IEM Shout Out – 2017-05 One-Day Course on Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger Design

March 23, 2017

My technical division will be hosting a 1 day course on the 2nd May 2017. It is worth 6.5 CPD points, and held at Wisma IEM. The course will be presented by Ir. Anwar Ahmad. Process engineers, can you please attend?

During this Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger Thermal Design course, there will be overview on the thermal design for designing shell and tube heat exchanger by considering design, operational, and maintenance perspective. The design of the heat exchanger is extremely important, as it is the key element of a heat-exchanged system. This is not only on the desired temperature to achieve during operation but also when considering the optimum design prior procuring an exchanger. Furthermore, properly designed heat exchanger can reduce the turn-down time for maintenance as no frequent cleaning is required while operating the plant or platform. Technologies involved in this thermal technology will be discussed during the workshop to highlight the importance and advantages when designing and operating shell and tube heat exchanger (STHE).

 

Ir. Anwar Ahmad is a registered Professional Engineer with Board of Engineer (BEM), Corporate Member with Institute of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM), Corporate Member with Institute of Chemical Engineers, UK (IChemE), Chartered Engineer from Engineering Council, UK with more than twelve (12) years experiences in process engineering in oil and gas industry, mainly in design with engineering firm and operation for technical support during turn around.  He started his career in fabrication yard with Sime Darby Engineering as graduate process engineer supported pre-commissioning team. Later he joined Petronas as process engineer and his responsibility was to provide technical support to OPUs throughout Petronas. One of his major assignment besides projects assigned was support one of the refinery during turn around. During this support, he had vast experience on operational issues that had been implemented in design stage when he joined engineering firms later.  He then joined engineering firms (Technip, Ranhill WorleyParsons, etc) based on project basis to execute any project varies from conceptual study, pre-FEED, FEED, detailed design, and EPCC. His role when execution projects are mainly responsible to carry out detailed process engineering tasks such as development of PFDs, UFDs, P&IDs, heat and material balance (process simulation), equipment sizing, relief and blowdown analysis, and hydraulic calculations. Also involved in various safety review such as Process Safeguarding Diagram, HAZOP, and SIL workshop. Experienced in process simulations (Hysys, PetroSim, and VMGSim/iCON), heat exchanger rating software (HTRI), flare network backpressure software (FlareNet/Aspen Flare System Analyzer), and flare radiation study software (FlareSim). Familiar and experienced in using oil and gas industry standards (API,  ASTM, etc.) and company standards such as Petronas’ PTS, Shell’s DEP and Iranian Petroleum Standard. Familiar with Exxon’s DIM. He’s currently freelance process engineer attached to engineering firms based requirement basis when executing projects and also execute projects remotely if required.

Register here, or download the form here.


Marketing Rounds – Feeding Frenzy

March 22, 2017

Can you feed me this well, when you invite IGL to conduct your HAZOPs/HAZIDs/SILs?


New Atomic Energy Bill expected to improve safety measures

March 21, 2017

Oo, safety and nuclear energy. Nothing here you can screw up, eh?

Dateline 2017-02-20, The Star:

The Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) hopes that the Atomic Energy Bill that will be replacing the Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 (Act 304) could be finalised this year.

The Bill would have a better scope for radiation safety, security of radioactive and nuclear materials as well as safeguard nuclear materials mainly for industrial use.

AELB chief director Hamrah Mohd Ali said they have been doing research on the amendment since 2011 after taking into account several factors, including atomic energy control as well as safety aspects for workers who are dealing with it, both public and environmental.

He said AELB had previously conducted a comprehensive and detailed legislative research for the amendments before submitting it to the Attorney General (AG) for further action and finalisation.


Saturday Star 2017-03-18 – Job Opportunities

March 20, 2017

Happy Wata  IEM VP and Council Candidacy. Vote for me, and spread the word, wilya? IGL has pivoted into training, so book your seats now.

We’re thinking of republishing Young Turks of PETRONAS, but it’s a minimum 500 book printing run. Do I have enough interested persons to purchase?

Donate to your favorite charity (me), buy my recommendations, or through my Amazon store. Or get the Young Turks series (3 books until I can get YTP republished). Where are those corporate sponsors? Or throw donations at me, my camera dive case flooded, and I need a new replacement. Heck, if you want to send me a Canon 5D Mk III plus dive case, I will not say no.

  • I have a feeling that The Star isn’t the preferred O&G job recruitment portal now. I see more adverts via social media. What do you think, is it a step change that the papers need to embrace?
  • I’m looking for jobs for 3Q2017. Send me your POs.

Food choice of the week? The nostalgic food stall, near your parents home. McD Bangsar Baru does not count.

Seeing that Joe Dever has passed away, you may want to revisit his books:

Flight from the Dark (Lone Wolf, Book 1), Legends of Lone Wolf Omnibus 1, War of the Wizards (The World of Lone Wolf, Book 4)


Exclusive: Petronas considers $1 billion stake sale in offshore gas project – sources

March 19, 2017

Dateline 2017-02-20, Reuters:

Malaysian state-owned oil and gas firm Petronas is aiming to sell a large minority stake in a prized upstream local gas project for up to $1 billion as it seeks to raise cash and cut development costs, two sources familiar with the matter said.

Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) is looking to sell a stake of as much as 49 percent in the SK316 offshore gas block in Malaysia’s Sarawak state, the sources told Reuters, a move that would be among its first major recent sales as it grapples with oil prices that have slumped by half over two-and-a-half years.

That slide has squeezed the cash flows of Petronas [PETR.UL], hurt its earnings and forced it a year ago to announce a 50 billion ringgit ($11.2 billion) cut in capital expenditure over four years.

 


Shell loses $254m court case

March 18, 2017

Dateline 2017-02-16, EnergyVoice:

Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration awarded MISC $254.4million in its ruling.

MISC had filed an arbitration proceeding against Sabah Shell in September last year. The firm sought resolution of contractual disputes covering claims for outstanding additional lease rates, payment for completed variation works and other associated costs.

“This adjudication decision is expected to have a positive impact on the earnings per share, gearing and net assets per share of MISC for the financial year ending 31 December 2017 onwards,” MISC said.

The $254million will be paid as increased day rates under the pair’s lease agreement for the construction and leasing of the Gumusut-Kakap semi-floating production system used for the production of crude oil.

 


‘Iridium-192 theft a wake-up call’

March 17, 2017

I take it that you don’t have a canister in your backyard?

Dateline 2017-02-14, NST:

A security expert has cautioned that the theft of equipment, which contained canisters of radioactive material from an oil and gas exploration company here, could be more than what meets the eye. Counterterrorism specialist Andrin Raj said yesterday the radioactive material — Iridium-192 — was highly sought after by terror groups such as Islamic State, which use it to make dirty bombs. He said the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNe) threat was new in Southeast Asia. “For some years, there was only talk of the threat in Southeast Asia. “This (CBRNe) threat is (now) the the region’s new threat. “The Iridium-192 found in Klang is a worrying sign that Malaysia is becoming a major transit point and base for religious and violent extremists.


Signs of improvements in Malaysian O&G

March 16, 2017

Dateline 2017-02-09, Borneo Post:

Analysts believe that the current outlook for the oil and gas (O&G) sector in Malaysia is turning positive as downside risks to oil prices and share prices are declining, reflecting a more attractive risk-reward profile for investors.

Affin Hwang Investment Bank Bhd’s research arm (AffinHwang Capital) said the current outlook suggested downside risks to oil prices were looking more benign.

“Due to higher oil prices, we believe Malaysia’s sector contract flow could start to improve this as oil majors revisit capital expenditure (capex) plans,” it added in a report yesterday.

The research team pointed out that the decisions made by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC to cut down production has greatly benefited the recent performance of oil prices.


Shout Out – IGL HAZOP Training 2017-04

March 15, 2017

Yup, IGL is pivotting, and going into training. I’m giving the training, so please turn up in droves. The course is HAZOP for team members on the 18th April 2017 at the PJ Hilton. Register now!


Johari: Govt considering ceiling price for fuel

March 14, 2017

Dateline 2017-02-09, Bernama:

The setting of a ceiling price is one of the options the government is considering to tackle escalating fuel prices.

Second Finance Minister Johari Abdul Ghani said in certain advanced countries, the governments leave fuel prices to float, and the oil and gas (O&G) industry players determine them.

“It is up to the government to set a ceiling price which is deemed fair for all.

“When we, the government have decided on the ceiling price, whether the O&G industry players want to sell the fuel at lower prices for promotional purposes would be left to them. This is one of the options we are looking at.”

Johari told reporters this on the sidelines of the Chinese New Year Celebration 2017 hosted by the Malaysia Retail Chain Association here last night.

He said the government had also to be mindful whether the policy would be a problem for those living outside the city.