Papers - - Refining - Developments In Refinery Engineering during 1933

Advancement in engineering in the refining industry during 1933 might be likened to the jagged flame of a poor wick-test kerosene—a few outstanding high spots, but not broadly spectacular. Economic conditions were unsatisfactory for the first six or eight months, but the improvement in the latter part of the year had some immediate effect in stimulating new designing and building. The national legislative program involving the industry drew the attention of executives away from petroleum technology to some extent. The National Recovery Act, and its offspring, the Petroleum Code, demanded deep and continued study to put the machinery into smooth motion. From a purely technical engineering stand, therefore, the emergency measures might be considered a temporary brake on progress. The ultimate effect, if the whole industry can get back "out of the red," may well be a more than expected advance. Of course, petroleum technologists and engineers, including both those engaged within and those busy in designing and building for the industry, continued their efforts, and much of the results of their work will undoubtedly see the light of day under the improved economic conditions, which bid fair to stay with us. There was little improvement during 1933 in atmospheric distillation, sweetening processes, or furnace design, but experimentation during the year on these subjects may materialize into distinct advances. The trend toward compact distilling and fractionating equipment, especially in the Appalachian district, deserves noting. A number of refineries in that district replaced obsolete shell still units with up-to-date tube stills and efficient fractionating towers, both for the better separation of lubricating fractions from the crude and for improving the boiling range of the gasoline. A number of small skimming and topping plants in flush fields, such as East Texas, which felt the pinch of production control, were forced to shut down, but the stronger among them are consolidating their positions by installing cracking equipment and in some cases more modern crude-distillation units. Motor Fuel For the first time in many years a reviewer is able to point to at least a temporary cessation in the competitive race in the manufacturing