http://campbellforums.com/categories/process-safety/feed.rss Sat, 18 May 13 23:21:29 -0600 Process Safety en-CA http://campbellforums.com/discussion/5606/safety-culture Sun, 20 Feb 2011 11:31:32 -0700 Water Removal 5606@/discussions http://campbellforums.com/discussion/81/chevron-says-safe-refining-boosts-throughput Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:03:33 -0600 andrea 81@/discussions Posted on behalf of Clyde Young

Thu Mar 26, 2009 3:40am IST
SAN ANTONIO, March 25 (Reuters) - A process safety program has improved the reliability of Chevron Corp's 2.2-million barrel per day (bpd) refining system and yielded a gain in throughput equivalent to a new refinery, Jeet Bindra, Chevron's president of global manufacturing said on Wednesday.

"We found if you operate your refinery reliably and safely, you can produce as much as one new greenfield refinery," Bindra said in a speech to the Hart World Refining & Fuels Conference.

Chevron has reduced unplanned operational interruptions by 40 percent in the past two years through regular planned maintenance and preventive maintenance, he said.

Small increases in operational reliability at each refinery from the safety program have equaled a capacity gain between 100,000 and 150,000 bpd, Bindra said.

"Now is not the time to cut corners," he said. "You need to know the condition of your equipment."

Earlier this year, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board called on refiners and chemical plant operators to not reduce maintenance as they cut costs to counter falling refining margins.

Cost-cutting in equipment maintenance was seen as a factor in the deadly March 23, 2005 blast at BP Plc's Texas City, Texas, refinery, the CSB found.

Chevron is also looking at increased operational automation of operations to improve reliability at its refineries, he said.

"We think the technology is available today to react to upset conditions without human interaction," Bindra said.

Operational control has been centralized in the past two decades in refinery command centers with operators monitoring computer screens and reacting to malfunction alarms with gauges and control valves on refinery units as back-ups. (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Marguerita Choy)

]]> http://campbellforums.com/discussion/34/accurate-method-for-actuator-sizing Thu, 08 May 2008 06:16:50 -0600 Rodolfo 34@/discussions I also found that some valves that stay open for a while (I am not talking about years but only 24 hs) may increase their torques by 20 % or so.
In my company we specify the actuators to have 1.5 times the maximum torque the valve exhibits at any point, which it is generally in the closed to open condition, with maximum pressure at both sides, and cavity to the atmosphere (this is in line to what API 6D requires for torque measurement).
Despite all these precautions, I feel that the valve may get stuck at any time. Does anyone share these concerns? or, has a method to accurately size the actuator?]]> http://campbellforums.com/discussion/29/an-unexpected-esd-valve-failure-mode Mon, 05 May 2008 15:57:25 -0600 ihg 29@/discussions http://campbellforums.com/discussion/153/tesoro-anacortes-refinery-fire Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:25:03 -0600 cyoung 153@/discussions My thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy.
Regards
Clyde Young
Instructor/Consultant
JMC]]> http://campbellforums.com/discussion/74/esd-valve-specification Sat, 01 Nov 2008 14:13:17 -0600 specker 74@/discussions
All suggestions or alternatives appreciated.

Specker]]> http://campbellforums.com/discussion/37/psv Mon, 12 May 2008 08:21:52 -0600 Avinash 37@/discussions I am looking for best practice/regulation on PSV settings. As for thermal/fire, conventional & pilot operated PSV, what should the setting be?
I have been told 110-115% of the MAWP/Design Pressure of the vessel?

Please advise.

Thanks!]]> http://campbellforums.com/discussion/9/learn-from-our-experiences Wed, 16 Apr 2008 07:59:04 -0600 cyoung 9@/discussions I am hoping to use this forum to capture success stories, tips and tricks on how we can learn from our experiences in process safety.

I really hope to try and share what has been accomplished from the individual action plans that were created during the courses that have been delivered. 

Please share something that has worked or even something that didn't work.  I would think we could all learn from each other.

Best regards to all
Clyde]]>