Emerson Exchange 365

Industries Blogs

Jim Cahill
- 14 Nov 2019
Blog: Refinery Digital Transformation Case Study

Ergon’s Steve Elwart (l) and Emerson’s Marcelo Carugo (r) discussing Ergon’s digital transformation journey Advancing technology has enabled productivity gains in both capital projects and ongoing operations for manufacturers and producers. Ergon Refining ‘s Steve Elwart and Emerson’s Marcelo Carugo collaborated on a case study presentation on digital transformation at the Ergon Vicksburg, Mississippi refinery for...
Jim Cahill
- 13 Nov 2019
Blog: Optimizing Well Performance in Unconventional Shale Using Cloud-Enabled Multiphase Flow Meters

Upstream oil & gas producers face unique challenges in measuring their production compared with other industries. What comes from a well is a changing mix of oil, gas, produced water, and sediment. Traditionally, test separators have been used to periodically check an individual well’s performance. These well tests are performed on a periodic basis. Sturle Haaland I caught up with Sturle Haaland , Emerson’s Roxar...
Jim Cahill
- 30 Oct 2019
Blog: Optimizing Energy Consumption and Overall Reliability

Sam Thiara I heard a great story from Emerson’s Sam Thiara of a polymer producer in the Middle East region that was looking to improve energy efficiency across the facility’s steam system. They wanted to reduce energy costs and their carbon footprint, while also improving the stability and reliability of the process. The plant staff worked with Emerson industrial energy consultants to benchmark existing operations...
Jim Cahill
- 25 Oct 2019
Blog: Innovating to Meet Bioprocessing Single-Use Requirements

Manufacturing in the biotech industry has been undergoing many changes. An ADC Review article, Emerging Trends in Single-Use Technology in the Manufacturing of Antibody-Drug Conjugates , highlighted one of these trends: First introduced in the late 1970s in the form of disposable capsules and a range of filters, single-use technologies were revolutionized in the late 2000s with the introduction of single-use 2D and...
Jim Cahill
- 22 Oct 2019
Blog: Successfully Applying Non-Contacting Radar in Black Liquor Mixing Tanks

In the Kraft pulping process, wood fibers are separated, and resinous materials removed, using an alkaline (typically sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide) cooking liquor, also known as white liquor. This process converts wood into cellulosic pulp used in the papermaking process. This digesting process turns the white liquor into black liquor, which contains : …lignin fragments, carbohydrates from the breakdown of...
Jim Cahill
- 16 Oct 2019
Blog: AFPM Summit Crude/Vacuum Distillation and Coking Q&A

One of the key parts of the AFPM Operations & Process Technology Summit is the Q&A Panel sessions. I attended the Crude/Vacuum Distillation & Coking Q&A session with a panel of experienced refiner professionals. The first question was about meeting H2S specification in the vapor space in the shipping or receiving points in shipping intermediate streams from refinery to refinery. The one panelist noted that they were...
Jim Cahill
- 15 Oct 2019
Blog: State-based Control Case Study at AFPM Summit

Dustin Beebe At the 2019 AFPM Operations & Technology Summit , Emerson’s Dustin Beebe teamed with a professional with a global chemical producer. Their presentation was case study was on applying state-based control on one of their production processes. Procedural automation addresses the various states in which a continuous process resides. Some examples include startup, upset recovery, planned shutdown, and emergency...
Jim Cahill
- 9 Oct 2019
Blog: Biomanufacturing Fluidic System Single-Use Technologies

Mukta Sharma As medicines and therapies become more specialized for individuals, the requirements of biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes are dramatically changing, especially in the transition from large-scale to single-use production processes. In a Processing magazine article, Process Control Automation Systems Maximize Biomanufacturing Agility in Single-Use Applications , Emerson’s Mukta Sharma highlights...
Jim Cahill
- 2 Oct 2019
Blog: Enabling the Digital Oilfield

Manufacturers and producers are looking for new ways to transform their business performance through a combination of technology, people and streamlined work practices. The nomenclature for these initiatives can change from industry to industry. For upstream oil & gas producers, many speak of these initiatives as the digital oilfield . The transformation efforts involve optimizing reservoir production and well operation...
Jim Cahill
- 25 Sep 2019
Blog: Integrated DP Flow Custody Transfer Solution

Emerson’s Alena Johnson and Katie Stahl presented, An Integrated Solution from Well to Pipeline at the 2019 Emerson Exchange conference. Alena and Katie opened describing that they are part of the Emerson’s DP Flow business segment. DP (differential pressure) flow measurement is an important measurement in the oil & gas business. Alena described how differential pressure works. A constriction is placed in the flow...