How Advanced Process Control Technology Reduces Octane Giveaway
For Shell Deer Park refinery, teaming an online analyzer with next-generation Advanced Process Control (APC) markedly trims reformer output variability.
September 30, 2021 Mohamed Abokor, Shell Oil Read full blog post
Improving energy and sustainability with cloud-based services
October 12, 2018
Tim Shire, New Solution Strategy and Launch
We’ve seen a huge rise in the number of refiners adopting cloud-based monitoring services in recent years. Tim Shire, New Solution Strategy and Launch at KBC, discusses ways to fully utilize these services to improve energy and sustainability.
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Addressing the importance of energy efficiency
June 25, 2018
Tim Shire, New Solution Strategy and Launch
We’ve discussed how cloud technologies can benefit the Hydrocarbon Industry with regards to connecting site data with remotely located experts, and providing support where the in-house workforce is limited in skillset. But how does the industry ensure it manages the energy and carbon emissions of their plants, which is a hotly debated issue within the industry today?
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Why oil and gas downstream is turning to digitalization for sustained excellence
June 12, 2018
Mark Routt, Chief Economist
The combination of US tax reforms and changes to the global bunker fuel specifications in 2020 as part of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) new regulations are set to turn US oil and gas downstream into a cash cow. However, refiners shouldn’t rest on their laurels and must improve their bottom line to stay ahead of rivals and remain profitable in a highly competitive landscape. Here Mark Routt, chief economist, discusses how they should go about making the most of this new opportunity.
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Reliability engineers are wasting your time only telling you about reliability
May 23, 2018
Andrew Normand, Global Product Manager
The focus should be on providing information and understanding directly to the decision makers in a way that drives the business as a whole to make improvements in reliability. Read more in this blog post based on our article published in Hydrocarbon Engineering magazine.
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Why optimization programs are critical for the survival of marginal refiners
April 19, 2018
Duncan Micklem, strategy director
The global refining industry is constantly evolving and responding to new crude supplies and sources, more stringent fuel/product specifications, perpetually changing demand patterns and other trends. Increased competition from large, efficient refineries is forcing small- to mid-sized refiners to rethink their approaches to remain competitive. With this in mind, aggressive optimization programs have become a very attractive strategy for marginal refiners. Here, Duncan Micklem, strategy director at KBC, takes a look at the key benefits of such programs and explains why they are key for survival.
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How is the use of simulation changing to enhance plant operations?
March 19, 2018
Tim Shire, New Solution Strategy and Launch
The use of simulation in the oil and gas industry is nothing new. Such tools have been widespread for more than 25 years, and as technology continues to develop, the level of intelligence of simulation systems has risen. Here, Tim Shire, New Solution Strategy and Launch at KBC, explains how simulation is changing from an occasional engineering tool into a core pillar of daily asset monitoring and a key source of inputs to big data analytics.
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Downstream profitability: IT’s role in downstream refinery operations
March 12, 2018
Stephen George, Chief Economist
In previous years big IT initiatives were oriented primarily to upstream applications where the costs and profits were large enough to justify investments in new technology. However, as computer and control technology advances, information innovations are starting to move into the downstream space. Here, Stephen George, chief economist at KBC, explains innovative IT such as IIoT can have a huge impact on the profitability of downstream refinery operations.
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How are National Oil Companies changing the face of the industry?
February 27, 2018
Stephen George, Chief Economist EMEA and APAC and Mark Routt, Chief Economist Americas
National Oil Companies (NOCs) are changing the face of the refining industry. It’s an increasingly profitable market and over the next few years will see new capacity start-ups in Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern and Asian countries. In this era of change, how can oil companies future-proof their current investments and adjust to a new reality where NOCs will forcibly enter markets traditionally dominated by International Oil Companies (IOCs) and traders? What does a world look like with NOCs becoming a dominant oil product market force? Here, KBC chief economists Stephen George and Mark Routt explain how.
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Cloud-based services: Accelerating the decline of in-house knowledge or a means to reverse the trend?
January 29, 2018
Tim Shire, New Solution Strategy and Launch
Cloud technologies offer clear business benefits to the energy industry, granting plants access to sophisticated tools and outside expertise that help them resolve customer problems. But is this a case of “too much of a good thing”? How can the energy industry maximize the potential of the cloud while also ensuring that in-house knowledge and training is retained?
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