Improved Asset
Performance in Refineries
Through Innovative Services
T
he high density of
Looking at the broadest picture to begin
be focussed on preventing breakdowns,
rotating equipment used
with - we know that daily production costs
which means monitoring and ensuring a
in refineries means that
within refineries can run to enormous
high quality of repairs.
effective asset management
sums and these can only be met through
of pumps, turbines, compressors, motors
the efficient production of all the by-
In industries where high value or high
and generators, can play a vital role in
products that are created by the processes
volume commodities are produced,
maintaining plant up-time and achieving
within the facility. Hence, keeping all of the
the failure of a seemingly insignificant
OEE targets, in addition to ensuring high
production equipment and components
component can have enormous knock-on
safety levels and profitability. Since every
running at optimum performance levels is
effects that can bring some or even all
refinery operates with a variety of steadily
crucial in delivering a positive bottom line.
production to a halt. In some instances
ageing plant and equipment, drawing on
it may be economic to develop stand-by
the knowledge and experience of a global
Understanding the costs
engineering company - especially one
Rotating components within any
that performs both routine servicing and
production process will eventually wear
emergency repairs for rotating equipment
and require service or replacement; the
around the world - can help ensure a
type of maintenance program that is
site is executing the most cost effective
used to effect any work can make the
maintenance program.
difference between a good investment
Harald Großmann, Service Center
Manager for Sulzer's Neuss Service
Center in Germany looks at the
maintenance challenges facing
petrochemical refineries and how
to improve asset performance and
reliability.
and unnecessary expenditure. The costs
associated with a breakdown rather than a
service for example include the price of the
new parts as well as the additional labor
that is required to install it. In most cases,
this will be insignificant compared to the
costs associated with lost production and
process re-starts, hence, any policy must
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PECM Issue 21
equipment that can be brought on line to
return production levels to normal much
quicker.
However, there will still be a period of
lost productivity and when the process
is restarted there may be a significant
quantity of final product that cannot be
used due to the reduced quality. Clearly
the overall costs depend on the piece of
equipment and the process in which it
operates, but being able to quantify these
costs enables the maintenance team to
start the process of prioritizing the assets
within the facility.