Refining

Petroleum refineries must comply with evolving air emissions monitoring regulations, including the Environmental Protection Agency’s 40 CFR Part 63 (MACT CC) requirements via the Refinery Sector Rule (RSR).

We are experts in building custom Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems (CEMS) and Process Control Systems for refineries backed by 24/7 support and maintenance services. Our Data Acquisition Systems (DAS) and Analyzer Systems support regulatory compliance and monitoring needs.

With our 2022 acquisition of Control Analytics, Inc., we expanded our capabilities regionally and added staff with decades of professional experience providing systems that meet the unique requirements of the refining and petrochemical industries.

Refinery CEMS Challenge

ESC Spectrum Solution

Flare Monitoring

Refinery flare monitoring data collection, validation, and management is prone to inefficiencies and errors using spreadsheets that rely on data collected from the DCS and sent to the plant historian.

Data Acquisition System (DAS)

StackVision and Prism are the leading Data Acquisition Systems for refineries to efficiently meet RSR requirements.

Both work seamlessly with the 8864 Data Controller to collect, monitor, QA, and report on emissions data from CEMS accurately and reliably. Our Data Acquisition Systems are backed by 24/7 best-in-class customer support from a dedicated team of experts, services, online and in-person training, and are in continuous development to keep pace with industry changes.

Read our two-part series in Hydrocarbon Engineering to learn why refineries are turning to Data Acquisition Systems to meet regulatory requirements.

Learn how the StackVision Data Acquisition System helps refineries meet extensive Refinery Sector Rule (RSR) regulations.

Read case studies on how refineries used ESC Spectrum’s StackVision Data Acquisition System to save money, increase efficiency and meet regulatory compliance.

CEMS Requirements

Many refinery processes require CEMS to comply with federal, state, and local emission monitoring requirements.

Custom Refinery CEMS to Meet Facility Needs

We manufacture compliance CEM systems to measure priority pollutants and Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs), including NOx, SO2, CO, CO2, O2, Hg, HCl, THC, particulates, flow, and opacity, among other emission parameters. We provide integrated systems, CEMS components, spare parts, and field and bench services for your CEM systems.

QA, Testing & Data Regulations

The Environmental Protection Agency’s RSR regulations require active monitoring and immediate response to maintain minimum efficiencies, on average quadrupling the amount of required data to be collected and reported.

Solutions For Scheduling, Data Collection and Data Export

QAInsight is air emissions compliance software that schedules, plans, and tracks a myriad of activities related to performing QA tests required by state and federal agencies.
FleXReports is a subscription-based software that helps facilities easily and securely export data from StackVision into Microsoft® Excel for maximum flexibility.
RATAView helps stack testers perform Relative Accuracy Test Audits (RATA) tests accurately and efficiently to meet complex regulations, including requirements around testing frequency, calculations, data gathering, and data retention.

Flare Monitoring For H₂S, Total Sulfur and Flow

The Refinery Sector Rule (RSR) and Subpart Ja require the monitoring of refinery flares for H₂S, Total Sulfur, BTU, and Flow.

Systems for Flare Monitoring including Mass Spectroscopy, Gas Chromatography, TDLS and More

We lead the industry in refinery monitoring using advanced techniques like Gas Chromatography, Mass Spectroscopy, Tuneable Diode Laser Systems (TDLS), Mass Spectroscopy, Total Sulfur, and calorimeter techniques, provide superior reliability in difficult flare and fuel gas monitoring conditions.

Refinery CEMS Maintenance

Keeping your refinery equipment in good health is critical to compliance, safety, and minimization of downtime.

Experts in Refinery CEMS Repair, Troubleshooting, and Equipment Training

With 50+ years of experience, ESC Spectrum offers upgrades, repairs, technical support, field services, spare parts, and training for CEMS systems in industrial facilities, including refineries.

ESC Spectrum is compliant with third-party contractor safety and quality verification programs, including DISA, ISNetworld, Veriforce, and Avetta.

Fenceline Benzene Monitoring

The Environmental Protection Agency’s RSR rules require that refineries monitor the benzene concentrations at their fencelines.

Real-time Multi-Point Benzene Fenceline Monitoring Systems

We offer refineries real-time multi-point monitoring for benzene. Unlike passive sampling techniques, which offer only a 2-week look-back of benzene levels, our monitoring allows you to detect excursions and mitigate issues before they cause compliance problems.

Sulfur Recovery Unit Analysis

Sulfur Recovery Units (SRU) and tail gas treating units (TGTU) require a suite of analytical techniques for proper control.

Sulfur Recovery Unit Monitoring Systems

Our solutions for SRU control monitoring include Feed Forward, Tail Gas, H₂S/SO2 Ratio, Compliance CEMS, and Sulfur Pit monitoring. Our specialized sample systems and sample interface lower the maintenance requirements of these difficult applications.

Sulfur and Nitrogen Regulations

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 2 regulations limit the amount of sulfur in gasoline and diesel fuels.

Refinery Analyzer Systems for Sulfur and Nitrogen Measurements

We provide refinery analyzer systems to continuously measure the sulfur and nitrogen in liquid fuels, including gasoline and diesel. X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Oxidative Fluorescent methods are employed for process and final product measurements.

Reid Vapor Pressure
(RVP) Measurement

RVP is a common measure of the volatility of gasoline and other petroleum products.

Analyzer Systems for Reid Vapor Pressure Measurements

We offer analyzer systems to continuously measure the RVP in gasoline, volatile crude oil, jet fuels, naphtha, and other volatile petroleum products. Quality RVP analyzer systems include turnkey sampling and analysis systems.

Fuel Gas BTU and H₂S Monitoring

Refineries require low-cost, simple, and reliable monitoring of fuel gas for BTU and H₂S.

Refinery Sample Systems for Fuel Gas BTU and H₂S

We employ GCs, Mass Specs, and TDLS instruments and simple, reliable sample systems for compliance monitoring of these common applications.

Total Organic Carbon (TOC) Monitoring

Monitor TOC on waste water plant influent and effluent streams as well as in condensates and other water applications.

Total Organic Carbon (TOC) Analyzers and Systems for Various Applications

We provide continuous TOC/Total Carbon analyzers and systems for both high solid, salt, and high concentration applications as well as clean water, and low concentration condensate applications.

Safety and Hygiene Monitoring

Safety and industrial hygiene monitoring are of primary concern for facilties invested in protecting their workforce.

Safety and Hygiene Analyzers and Systems for Various Applications

We provide analyzers for safety and industrial hygiene monitoring including portable and fixed gas detection, personal sampling pumps, toxic gas detector tubes, heat stress, noise, and other personal protective monitoring and sampling products.

Physical Property Monitoring

These applications include pressure, temperature and flow for process monitoring and control applications.

Pressure, Temperature & Flow Transmitters from Azbil USA

We supply pressure, temperature, and flow transmitters from Azbil USA. Azbil’s line of transmitters exceeds the accuracy specifications and includes longer warranties at a significantly lower cost than the big names in transmitters and flow meters.

Combustion Control and Process Heater Safety

The control and monitoring of process heaters and furnaces is a major requirement for refinery efficiency and safety.

Refinery Analyzers for Critical Process Heater Safety Applications

We provide refineries with analyzers for critical process heater safety applications. Using both cross furnace TDLS and close coupled extractive techniques, we guarantee fast response measurements of O2, CO, and CH4 in process heater atmospheres.

Hydrocarbon Measurements and GC Replacement

Refineries require special component measurements in a myriad of process applications typically employing GCs. The capabilities of process Mass Spectrometers (MS) can improve the speed, reliability, and cost of implementing these measurements.

Process Mass Spectroscopy (MS) Solutions for Faster Analysis

We are experts in process Mass Spectroscopy (MS) custom-built for refineries. We use reliable and simple process analyzers to replace GCs in refineries and chemical facilities. A single MS can replace multiple GCs and provide significantly faster analysis times and excellent special analysis of hydrocarbons, H2, CO, CO2, inerts, reactive gases, and many other analytics.

Feed Stock Monitoring

Refineries must determine the sulfur and nitrogen content in feed and final products for control and compliance.

Analyzers and Systems for Refining Feed Stock and Products

ESC Spectrum provides analyzers and systems to sample and measure sulfur and nitrogen as well as viscosity in refining feed stock and products. We employ various technologies depending on the process sample and measurement requirements.

Distillation
Analysis

Determining the boiling point distribution of distillation column samples is essential to efficient column control.

Simulated and Micro Distillation Techniques for High Accuracy

We use both Simulated and Micro Distillation techniques to determine boiling point set-points for distillation columns. While SimDist, which uses GC techniques, is well-known, the PAC Micro-distillation analysis, which employs proven ASTM methods, is faster and more accurate. It produces significant savings in distillation column operation.

Enclosures, Process, and Steam Traced Tubing and Sample Lines

Freeze and weather protection enclosures, process, and sample lines.

Fully Integrated Turnkey Transmitter Enclosure Systems

We provide transmitter and equipment enclosures, stands, heated hose, and process tube products. ESC Spectrum supplies the components or fully integrated transmitter enclosure systems in a turnkey package.

Engineering System Integration

Custom and pre-engineered turnkey integrated refinery analyzer solutions for your analytical measurement applications.

Start-to-Finish Custom-Built Refinery Analyzer System Solutions

We provide complete refinery analyzer systems tailored to your specific needs. Our PMP-certified engineers will handle everything from design to servicing, ensuring efficient and organized project management.

Ready to Learn More?

Let us know a little more about how we can help you with your air emissions monitoring challenges and we'll contact you to set up a demo or provide a quote.