MESA Webcast on Process Safety and Risk Assessment

https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/262251312

I will be moderating a webinar on process safety and risk assessment next Thursday at 11 AM Eastern time for MESA. The link to register is above and you don't have to be a MESA member to attend. MESA has a new Process Industry Special Interest Group and this webinar is a product of that. Presenters include Fayez Kharbat from Saudi Aramco and Steve Soos from Meridium.

While a variety of methods are available for risk assessment, the success of these methods has been limited by the lack of a shared, singular definition of risk which would allow for easy comparison of data between these analysis methods:

    Hazards and Operability Analysis (HAZOP)

    Safety Integrity Level (SIL) Analysis

    Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM)

    Risk Based Inspections (RBI)

This webinar will provide an overview of these risk assessment methods and demonstrate how the ability to assign a singular definition for risk ranking and the integration of these various analytical processes can improve safety, as well as save time and money.

Total Workers to Start Shutdown at French Refineries

http://bit.ly/9n3at1

Total refinery workers are on strike at six plants across France, and they are shutting down crude processing operations. The process of halting operations is expected to take a few days. "Workers at Total's six French refineries and seven out of 31 fuel-storage depots walked out for a third day to protest the permanent closure of oil processing at the idled Flanders plant near Dunkirk. Employees have criticized Total's decision to scale back refining in Europe while expanding in the Middle East, according to the Confederation Generale du Travail union."

Rockwell Introduces “Day in the Life” Demo for PlantPAx

Rockwell Automation no has an interactive, multimedia system tour based upon a process user's perspective known as "day in the life."  It debuted on stage at PSUG 2009 and consists of over 20 video modules suitable for customers to better show the PlantPAx System capabilities.

You can click here to explore it: http://www.rockwellautomation.com/solutions/process/ just go to the PlantPAx demo link.

Process Automation System Lifecycle Management Survey

We have developed a new survey to get a better idea how end users are dealing with the lifecycle management issues associated with their installed base of systems, many of which are getting quite old. Users of process automation systems have struggled with the issue of determining when the useful life of their system is over.  Since these systems are crucial to the success of operations from so many aspects, having a strategy based on best practices is essential.  Modern process automation systems are comprised of many components that each have different life expectancies.  Suppliers have worked in concert with their clients to provide replacements for obsolete components that in many cases have extended the life far beyond the original expectation.  This survey will help determine what the current state of the industry is and how it relates to best practices.  All are welcome to take the survey, but we are obviously looking more for end users to respond. We will be happy to send you a consolidated copy of survey results when the survey is complete and all of your information will be kept confidential. 

http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2qhnxspg5qz6e0i/start

White House Pushes for New Nukes

In a move that would have dismayed the "No Nukes" concert organizers of the seventies, the Democratic White House is pushing for new nuclear projects in the US because it's climate friendly.

According to the Reuters report, "The Obama administration will announce on Tuesday an $8.3 billion loan guarantee to help Southern Co. build two reactors, helping to invigorate the nuclear power industry after nearly three decades in which no new plants have been built." Are we in an alternate reality?

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N16216891.htm

Global Shift Means More Refineries on the Block

http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/world-news/global-shift-sees-europe-oil-refineriesthe-block_441513.html

From an Indian web site called Moneycontrol.com – Asian refiners are eyeing assets in Europe and North America as the integrated oil and gas companies continue to lose money on refining business.

"Asian refiners want to take advantage of the crisis in European oil refining to buy up capacity from the majors, battered by 15 year-low margins, and shift the power centre of the industry to state-run firms."

"PetroChina has been negotiating to buy the Grangemouth refinery in Scotland, formally BP's flagship British refinery, from chemicals group Ineos.

A Chinese official told Reuters under condition of anonymity that getting a foothold in Europe would provide his company with an export outlet of diesel from Asia across the Pacific, a basement to export gasoline to the United States across the Atlantic and some access to the North Sea crude oil market. "