Platform Reactor Center Pipe Installation
Description: Turnaround Project
Scope: Planning, Fabrication, Execution – Complex A CRU/CSVU
Major Components : Platform Reactors, Heaters, Process Towers
Project details
This project was a flagship achievement for TIW and a testament to its culture of respect for and relationship with trades unions across Canada. Our ability to safely and reliably deliver high-quality service, from planning to supervision, execution, trouble-shooting and wrap-up, was also on display here.
Late in 2019, TIW replaced a center pipe in the fourth reactor of the CRU platformer reactors (about 200 feet in height) at a major refinery in Nanticoke, ON. To accomplish this, we removed 3 existing center pipes (which were stacked on top of the fourth pipe) as well as the bellows and a tricky reduction zone flange to install one new center pipe. Notably, this was a return to a major project we completed in 1993, when we updated the system and design of all four reactors, removed all internal components and installed new ones.
On schedule, on target and on budget…
Thanks to seamless collaboration and solid working relationship between our internal team and Boilermakers Local Unions 128, 555, 73, 203 and 146, we completed the shutdown on schedule, on target and on budget – with an additional 44% more work than was originally in the scope. These tradesmen gave 110%, excelling at working in challenging conditions such as working at heights, in confined spaces and during inclement weather.
With 120 workers clocking 60,000 man-hours, there were 0 first-aid incidents and 0 Non-Conformance Reports incurred.
Platformer Reactor Catalyst Collection Pot, Pre-Shutdown
Precise planning was critical to our success
The success and budget of every shutdown project rests on a solid foundation of accurate planning, cost assessment and labor projections. A refinery can lose in excess of $1 million per day in lost product during a shutdown. On top of this amount, one minor missed detail or inaccurate measurement could create a safety hazard, rework and extend the schedule resulting in an incident and significant financial loss.
With these high stakes in mind, our planning and supervisory experts use their decades of experience in the industry to condense the critical path schedule while saving as much money as possible and planning with a safety-first mindset. Shutdowns are planned down to the last dollar and the last fraction of an inch, while we assume the unpredictable may happen once vessels and towers are opened at the site.
8-week shutdown… planned 8 months before its execution…
The Nanticoke project was no different. Project Supervisor and Site Superintendent Val Bourgoin (who supervised the original installation in 1993 – an extremely rare event in this industry) planned the 8-week shutdown almost 8 months before its execution. We had a comprehensive plan in place to successfully execute the project while upholding our high standards for safety, quality and timelines.
Availability to Respond at a Moment’s Notice
Engineering • Drafting • Procurement • In-House Fabrication • Shipping
Owning and operating a 200,000 sq. ft. fabrication shop allows us to respond promptly to time-sensitive fabrication needs. During project execution, unforeseen challenges arise and we always work hand-in-hand with the client to troubleshoot the problem, then develop a feasible and efficient solution. These challenges can extend the critical path of the turnaround, requiring immediate intervention.
When time is critical… we work around the clock…
When time is critical, TIW’s design, production and fabrication and field teams work around the clock to deliver a solution in a fraction of the time it would take under other circumstances. Our team proactively addresses issues, with staff from its various departments and subject matter experts across North America, working together to create a solution, propose a fix to the client, and coordinate purchase and fabrication of materials.
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