Featured Story

For more than 130 years, the Arizona Public Service Company (APS) has powered Arizona’s growth, prosperity and innovation. APS continues to be the state’s largest and longest serving electric utility, providing 2.7 million people with safe and reliable energy. Palo Verde Generating Station is the largest source of carbon-free electricity in the United States, with 6,400 MW of generating capacity and one gigawatt of renewable energy. By Candace Allison & Sarah Bradley

When it comes to working with customers to solve lubrication and engineering problems, Adam McMurtrey relies on a lifetime of experience that goes all the way back to his childhood. For ExxonMobil’s Mobil Serv program, he works closely with industries ranging from lead mines to chicken rendering plants—always with energy efficient lubrication at the forefront of every solution. By Michelle Segrest, Contributing Editor

Valve World Americas had the pleasure of speaking with Larry Wilkerson, Supervisor of Air Fugitives at the Andeavor's Golden Eagle Refinery in Contra Costa County, California. He was delighted to discuss how he ended up in an environmental role, the main cause of leaks at the plant and the measures that are taken to prevent them from occurring.

Valve World Americas had the pleasure of speaking to John-Paul Schmidt, Piping Stress Leader at Dow Chemical, about working with clients to design projects, calculating risk, common challenges with equipment, as well as the best and most challenging aspects of the job. By Jody Hewitt

A small company president’s role involves much more than sitting in a corner office. Jody Millsap gets his hands dirty. “My personality is not that I can be content sitting in an office,” he said. “I like to interact with the customers, help with sales calls and getting my hands on the equipment. President is just a title. You have to be a jack of all trades. I like to be out doing stuff and staying busy.” By Michelle Segrest - Contributing Editor

As the world’s largest chemicals company, BASF operates hundreds of sites in over eighty countries. Making sure these sites – which are often highly integrated – run safely and efficiently is naturally critical to BASF’s profitability in highly competitive global markets. Strategic procurement initiatives are therefore in place that both safeguard the supply of valves as well as reduce the total cost of ownership, explains Mr. Holger Suhren, Global Category Manager Valves. By David Sear

In most process applications there are two different types of valves used: on/off and control. On/off valves are simply for allowing full flow or stopping flow completely. Control valves, in contrast, have the ability to control the AMOUNT of flow, also known as throttling. Written by Brian Booth from Assured Automation

Mahsa Bakherad began her career in Iran as a Piping Engineer through an internship program. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgy Engineering and earning a Masters in Materials Engineering – Corrosion & Protection, Mahsa has gained over a decade of experience working in Oil & Gas and Petrochemical plants. Valve World Americas had the opportunity to meet with Mahsa in Houston, Texas to learn more about her experiences working in Piping Engineering.

Braskem's petrochemical refinery near the town of Duque de Caxias is nestled amidst green hills less than an hour’s drive from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The sprawling site hosts several chemical plants involved in the production of raw materials and further processed chemical products including polypropylene and polyethylene. Valve World Americas visited the site to speak with Mr. Roberto Funger, Senior Inspection Engineer in the Maintenance Department during a recent visit. By Joanne McIntyre

An interview with Mr. Bhaskar Shitolé, who is the Deputy Discipline Manager of Piping with the global EPC company Amec Foster Wheeler. Amec Foster Wheeler is a multinational consultancy, engineering and project management company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Focusing on the oil and gas, minerals and metals, clean energy, environment and infrastructure markets, the company has offices in over 55 countries worldwide. Written by Joanne McIntyre and Sarah Bradley