisobutylene (PIB) plant in Jubail.
At NACE International’s CORROSION 2019 Conference (Nashville, Tennessee; March 23-28) attendees will get an in-depth look at the latest technologies, research, and equipment that are driving industry innovation.
Pro-Surve recently invested in the latest portable Higher Order Modes Clusters (HOMC) Guided Wave Testing tool, a new concept for the inspection of inaccessible regions using short-range guided waves. Inspection is carried out from the accessible...
Today, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB), as part of its investigation into the May 2017 Didion Mill explosion, issued “Call to Action: Combustible Dust” to gather comments on the management and control of combustible dust from companies,...
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released a new 13 minute video detailing the events leading up to the August 31, 2017 fire at the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, Texas. The incident led to all employees and more than 200 nearby residents...
Chairperson Vanessa Allen Sutherland announced today that she will be stepping down and resigning from the position of Chair and Board Member of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board next month.
Last November in Dallas, TX, Inspectioneering and PinnacleART hosted a select group of leading industry experts in mechanical integrity for an informal discussion of some of the key challenges facing the industry today. The main theme for this...
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released a new 11-minute safety video and final report describing the events leading up to the October 21, 2016 toxic chemical release at the MGPI Processing plant in Atchison, Kansas. The video, titled...
Tri-Lateral Phased Array is a novel robotic phased array ultrasonic testing technique for the on-stream inspection of fixed equipment in wet hydrogen sulfide (H2S) service. TriLat identifies and quantifies wet H2S damage in the base metal of...
PinnacleART is now an official Implementation Service Provider (ISP) for the aspenONE® Asset Performance Management (APM) software suite from Aspen Technology, Inc. PinnacleART will utilize aspenONE APM solutions to measure, optimize and maximize...
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) today issued a Safety Alert urging oil and chemical facilities to take special precautions when restarting in the wake of shutdowns due to Hurricane Harvey.
Cal/OSHA and Chevron have reached a settlement agreement for a comprehensive plan that will improve safety at the Chevron Richmond refinery and for surrounding communities. The agreement meets and exceeds California’s landmark regulation to reduce...
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued two reports on the safe management of hazards by small businesses and storage facilities that use highly hazardous chemicals in business processes.
The DOJ, EPA, and TCEQ have announced an agreement with Vopak Terminal Deer Park Inc. and Vopak Logistics Services USA, Inc., to improve air quality in the Houston area by strengthening air pollution controls and compliance with federal and state...
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released its final report into the August 28, 2016, nitrous oxide explosion at the Airgas manufacturing facility in Cantonment, Florida. The blast killed the only Airgas employee working at the facility that...
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released preliminary findings from its ongoing investigation of the toxic chemical release that occurred at the MGPI Processing plant in Atchison, Kansas, on October 21, 2016. The CSB’s investigation into...
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released a video demonstrating the agency's positive safety impact in 2016. The video was posted just days after President Trump proposed his "America First" budget plan, which calls for the elimination of...
ExxonMobil's "Growing the Gulf" expansion program, consists of 11 major chemical, refining, lubricant and liquefied natural gas projects at proposed new and existing facilities along the Texas and Louisiana coasts.
A three-person investigative team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is deploying to the scene of an incident that killed three workers and reportedly injured seven on Wednesday, February 8 at the Packaging Corporation of America (PCA) plant...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized a rule amending its Risk Management Program (RMP) regulations to reduce the likelihood of accidental releases at chemical facilities and improve emergency response activities when those...
An investigative team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has deployed to the scene of a chemical release that led to a shelter-in-place order for thousands of residents and at least 85 members of the public seeking medical attention in...
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) today released its 2017–2021 Strategic Plan, including an updated mission and vision statement, which will guide the activities and objectives of the CSB.
Inspectors from the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Baton Rouge Area Office have issued citations and over $92,000 in fines for nine serious and two other violations to PPG Industries' Westlake facility.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) will convene a public meeting on, September 28, 2016, at 6:00 pm EDT at the Four Points by Sheraton located in Charleston, WV, to release its final report and safety recommendations into the January 9, 2014,...
An investigative team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is deploying to the scene of an incident that fatally injured one worker at an Airgas facility near Pensacola, Florida.
Pinnacle Advanced Reliability Technologies (PinnacleART) has been recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States. This list represents 5000 of the most successful companies within the American...
Pinnacle Advanced Reliability Technologies (PinnacleART) has been recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States. This list represents 5000 of the most successful companies within the American...
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has found three repeat and eight serious safety violations at Solvay Specialty Polymers' chemical facility in West Deptford, New Jersey.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has formally announced that “Preventive Maintenance” has been included as a “Most Wanted Safety Improvement,” stating that inadequate mechanical integrity programs, delayed or deferred preventive...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to revise its Risk Management Program (RMP) regulations to improve chemical process safety, assist local emergency authorities in planning for and responding to accidents, and improve...
Today the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) released a safety video into the fatal April 17, 2013, fire and explosion at the West Fertilizer Company in West, Texas, which resulted in 15 fatalities, more than 260 injuries, and widespread community...
The US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) will vote on its final report and safety recommendations on the 2013 West Fertilizer fire and explosion at a public meeting at 6:00 p.m. tonight in Waco, Texas. The meeting will be available via webcast at...
In preparation for its January 28th public meeting in Waco, Texas to discuss the 2013 West Fertilizer Explosion that killed 15 and injured 260, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board released its final investigation report on the incident for public review.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) will convene a public meeting on Thursday, January 28, 2016, in Waco, Texas, at the Hilton Waco from 6 to 9 p.m. CST to present the investigation report and safety recommendations from the April 17, 2013,...
An ongoing investigation by the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) of the November 15, 2014, toxic chemical leak that killed four workers at the E. I. du Pont de Nemours insecticide plant in La Porte, Texas, has uncovered flawed safety procedures,...
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) will convene a public meeting on Wednesday, September 30, 2015, in Houston, Texas, at The Hilton Americas – Houston Hotel from 6 to 9 p.m. CDT to hear and vote on investigators’ findings and safety...
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) announced that it will convene an interim public meeting on Wednesday, September 30, 2015, in Houston, Texas, where the CSB’s board members will consider safety recommendations resulting from a November 15,...
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has recently voted unanimously to update the status of fifteen safety recommendations resulting from nine accident investigations, including...
On Thursday, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) revealed the initial findings from their investigation into the deadly gas leak that took the lives of four workers at Dupont's chemical plant in LaPorte, TX
Today the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) formally announced that to “Modernize U.S. Process Safety Management Regulations” is the Board’s newest Most Wanted Safety Improvement, concluding that implementation of key federal and state CSB...
According to DuPont officials and media reports, four people were killed when methyl mercaptan, a toxic chemical used as feedstock to make insecticides and fungicide, was released into the air.
