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The article reports on the growth of petrochemicals industry worldwide as a result of increasing production of ethylene from hydrocarbons using naphtha as raw material. It mention use of ethane as its primary feedstock by the U.S. which can be produced from ethane, gasoil and naphtha. It also describes the technologies used for producing ethylene which includes steam cracking, disproportionation and dehydrogenation.

The article offers information on use of carburization inspection robots for radiant tubes inside ethylene cracking furnaces. It mentions occurrence of carburization when carbon from hydrocarbon feedstock inside the radiant tube diffuses into the material matrix resulting in binding of carbon with chromium in the material matrix and forming primary and secondary carbides. It also mentions that the carbides decrease material ductility, toughness and strength.

The article discusses the new hydrocracking method for upgrading bitumen into low-sulfur diesel. Slurry-phase hydrocracking is used in brown coal hydrocracking technology. The technology is used for upgrading ultra-heavy oils. It process consists of a hydrocracking step, where the ultra-heavy oil is hydrocracked in a slurry-bed reactor with a dispersed limonite ore functioning as a catalyst. The reaction products then undergo an inline hydrotreating step and a solid-liquid separation step. The inline hydro treating is especially designed to economically use the temperature and pressure from the hydrocracking reactions.

The article presents guidelines for revamping vacuum towers. Some of the factors that govern vacuum tower revamps are the operating conditions, tower hydraulic capacity, vapor distribution, vacuum system, tower spacing and heat integration. Vacuum distillation is a key refining unit operation that is positioned downstream of atmospheric distillation towers. Most commercial vacuum distillation towers recover gas oils for downstream cracking units, while other distillation towers produce lubricants. The vacuum furnace and transfer line can be considered as a major part of the vacuum tower revamping.

This article discusses the importance of upgrading fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) by hydrocarbon industries. Refiners constantly fine-tune existing units to improve operability and increase equipment availability; thus increasing profitability. Often, existing units are retrofitted and modernized several times during their service life. The Shell Pulau Bukom Refinery had retrofitted its existing FCC several times. However, due to changing fuel specifications, the refinery had to consider applying new technologies to remain competitive in the fuels market.