OREANDA-NEWS. GE (NYSE: GE) today introduced new predictive analytics software and laboratory equipment for the on-site testing of crude oil to determine how the oil might affect a refinery before processing even begins. GE’s CrudePLUS* significantly reduces the analysis time of crude oil and can lead to streamlined operations, less fouling and increased energy efficiency. Today’s announcement was made at the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) 2016 Annual Meeting, which is being held March 14-15, 2016, in San Francisco.

GE’s new digital solution is a fast and comprehensive method to test crude oil and blends of various oil sources at the refinery, using predictive analytics to improve operation and reduce carbon dioxide emissions and costs. Data captured with CrudePLUS can lead to improved blending and desalter operations that result in reduced oil to the refinery’s wastewater treatment plant, which can reduce upsets and lower potential environmental impact.

“Through GE’s digital industrial revolution, we have the equipment, analytics and operating systems to bring powerful data to our customers. As the variability of crude oil increases and refineries adopt more aggressive blending strategies, there is tremendous value in rapid data and predictive analytics. Our new CrudePLUS system is the only technology that can test oil on-site with the quickest and most varied data available today,” said Amy Ericson, global leader, chemical and monitoring solutions—water and process technologies for GE Power.

Using CrudePLUS to analyze oils and blends can improve margins by mitigating processing issues while increasing discounted crude intake, expand a refiner’s operating envelope to process more at a lower cost, minimize heat transfer loss and maximize throughput in preheat trains and furnaces and reduce maintenance expense by implementing an effective fouling mitigation strategy.

Today at the AFPM 2016 Annual Meeting, GE also announced the introduction of TrueSense* for Process—Crude Overhead Monitoring System (COMS) and LoSALT* Online and Onsite Amine Speciation.