Oil and Industry
A strait at boiling point
The Strait of Hormuz, the site of recent military conflicts between Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United States, sees a quarter of the world's oil consumption pass through it each year. If Persian Gulf oil exports are disrupted because of a conflict, how much will Europe be affected?After years of decline, oil and gas extraction is set to increase
Oil majors have steadily reduced exploration investment since the 2014 oil price collapse. Now exploration is ticking up again, even if the oil price isn’t. Meanwhile, investment in renewables remains small among oil and gas companies.Promoted content
The challenges of the petroleum sector
How can the refining sector contribute to the reduction of transport greenhouse gas emissions and the improvement of air quality?Offshore drilling and environmental protection
In early offshore oil and gas activity, drilling wastes were generally discharged from the platforms directly to the sea. Until several decades ago, the seas and oceans were considered as limitless dumping grounds. Today apart from regulatory control, companies adopt voluntary measures to minimise the industry's impact on environment.Promoted content
European cold spell: Gas system delivers warmth and comfort
The flexibility of our gas infrastructure ensures that European citizens can rely on warm houses and undisturbed energy supplies, even when temperatures drop, as they have recently.Promoted content
Measuring emission performance of Autogas cars
Autogas vehicles bring significant reductions in NOx and particles emissions when compared to equivalent diesel and gasoline models respectively.Curbing CO2 emissions from trucks
Unlike for cars, there is currently no binding EU-wide cap on CO2 emissions from trucks. But the European Commission is considering introducing one in the coming years.Promoted content
INFOGRAPHIC: Can Germany’s Energiewende ensure supply security?
Boosting renewable energies and using existing sources more efficiently are the two main pillar of the German energy transition, better known as Energiewende. Both pillars contribute to the goal of lowering the dependence on energy imports.INFOGRAPHIC: EU agricultural emissions: On the table
In 2012, agriculture was responsible for over 10% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. Meat production is a significant factor.INFOGRAPHIC: The EU’s new Heating and Cooling Strategy
The European Commission announced a Heating and Cooling Strategy aimed at reducing energy waste.Promoted content
PKN ORLEN challenge: Heat Up Innovation contest
PKN ORLEN challenge: Heat Up Innovation contest for waste heat recovery technologies that can operate with low-grade heat of about 115 to 120°C Conserving energy is an absolute necessity for all industries. It is no longer economically viable for manufacturing or processing plants to emit heat-laden exhaust into the atmosphere without first reclaiming a significant portion of that energy. PKN ORLEN has made optimal use of the high-grade waste heat sources in their refinery in Plock (Poland) to preheat combustion air, crude oil, and boiler feed water. However, the heat lost through the air coolers at the top of the K1 atmospheric crude distillation column still needs a solution. Pinch analysis has shown that with conventional technology no economic use of this low-grade heat (e.g. for further preheating the crude oil by heat from the process streams) is achievable within the refinery. A novel means to usefully capture a portion of this heat is required.Promoted content