In this section of the site contributing authors submit interesting articles relating
to the various services, industries and research & development efforts of Becht.
The 1970s was a period of spiraling energy prices, driven largely by the Arab oil embargo of 1973 and the energy crisis of 1979. The price of crude oil rose more than fourfold over the decade, resulting in rampant inflation that contributed to recessions in many parts of the world, including the United States. One […]
Let’s talk about something that’s always top of mind in our industry: equipment reliability. It’s not just a box to check—it’s the foundation of safe, efficient, and profitable operations. Over the years, many organizations have adopted tools like Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM), Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to enhance reliability […]
The refining and petrochemical industries have recently seen an increased focus on integrity operating windows (IOWs). The first edition of API RP 584, Integrity Operating Windows (2014), and the subsequent release of the second edition (2020) have helped to raise awareness of IOW programs and how IOWs fit into an overall fixed equipment mechanical integrity […]
With the current market volatility and economic uncertainty, many oil & gas companies are looking to tighten their budgets and cut costs. Unfortunately, training programs are often among the first on the chopping block. On the surface, the training budget seems like an easy expense to reduce. In reality, cutting these programs is a short-sighted […]
Introduction Problem: You’ve modernized tools, optimized workflows, and embraced digital transformation to reduce risk and remain competitive—except in one critical area: corporate standards. Despite their importance, corporate standards remain buried in bloated documents and outdated systems, restricting efficiency and progress for your organization. Opportunity: Corporate standards management is outdated. Standards are stored as static Word […]
Process scale-up is the effort to take a chemical process that works at a smaller scale and design a version that will work similarly well at a larger scale. Oftentimes, the smaller process is in a laboratory and exhibits excellent product yields in a reactor measuring less than one inch in diameter; meanwhile, the larger […]
This is the third and final part of the blog trilogy relating to life management of pressure swing absorber (PSA) vessels. In this article, we will explain how to develop a life management plan and an inspection strategy based on fatigue analysis. In Part 1, we explored the significance of measuring longitudinal weld peaking in […]
In this article I write about process technologies for preparation of slurries, AKA “solids in suspension,” and the considerations that must be made in equipment design. Mainly this includes powder wettability, but I will also briefly outline reactions, rheology, and several other considerations. For slurry preparation, our initial state is one in which the dry […]
In oil and gas production, every hour a unit is offline incurs significant costs. There is a substantial financial impact associated not only with the lost revenue from halted production, but also with the manpower expenses associated with restarting the unit. Minimizing delays is crucial to reducing these costs. Plant managers can employ meticulous planning, […]
In the fast-moving world of petroleum refining, Linear Programming (LP) models are the backbone of decision-making. These models guide production planning, crude selection, and optimization strategies to maximize profitability. However, an LP model is only as good as its accuracy and alignment with real-world operations. Over time, market conditions, operational constraints, and process efficiencies evolve—leading […]
