The latest edition of Emerson’s Innovations in Process Control magazine is out. The focus is around ways to improve the performance of shutdowns, turnarounds and scheduled outages.
Roel Van Doren, president of Emerson Automation Solutions Europe, opens noting that:
…74% of these [shutdowns, turnarounds & outages] fail to meet their performance goals. 40% of all turnarounds miss their schedule and or budget targets by 30% or more. On average durations are five days longer than planned, with an average cost impact of $2 million per day late.
Sorin Corbu shares ways to reduce risk. It begins with understanding the typical areas of difficulty:
…determining the necessary scope of work, planning the project correctly and executing it successfully to achieve time, budget and quality performance targets. Companies often struggle to execute successful turnarounds due to budget and time constraints, a lack of necessary skills and resources and insufficient asset health data and interpretation.
Early engagement with key suppliers is critical to establish overall performance goals and business objectives. Working with process manufacturers and producers, the Emerson Lifecycle Services team:
…performs a comprehensive plant walk-through. During which they will conduct diagnostic testing, assess the condition of plant assets, predict potential failures and determine which valves, instruments and equipment must be repaired or replaced and also determine the optimal level of maintenance to be applied. This enables Emerson to refine the project scope, support the development of a suitable schedule and provide execution planning expertise.
During the turnaround, experienced instrumentation and control technicians are provided:
…to conduct all necessary repairs and replacements. This is supported by on-site parts and quick shipping services for increased flexibility for unplanned maintenance, providing peace of mind that each phase of the process is performed thoroughly and accurately. Emerson also delivers start-up support to expedite the process and ensure that production is achieved as quickly as possible and avoid setbacks.
In another article, Justin Eames describes ways to manage risks when turnaround intervals are extended. Solid reliability practices and online condition monitoring equipment for the plant assets play a large role in mitigating these risks. The path begins with:
…a reliability centred maintenance (RCM) and risk based inspection (RBI) approach, together with inspection and condition monitoring to address the potential for equipment failure. RCM and RBI are analysis techniques which focus on critical equipment and produce a priority ranking for inspection based on the probability and consequence of the equipment failing.
Sensing technologies combined with analytics and remote expertise can provide early warning before equipment fails causing a reduction or complete loss of production and expensive repairs or replacements.
Other articles include:
- Taking advantage of turnarounds to improve operational performance
- Turnarounds of the future
- Taking control of your valve maintenance
- Innovative technologies
Read this edition for more ways to avoid being among the 74% who don’t meet their planned shutdown, turnaround or outage goals. This magazine is also available in Italian, Russian, Spanish, French and German.
