Tag Archives: Petroleum

The Future of Robotics In The Petroleum & Petrochemical Industries

YANGEBUP, Perth, Western Australia, 23-Nov-2020 — /EPR INDUSTRIAL NEWS/ — The petroleum and petrochemical industries, although booming, face numerous challenges. These are only set to intensify as obtaining crude oil and petrochemicals by conventional and non-conventional means becomes more demanding financially, environmentally and in ever more hostile habitats. For these reasons the use of robotics and autonomous systems to carry out practical tasks is virtually a necessity for the industry to progress.

The time of the robot is well and truly upon us, and strategic use of such technology is set to bring about significant safety advances and cost efficiency for global industry. And this is particularly true when it comes to the production of petroleum and petrochemicals.

Because of the colossal value of these industries, with assets totalling billions of dollars, it’s understandable that those held responsible for ensuring continued profits are decidedly cautious when it comes to embracing new technology.

This means that the use of robots for inspection and maintenance is by no means the norm quite yet. But as more and more proof of the advantages becomes common knowledge, such solutions are becoming more widespread.

Inspection and maintenance challenges 

Historically, achieving efficient inspection and maintenance of assets is a necessary but expensive task that needs to be carried out on a regular basis. Challenges posed include:

  • Significant downtime of assets causing reduced revenue
  • High costs associated with the opening, inspection, cleaning and maintenance of assets
  • Lengthy preparation periods to set up scaffolding and vent toxic gases to create a safe environment for human entry
  • The risk to human life when entering confined spaces and non or reduced oxygen atmospheres
  • The high cost of specialist inspection and maintenance teams
  • Worker compensation following accidents or incidents
  • The risk of human error during inspection
  • Inadequate visualisation of certain structures that are inaccessible for humans

Such challenges have meant that inspections and necessary maintenance can take weeks – even months – to complete. While this is taking place revenue ceases, so the need for speed is paramount. In addition, such challenges create little enthusiasm for companies to carry out proactive inspection over and above what’s required by legal industry standards. 

Enter the robots

Rapidly advancing technology over the past decade has brought us to an era that’s truly able to overcome many of these challenges. And whilst we’re not quite in the realms of the most futuristic of sci-fi movies yet, the tech continues to advance. Today, robots such as crawlers and drones are able to reduce multiple challenges of inspection and maintenance, providing the opportunity for companies to not only meet health and safety requirements, but to exceed them, therefore reaping the benefits of proactive asset analysis and associated reduction in maintenance costs

Advantages of using robotics

As technology increases it becomes possible for companies to take advantage of robots to carry out tasks that present significant hazards to human life. Not only does this lower exposure to danger in this high-risk industry, but also provides a financial edge thanks to minimizing employee costs and improving manufacturing efficiency.

The latest in robotic developments have been dedicated towards ensuring they can be employed in real world situations, not simply in a laboratory. Over recent years the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has been pivotal in pushing such technology forwards, organising various tests and challenges for robotic manufacturers to overcome. These include the ability to handle tools, open doors, overcome unexpected obstacles, open valves and more.

Manufacturers have also had to ensure that such automaton tools are able to withstand explosive blasts. 

Recent advancements

The speed of technological advancement is expanding fast. Perhaps the most significant progression is that of increasing autonomy. Once only able to perform the basics, the capacity for robots to carry out more complex tasks is now either in existence or poised on the cusp of becoming reality. These include:

  • The ability to navigate autonomously
  • Identifying and solving problems
  • Learning from their experiences and those of others
  • Sharing a workspace with humans and interacting with them. 

Current and future opportunities

The four major industry processes of exploration, development, production and site abandonment are all ripe for increased usage of robotic technology to reduce costs, improve efficiency and increase safety.

Throughout all these stages there are many opportunities for robot use, especially in that of inspection and maintenance. Current and potential applications as the industry and technology moves forward include:

  • Using robots to enter confined spaces to carry out tasks. Not only does this dramatically decrease human risk, but negates the need for unnecessary downtime to prepare for human entry. Currently such health and safety procedures account for up to 80% of asset downtime, therefore the adoption of a robotic element within the workforce provides cost reduction on a significant scale.
  • The use of robots for other potentially hazardous tasks: These include working at height, working within low or non-oxygen environments, firefighting and working in non-temperate conditions.
  • As a replacement for humans in remote locations: Robots that can carry out more complex operations will reduce the need for human operators in locations such as offshore sites.
  • Reducing safety preparations in hazardous work locations: For example, a robot working at height or in a difficult to reach location will not require health and safety measures such as scaffolding and other preparations, therefore reducing costs, downtime and risk.

Furthermore, the reduced cost and time effect of using advanced robots allows for the adoption of much improved inspection and maintenance programs. Proactively carrying out such tasks leads to a considerably reduced chance of any unplanned maintenance issues and/or the occurrence of catastrophic events.

In short, the use of robots in the future will lead to a significant reduction in downtime of industry assets, lowered costs, increased human safety and the ability to work in ever more hostile, hard to reach environments.

In a global marketplace that’s predicted to reach over $7 trillion US dollars* (Oil & Gas) by 2024 and $958.8 billion** (Petrochemical) by 2025, companies, although sensibly judicious in their eagerness to take advantage of such technology, are fast-becoming aware of the competitive edge it can bring.

* https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2018/07/12/1536385/0/en/Oil-Refining-Market-worth-over-7-trillion-by-2024-Global-Market-Insights-Inc.html

** https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-petrochemical-market

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Now Available From Industrial Consumables Specialist RW Greeff Is Dow Corning’s Molykote® P-1900 Food Grade Paste – A Specially-Formulated Anti-Seize Lubricant For Applications In Food And Beverage Processing Plants

Molykote P-1900 can be used to lubricate sliding surfaces and friction contacts exposed to heavy loads, especially at low to medium speeds. It has a low coefficient of friction, good water resistance and high load carrying capacity. It has a service temperature range of –30º to 300ºC.

Molykote P-1900 also meets FDA regulations 21 CFR 178.3570 and NSF H1, making it ideal for use in food and beverage processing plants where incidental food contact may occur.

For more information please visit www.rwgreeff.co.uk and search Molykote® P-1900

For more than 60 years, customers around the world have trusted the MOLYKOTE brand for performance and expertise to solve or prevent virtually any lubrication problem and to save energy through Smart Lubrication™.

As Dow Corning’s UK Channel Partner, RW Greeff provides a complete range of Molykote speciality lubricants with complimentary products from other world leading manufacturers. ISO 9001:2000 accredited, RW Greeff offers fast, reliable delivery to all areas of the UK & Ireland.

Via EPR Network
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A2 Technologies Today Announces A New Biodiesel Analysis Capability For Its PAL And Ipal FTIR Analyzer Product Line

Jon Frattaroli, CEO of A2 Technologies states, “The PAL series analyzers are acclaimed for their compact size, powerful analysis capabilities, ruggedness and user friendliness. The enhanced biodiesel capability ensures that a new market segment will benefit from this breakthrough technology.”

The PAL series analyzers, when equipped with A2’s innovative TumblIR biodiesel sample interface, are now capable of measuring biodiesel concentrations in petrodiesel from as low as 0.025%, as required in certain applications such as the nuclear power industry, up to 20% (B20). By eliminating troublesome, hard-to-fill-and-clean transmission IR flow cells, PAL systems make low concentration biodiesel analysis fast, easy and reliable. No sample preparation is required, minimal training is needed and biodiesel results are provided on-site instantaneously. PAL analyzers, pre-loaded with A2 Technologies’ highly intuitive and easy to use Biodiesel Analysis Methods and software, accurately measure low level biodiesel concentrations in just one minute including sample introduction, measurement and clean-up.

The TumblIR equipped PAL series will also accurately measure the common range of biodiesel blended fuels from B1 – B20, just as easily and quickly. This capability is important for companies that produce, receive or store biodiesel blended fuel. Companies that manufacture diesel powered generators or users that employ these generators will find PAL analyzers invaluable for ensuring proper equipment operation. These analyzers meet the requirements of the EN 14078 standard and can be configured with ATR sampling technology for those applications that are required to conform to the ASTM D 7371-07 standard.

For more information on the A2 Technologies PAL Series, please contact A2 Technologies at +1 203.312.1100, email info@a2technologies.net or visit www.a2technologies.com

About A2 Technologies
Headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut, A2 Technologies is taking FT-IR spectroscopy out of the lab and into the field. A2 Technologies manufacture and develop portable FT-IR spectrometers designed for the analytical needs of the petrochemical, environmental, metals and mining and general environments where there is a need for analysis. The portable FT-IR analyzers extend the proven capabilities of Fourier Transform infrared technology by rendering sample preparation obsolete and ensuring real time results.

Via EPR Network
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Land Star Corp (LDSR) To Become A Reporting Issuer

Landstar Corp www.landstarcorp.com LDSR Hubai Chuguan Corporation, an operating subsidiary of the issuer Land Star Corp today after the market closed announced that it intends to begin filing documents with the SEC towards becoming a reporting issuer.

In other company news, Mark Li, CEO, President, Chairman of Land Star said “We wish to advise our shareholders that we are equally concerned about our share price and values that are reflected of our company. As previously announced we have filed our notice of intent on pink sheets (TAB under FILINGS) for our shareholders to view.
http://www.pinksheets.com/pink/quote/quote.jsp?symbol=ldsr

We are abandoning merger discussions with others, and are focusing on creating audited financial statements and doing registrations. We have retained corporate advisors to assist us in this task. Our plans for LDSR are to be quoted on the OTCBB. We are a strong healthy profitable company and at this level the market is just not indicating our true values by any stretch of the imagination. It is our hope that this plan of action will have some positive results on our share price.”

Safe Harbor statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain information contained in this release contains forward-looking statements that involve risk and uncertainties, including but not limited to, those relating to development and expansion activities, domestic and global conditions, and market competition.

Get the Facts Right. The issuer works hard to continue to keep our shareholders informed, and news is updated frequently via Press Releases, Pink Sheet filings (www.pinksheets.com), and updates to our websites. Other websites not sponsored, or recognized by the Company may provide misleading or disinformation to investors in order to manipulate trading patterns for a given stock. Always look for original content from trusted sources, rather than relying on ‘excerpts’ or discussion boards that may not give you the whole story. The Securities and Exchange Commission requires financial institutions or brokerage firms to provide their clients with documentation describing the risks of investing in penny stocks.

About LandStar

Hubei Chuguan industry CO.LTD is a high-tech shareholding and listed reserve enterprise ratified by Hubei people’s government. It has 256 employees. the headquarter of the company is located in Optic Valley ( Wuhan East Lake High-Tech Development Zone )

Main businesses: storage, transportation, filtration and handling facilities of petrochemical products.

 

Via EPR Network
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Industrial press releases

Total Chemicals have deployed an innovative method of delivering safety information in a more structured and timely way by their storage and manufacturing specialists

TOTAL Chemicals has developed an IT approach to reduce safety concerns associated with the manufacture and storage of chemicals.

The Total Chemicals operational team consists of experienced specialists from within the world of chemicals, blending, distribution and storage.

Total have the ability to manufacture and store a wide variety of chemicals including dangerous goods with Registration Categories covering clauses 3 to 6 and 8 as well as non-hazardous goods, all under cover in dry storage.

Within the chemical industry the ability to speak in a timely way with a suitably knowledgeable person in regard to chemical storage safety and planning issues has always been a problem with the potential for serious adverse outcomes.

To meet this problem head-on Total employed internet consultants WebStation Australia to research the various options available. WebStation chose the proven GObookings AppointmentDiary V9 system to manage the situation automatically by way of online appointments. This solution allows the online customer to firstly select a product range and day; available times are then displayed reflecting the availability of the chemicals storage specialist consultants. Customer appointments are then made for a preferred time in an easy, seamless and user-friendly way. The outcome; the customer is able to book the ‘right’ consultant to telephone them at a time which suits with confirmation by email. The Total consultant then calls back at the appointed time.

Chris Barton Co-Founder of TOTAL Chemicals commented – “Total now has an industry first; a measured and efficient solution to provide faster response times for critical advice for safety and planning issues.”

TOTAL Chemicals range of products include alcohols, chemical manufacturing, toll blending, flexographic solvents, hydrocarbons, oils, greases, lubricants, thinners, paint strippers, safety solvents, solvents, specialty chemicals and raw materials.

Web Resources -Total Chemicals – www.totalchemicals.com.au
GObookings Systems – www.info.gobookings.com

Via EPR Network
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