Petrochemicals

  • Understanding Wildfire Progression: Spotting vs. Flame Front Burning

    Wildfires are complex phenomena that involve a variety of processes and behaviors. Two key aspects of wildfire progression are “spotting” and the burning of the flame front. Understanding these concepts is crucial for predicting fire behavior and implementing effective fire management strategies. Spotting in Wildfires “Spotting” refers to the process where wind, either arising from Read more

  • What is HTHA?

    HTHA stands for High Temperature Hydrogen Attack, which is a degradation mechanism that affects steels exposed to hydrogen at elevated temperatures and pressures. HTHA can cause cracking and failure of the steel, especially in welds and stressed areas¹. HTHA occurs when atomic hydrogen penetrates the steel and reacts with the carbon present to form methane Read more

  • Abiogenic Oil and Gas.

    This is the hypothesis that most of the oil and gas on Earth were formed inorganically, without the involvement of living organisms. ¹ Abiogenic oil and gas are different from biogenic oil and gas, which are derived from the decomposition of ancient plants and animals over millions of years. Biogenic oil and gas are more Read more

  • Underground Fire Main Leak “Management”

    In the natural gas distribution industry, underground leaks can be devastating. Or they can be harmless. The industry has techniques to detect underground gas leaks and when someone smells gas, everyone knows that the leak must be found before harm comes. Fire main leaks can seem harmless. The problem comes when the leak causes the Read more

  • Flow Battery Basics and Examples

    Introduction Flow batteries are a type of rechargeable battery that store and release energy through chemical reactions involving liquid electrolytes. Unlike conventional batteries, flow batteries separate the energy storage medium (the electrolytes) and the energy conversion device (the electrochemical cell). This allows for independent scaling of power and energy, as well as long cycle and Read more

  • Risks to Wind Turbines: A Tightrope Walk for Risk Engineers

    Wind energy, once a niche player in the energy landscape, has become a mainstream force. Its clean, renewable nature is undeniable, but harnessing the wind’s power comes with its own set of challenges. For risk engineers in the energy industry, wind turbines present a unique tightrope walk – balancing the potential benefits with the very Read more