Shutdowns of Turnarounds?

In all major process industries, regularly scheduled stops are organised for important maintenance tasks. Whereas in the past, the summer period was more often used to carry out a stop, now the spring and autumn are preferred. Moreover, it is not only Antwerp that is busy; the chemical clusters in our neighbouring countries also have plenty of stops underway. The right moment, therefore, to take a look at the phenomenon of stoppages...

More than a standstill

A standstill gives us the opportunity to carry out all kinds of activities on the installation that cannot take place during normal production.  Think of major maintenance, replacements, legally required inspections and catalyst regeneration, but also of industrial projects for debottlenecking, expansion or renewal of the installation. Production is thus halted until the work is completed and then restarted.  In our regions we often speak of a Shutdown, but in fact a Turnaround is a better term.  A correct Turnaround starts long before the actual stop and continues for a certain period after the restart or the end of the planned work. The 'shutdown' is thus only the execution phase of the turnaround process.  By the way, did you know that a turnaround in common language means 'turnaround', 'turnaround' or also 'turnaround'? English speakers also speak of a 'quick turnaround', which means as much as a fast turnaround.  So you immediately understand what the expectations are...

Not so simple... 

So a turnaround comprises the full cycle of preparatory works, the actual shutdown and execution of works, up to and including the restart. Smart people also do a thorough evaluation of a previous stop and take the learning points into account when preparing the next stop.
After all, turnarounds and shutdowns are expensive and complex. The costs can run up in a few weeks to the entire maintenance budget for a year. Not only does the actual work cost money, but the lost production must also be taken into account. The cost pressure is therefore visible and can be felt immediately. It is unacceptable for work to be delayed. Thorough preparation of the stop is therefore a profitable investment. A whole stop organisation is set up or a main contractor is appointed to take care of all the preparations.  

However, the benefits of a Turnaround, such as increased reliability, production integrity, reduction of the risk of emergency shutdowns, are often less tangible. There is therefore a real risk of proceeding too hastily during the stop, to the detriment of production reliability afterwards.  In short, a Turnaround is a delicate balancing act. The key to success is starting on time with thorough preparation, a good definition of the work to be carried out (scope), a well-respected scope freeze and extensive quality assurance. 
 

The right partners

Having many people carry out intensive (maintenance) work on the same installation over a short period of time not only entails financial risks.  It is also a particularly risky period in terms of safety.  All the more so because external contractors are often used. They do not always speak the official language and sometimes have a very 'different' safety culture.  In addition, the way in which the site area is organised will also help to determine the expected safety standard. By calling in specialised rental companies, it is possible not only to save on the total logistic cost and lead time of a stop, but also to increase safety on site. Of course, the choice of contractor will also largely determine the safety results and the quality of the work delivered. As explained above, this in turn determines the true profitability of the Turnaround: the operational reliability in the months and years after the stop!  Hardcore price buyers be warned: if you pay peanuts you get monkeys...
I wish you much reading pleasure in this theme issue on Turnarounds...

Wim Vancauwenberghe
Maintenance evangelist