Technical BlogRethinking EAC and HAC: Why Ventilation Design Matters I was recently auditing a midstream facility up North. The weather was great compared to the heat and humidity that dominate Houston most of the year. I and the other audit participants inevitably talked about the weather and the differences between operating a facility in the…
Technical BlogPutting the Rational in Alarm Rationalization Alarm Rationalization is the process of reviewing the process control system alarms in a unit, deciding which are necessary and how to prioritize them. While this is a simple exercise, it can be very time-consuming. Most clients have a clear understanding of their objectives – alarms should be…
Case StudyRefinery-Wide Integrity Operating Window Development Client: Refinery | Location: Oklahoma, USA Our client, a refinery operator, recognized the need to strengthen their mechanical integrity and corrosion management programs by formalizing the monitoring of key process variables that directly influence equipment degradation. Within the process units, several challenges were noted, particularly with several sour water…
NewsCognascents Celebrates 15 Years of Excellence, Integrity, and Growth Fifteen years ago, a shared vision to make the industry safer and to do things the right way, sparked the creation of Cognascents Consulting. Founded in 2010 by John and Colette Perez, a husband and wife and both experienced engineers, Cognascents began as a small process…
Case StudyPressure Relief Device (PRD) Evaluation for Ethanol Processing Tank Project: Pressure Relief Device (PRD) Calculations Industry: Food & Beverage Location: North Carolina The Challenge A new molecular sieve surge tank and associated column system used in the production of ethanol-based specialty chemicals required evaluation to ensure adequate protection against all credible overpressure scenarios. The…
Technical BlogBridging the Gap Between Cause & Effect-Based Trips and IPLs in PHAsInsights from our Latest Poll At Cognascents, we’re always curious about how process safety practices play out in the real world. In a recent Question of the Week (QOTW), we asked our network a timely question: What percentage of cause & effect-based trips…
Technical BlogIntegrity Operating Windows: 10 Questions Every Engineer Should Be Able to Answer In the world of process safety and asset integrity, managing risk is an ongoing endeavor. Many operators rely on Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) programs to manage mechanical integrity, using assessments for likelihood and consequence of failure risk results to prioritize inspections. However, RBI…
Technical Blog“This Far, and No Further”: Why Safe Operating Limits Matter More Than You Think In facilities with robust control systems, reliable alarms, and experienced operators, it’s easy to assume you already have everything in place to run safely and efficiently. So, when the topic of Safe Operating Limits (SOLs) comes up, the reaction is…
Case StudyUnderstanding & Strengthening Process Safety: A Pilot Plant Case Study in Food & Beverage Project: Pilot Plant Hazard Review Industry: Food & Beverage – Chemical Process Development Location: New York A new pilot plant was under development to convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) and hydrogen into clean fuels and specialty chemicals. The process involved high…
Technical BlogDeveloping a Robust PSM Program: A Practical Roadmap Implementing a comprehensive Process Safety Management (PSM) program can be a complex task—especially for organizations starting from scratch. Whether driven by regulatory requirements or a proactive safety culture, building a program that is both effective and sustainable takes planning, collaboration, and technical discipline. In this blog,…
